Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-04-25


It is only in the later censuses that
We have any trustworthy data concern.
ing pauperism, and the last census,
which is likely to be the most accurate,
is not yet published. The proper time
to take the returns of pauperism would
be upon Feb. l, when at its maximum,
instead of which it was taken on June
l, when at its minimum. On that date,
in 1870, there were In the United States
76, 737 persons receiving public relief, ol
one in every SOP S3 of the population.
In Maine, at that date, we find 1851
paupers, or one in 172 65 of the popuIa-
ton. During that year one in 1876 AZ
received public relief there, an increase
of over 141.9 per cent over the num-
Der in 1850, the year before prohibition
began the population having increased
meanwhile less than 7.45 per cent.
From this point we start in our inves-
tigation, and, in lack of the census for
1880, we turn for information to such
official records of the cities and villages
as are accessible. I have copies of q
number of these before me, containing,
in detail, the expenses for support OF
the poor, with the number of arrests fol
violation of the liquor law and fol-
drunkenness, from 1870 to 1880 inclu.
sive. I find that in the cities of Bath,
Ellsworth, Biddeford, and Belfast the
poor expenses have not only increased
positively. but relatively. Thus, in
Belfast, where they feed the poor by
contract. it cost every inhabitant in
1870, Al "a cents to maintain the poor,
and in 1881, Sc cents-a relative in
crease of 10 per cent. In Ellsworth, ii
rose in the same time from 48 to 76 cents
"a relative increase of over So per cent;
in Biddeford, from 68 to "a cents-an
increase Of over per cent; and in
Bath from 70 to 5000 cents-an increase
of over 26 per cent. In Gardiner there
has been small decrease, falling from
65 4 to 56.O3 cents-a reduction of nearly
IA per cent. AS the percentage of ar
rests for drunkenness In Gardiner,
which was only LOG in 1870, has risen
to 1.8O in 188O-a heavier rate than in
Bangor, where prohibition is notori.
ously not enforced, and much heavier
than in Newark, N. j., with its over
1000 licensed saloons this is a nut for
the Prohibitionists to crack at their
leisure. In the larger towns there has
been a decrease of pauperism during
the decade; but how and why? Let us
examine the records.
PORTLAND AND BANGOR AS THEIR
MOMETERS.
In 1870 1t cost Portland to support her
poor just SIS, 1856 10, or 81 cents for each
inhabitant. The police made jealous
raid on the drunkards, and arrested
1,761, or 5.5 per cent. of the population ;
and bv 1877 searches and seizures, drove
the liquor sellers "to cover" The next
year they kept it up. and increased the
poor expenses to $29, 114.06. The vigor
died out; there were the next year only
922 arrests; the liquor rats left their
holes, whiskey abounded, and 10! the
poor expenses fell to $A. .999.54 At this
time there was determined effort made
to enforce the law with vigor. In 1878 4
there were 400 arrests-over q per
cent. of the inhabitants, and over 36
per ceut. of the adult males; and there
were 2,318 arrests the next year, and so
they kept it up for four more years,
during which the poor expenses rose 20
nearly $50, 900 again. The spasm of en-
forcement died out, whiskey flowed
freely, in addition to which the sales at
the town agents "for medical and me-
$12, ,OO7 60 in 1879, to $27, $50 in 1880, an
increase of over.12O per cent, and for
the first time in years the poor ex-
penses fell to SIS, 756.06, or IS cents per
capita.
In Bangor the rise and fall of pauper-
ism In connection with the enforcement
and non enforcement of the laws can
be most readily observed. In 1870
ctc for 6Vv1 boz
and the poor expenses were ST., 1922 36,
or 90 cents per head. In 1873, when the
same wave of excitement that over
Sheriff, q Mr.. Terrard, enforced the
law with severity, Independently of the
municipal authorities. By aid of his
time of 77O for drunkenness, and kept
at this work for years. With this rose
the poor expenses steadily until they
reached $26, 1S5. IS, or over 81. so per cap.
ita. But the spasm died out here too.
Since then no attempt has been made
to enforce the law at all. The liquor
sellers have been kept within the
bounds of decency and order-no more.
Liquor of all kinds can be had in Ban.
gor as readily as bread. Let the out
going Mayor in 1881, DR.. Bonn, tell the
story as it is. In his valedictory lie
says:
II think that our citizens will gen.
orally attest that our streets have never
been more peaceable and undisturbed
than during the last two years, and that
law generally has never been better oh
served. Statistics show beyond ques
ton that tho number of arrests for, or
growing out of, intemperance have been
unusually small that our pauper bills
have been sensibly decreased, and that
good order has been easily and generally
maintained. It is generally known that
under the official administration of
Sheriff Jerrard, when an attempt was
made to execute the law against liquor
selling, as never here or elsewhere be-
fore, the county expenses (of which the
city pays half were as much as 500, 900
per annum more than they have been
since. And I think I can truthfully
affirm that rum selling was not apprecia.
bly, less than now. It was driven into
more hidden places, and perhaps into
lower hands 1t multiplied the busi-
ness of express companies on individual
account, and it created the curse of pri-
vate club rooms, the worst possible nur-
series of vice for our young men. Our
citizens, think, regard the efforts OF
Sheriff Jerrard, however well intended,
as costly failure. The moment his Of
ficial term ceased, as much of the busi-
ness was apparently carried on as upon
the day when his experiment conn.,,
menced."
With this we have the report of the
City Marshal, who says:
''At the commencement of the year
(1879) we find club rooms in operation
where the young men, more especially,
cangregate day and night to play cards,
gamble, and drink. There has been
less drunkenness and disturbance on
account of intoxication the present mu-
nicipal year (1SSO than for several pre-
ceding years."
All of which is sustained by the facts.
The number of arrests for drunkenness
of all kinds in 1880 was 262, or 155 per
cent, and the poor expenses were re-
duced to SIG, ,e64 64, more than SO per
cent. less than when Sheriff Jerrard
and his State constables enforced" the
law.
HOW 1T Is IN AUGUSTA AND LEWISTON.
In 1870, in Augusta, the poor expenses
we're s6, ,41S.s4. Here they made con-
tinual efforts to enforce the law, so
much liquor being consumed at the
State capital-liquor and legislation
melting into each other everywhere.