The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-02-16
attended with as little delay as Is con-
sistent with Its Importance.


sistent with Its Importance.
The New York Sun thus answers q
custom house clerk who asks what his
prospects are: "Ifthis inquirer really
has any wish to make the most of his
ability, we tell him to leave the custom
house and 60 to work at almost any
other sort of reputable calling. Serv-
Ing the government as clerk In ono
OF the departments or in the custom
house as Q means of livelihood, should
be stunned by every man who hopes
to fill any position more important or
honorable. A man who accepts such q
post must abandon the idea that 1t may
be the stepping stone to further ad-
yancement. If by change In the ad-
ministration he loses the Office, be
must begin life over again at the point
where he loft II before entering upon
his new duties; or IL tho tenure of
Office should be during good behavior,
be may be sure that he will live and
die In the department. Once q clerk,
be becomes like chronic invalid who
loses even the desire to have bis
strength back again. II is the end
of ambition and the destruction of
energy"
On the first day of this year the reia-
tions of husband and wife in England
underwent Q complete change. The
Married Woman's Property act Of 1882
is the last In series Of legislation en-.
tirely snperseding the old common law
rule that the rights of Q wife are merged
In her husband. The result Is that there
are four classes of married women in
England having distinct rights and IL
abilities. First, those married before
August 9, 1870, are entitled to their
wages and earnings and to any proper
ty the title to which sccrues as from
to-day. But their husbands are liable
for their debts before and after mar
rage. Those married between 1870
and 1874 are entitled in addition to the
above to all sums coming to them Al
next to kin under intestacy, to sums
coming by will or deed up to $1,000,
and to rents of freeholds descending 70
them rs heiresses. Husbands Of these
women are not liable for debts con.
tracted before marriage. WomeD
married between 1874 and 1883 can
make their husbands liable for debts
only to the oxtent of the assets which
the latter have received from their
wives. Women married after January
l Of this year may acquire, hold and
dispose Of real estate and personal
propertv In the same manner as II un.
married, without the intervention OF
trustees. A wife may now sue her
husband, prosecute him criminally aud
even make him Q bankrupt.
The Geneva correspondent OF the
London Times gives startling account
Of tho prevalence OF intemperarcs ia
Switzerland. The evil has attained
such magnitude as to create anxiety
among public men of all classes. Al
cOhol is commonly spoken Of as "the
enemy" and brandy as esu-de-mort.
Failures, bankruptcies, forced sales Of
property are alarmingly on tho in
crease, accompanied by heavy depre-
citation In the value Of land. PublIc
ruin, In short, appears to threaten the
country, for the evil affects ell grades
of society, and is rite even among
females. The mayors Of several
towns in the Bernese Alps have ad-
dressed Q report to the cantonA gov
ernment 10 the above purport, and
church synods are greatly exercised by
The gigantic evil. This state of things
is attributed to the repeal Of the liquor
laws In 1874, when, by an alteration of
the constitution, the cantOns were de-
prived of the power Of regulating the
traffic Ia drink. 1t was decided to
treat intoxicsnts in the same way ~
every other article of public consump.
ton. Liberty was given to every
Swiss citizen to trade without restric-
ton in any part of the confederation
The following picture Is given OF the
results Of this policy: 1.-The traffic in
strong drink instantly became as free
ss that 10 bread aud meat. Previous
ly, the needs Of the population, the
| character of the applicant for the IL
csnse, the suitability Of tho premises,
the contiguity OF the public house to
churches, schools and other public In
| stitutions, were among the prvlimina-
ries discussed; no female was allowed
to keep such . house; licenses were
granted for q limited time; children
were not to DO supplied with drink or
allowed to frequent public houses,
which were required TO be closed the
greater part Of Sundays, and al
certain hour In the evening. With the
| abolition Of all restriction q state Of
things has boon brought about such a.
seems to threaten the very existence
of tho Confederation itself. In 1870
the taverns numbered 1907, In 1880
they had increased to 2l ,7SS; or. while
the population increased but 9 per
cent, the growth Of the drink shops
was ~ per cent. la Geneva, about
the most drunken city in Europe,'
there 10 public house to every 70 In
habitants; groeers and eonfectioners
are, moreover, allowed to sell wines
and spirits; and II is common saying
that there is not single house In the
city (the inhabitants living In fiats) In
which there is not either d cafe, an
auberge, or wine shop. Taking the
confederation throughout, the proper
ton of public houses is one TO every
l30 people. Deducting women, chill
dren and the sick, this means one
tavern to every 80 persons"
| Personal.
| ha aupusl x,, aaffun % ha Au,a.l