The Portland daily press., 1881-02-11
What is Needed.

The address OF Gov. Long to the two
branches of the Legislature of Massachusetts,
delivered January 6, 1881, contains some sug-
gestions concerning "the terrible evils of in
temperance, and its devastation of crime, in
sanity and pauperism," which are worthy of
attention even in Maine. He says that the
Bureau of Statistics in Massachusetts, has
made during the past year an inquiry into the
causes of crime. The nine criminal courts of
Suffolk county were made the basis of this in
Quiry. Every case in these nine courts during
the year was personally investigated. The re-
sult says Gov. Long, contributes the strong
est Indictment against the use of Intoxicating
liquors that has been drawn. This result
with. Gov Longs comment, is given as fol-
lows:
"Of the 16, ,S97 cases, more than seventy-two
per cent. were for the various grades of drunk
enness; and, in addition to these, more than
twelve per cent. were offenSeS committed by
persons under the influence of liquor, leaving
only some fifteen per cent. of crime to repre-
sent what would be about the&otal amount
but for the use of Intoxicating liquors. These
statistics are important, as presenting this sub
ject in the economical light of its relation to
the industrial interests of the Commonwealth
and of an appeal to those who depend upon
them, whether as employed or employers.
They will be laid before you in due course,
and, trust, will receive your attention. They
cannot fail to impress, not only the moralist,
but, in view of the enormous waste they sug-
gest, the economist, the manufacturer, and the
workingman also. The more sobriety, the
greater the dividend of capital and the wage
of labor. Can it be that good morals, wise
economy, the spirit of mutual help, the love of
accumulation, and the light of domestic hap
piness, will not see their common interest in a
more united effort to suppress this common
evil?"
Certainly, such a united effort there should
be. But unhappily, temperance men are not
united in this good work. Some favor pro-
hibitory law; some license law; and some
local option law. We wish we could discover
what Gov. Long says he discovers, when in his
address he tells us, "There is a growing de-
mand, shown by men of all schools of theoreti-
cal opinion, that oohateyer be the law in this
matter it should be honestly enforced, and
that just as far and as fast as possible the dram
shop should be rooted out, in the interest
alike of good morals and of the material well
fare of capital and labor" But this result has
not yet been reached in Massachusetts, The
license law is not enforced as it should be, and
so Gov. Long adds Though not in sympathy
with the principle of giving the sanction of the
State to the sale of intoxicating liquors, I am
sure it is to be regretted that, if Ii cense law
exists, it cannot have the vigorous and faith
full test of enforcement
The same difficulty is experienced by DR..
Crosby and his associates in their temperance
work in New York City. Here is what the re-
Gently published report of the Society for the
Prevention of Crime-of which DIR. Crosby is
the President-says of the abuse of the hote
license by the New York Board of Excise:
"This is so well known that every citizen
who has eyes to see, that it is hardly worth
while to say more about it. The Excise
Board has deliberately defed public opinion
and insulted public decency by giving license
as hotels to thousands of common low bar
rooms, which have none of the requisites of a
hotel, and which are frequented by the thieves,
prostitutes and rowdies of the city"
The same difficulty DR.. Crosby also finds in
his efforts to break up the gambling dens of
the city. In the New York Tribune of Febru-
ary 7, he has card in which, referring to his
efforts in this direction, he says 'New York
must getrid of bribed officials before we can
enforce law"
What is wanted now in New York is an en-
forcement of the law, says DR.. Crosby. What
is wanted in Massachusetts, is an enforcement
of the law, says Gov. Long. This is what
is wanted in Maine. We have officers
who have taken solemn oath to do this very
thing but they make no effort to enforce the
the Prohibitory Law. We have in Cumber-
land county sheriff and deputies who have
taken such an oath; but if they are making
any efforts in this direction they certainly do
not attract public attention. 1t is useless for
these men to set up the plea that they were
not elected to enforce the Prohibitory Law
They have taken an oath to enforce all
laws of the State. If they are unwilling to
discharge the duties which the Prohibitory
law imposes upon them they have an escape
from a violation of their oath of Office in
| resignation. II. S. B.