Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-10-04
A PROHIBITION IesT.

An utter Failure in the state of Vermont,
where Powerful Laws have been En-
acted to Suppress the Liquor Traffic.
Chicago Tribune.
| The operative force Of prohibition is
fairly tested in Vermont. 1t has the
most rigid prohibition laws which have
yet been enacted ia any state in the
union. 1t has had these laws for thirty
years. and yet it is stated that more rum
is sold IN that state per capita than in
any other state, and now the dispatches
inform US that the authorities of Bur
lincton are making another OF their
periodical raids against saloons, hotels,
restaurants, and even private houses for
violation OF the law.
The prohibitory law of Vermont was
enacted in 1852. 1t passed the legisla-
ture by one vote, was then submitted
to the people and carried by l,l2l ma
jority. and since March, 1853, has been
the law of the state. The original law
| merely forbade the sale. furnishing, or
giving away of liquor, and comprised
| put twenty-five sections. Every legis-
lature since 1852 has added provisions to
! it, increasing its stnngency, and seeking
to cut off the various devices by which
dealers evaded its operation. Every
demand that has been made by the
temperance men has been granted
until at last the law embraces one
hundred sections of the most
sweeping character. II law on the
| statute books could prevent men from
| drinking, it ought to be the Vermont
law. A correspondent of the Boston
| Globe thus recapitulatcs some OF its
principal provisions:
The manufacture, sale. furnishing, or
giving away of intoxicating liquors is
forbidden, and all malt liquors and lager
beer are specifically included. Cider
cannot be sold at any place OF public re-
nish any liquors as above described to
minors. The penalties in all the above
cases are $40 tor the first otfense, $50 fol
the second, and three months in the
house of correction for the third. A
common seller is fined 500 for the fir. t
offense and SEQ for the second, and for
the third committed to the house of cor
rectlon for four months. He may also
be prosecuted for maintaining nuisance,
and in case of conviction be is fined from
so to $500 and imprisoned from one to
three months, and his place of business is
summarily closed; nor can he re open II
until he has furnished heavy bond moi
to use it for the sale of liquor. a per
son bringing or assisting IN bringing llQ
uor into the state is fined $50 for til,
; FIRST offense. and $50 for the second, anG
!; tor the third is imprisoned three months
A liquor drummer is fined 500 for on,
oifense of selling and $500 for the second
and for the third is fined $500 and impris
oned for six months. All liquors KEEP
! or supposed to be kept for purposes for
hidden by the statute are to be seized
no matter where they are located, evel
if in private house; and an officer ma,
, make search and seize liquor, if found
, without warrant. This last outrageou
, and unconstitutional amendment to th
law was made by the last legislature
: Finally, ne.quarter of all the fines col
e lected goes to the lnformer.
i In addition to these provisions there
q still another imposing heavy fine upo
any person who rents building to b
used for the sale of liquor. Surely her
is prohibition carried to the maximum
!, of the most radical prohibitionists d,
/. mands, and the entire machinery Of tn
- law is in the hands of til
u authorities, who are also indirectly ASST
Z ted by ample rewards paid to inormer
,. The same correspondent gives US the 70
!. !. lowing description of how the machiner
:, works:
0 In the first place raid is suddenl
made upon the liquor dealer and hi
stock In trade is summarily carried OF
e He is given q chance to recover it b
L. proving that it is not his property, b,
!. in ninety cases out of one hundred til
liquor is ad]udged forfeited. The deal,
is then heavily fined for having liquor ]
le his possession. Then subpenas are i
Ie sued by the score and as many offens,
, as possible are crowded upon the liqu,
dealer. 1t is no uncommon thing
d convict one of from 500 to $500 offense
'e A fine of ten dollars for each often.
TO makes a very handsome penalty in tt
n, aggregate. Ii the liquor dealer is wea
thy or has wealthy friends he pays h
It fine; otherwise he goes to the house
es correction to work out his hne at the ra
k of thirty-thIee and a third cents per da
IL There are at present quite number
persons in the house of correction wi
T. will have to serve over fifty years in c
1T der to pay their fines at the rate indie
is ted.
!. Vermont should be the prohibitions
paradise, but is it? The statistics she
Z that the law has not only abolished {
% rum traffick, but it has not lessened it
of any appreciable degree. In 1891 the
"a were 400 places where liquor was open
- sold, and where, of course, there shou
Oh have been none. In 1882 there were 4.
"a. and in 1883 there are 446, or one to eve
EN- 745 of the population, aud this max
b. no accounts of the hotels, clubs, q
" private places where liquor can be bs
e. The Boston Herald also furnishes sol
at information which is suggestive in Il
its connection. Last year the st. Alba
IN, people were seized With spasm OF I
same temperance patriotism which
ne recently induced the Burlington peol
ra .,...i 4.