News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-01-03
CHILDREN AND GROGSHOPS
THE LAW RELATIVE TO SELLING
LIQUOR TO MINORS.
What was Said About Ii in n Broolxlyu
ChGrcA on Sunday.

What was Said About Ii in Brooklyn
Church on Sunday.
In the course of his Sunday sermon,
Mr.. Beecher spoke of the sale of liquors
to minors. THE law of the State of
New York, he said, ''made it an offence
TO sell Intoxicating drinks to minors.
The Excise Commissioners of Brooklyn
are divided in their minds as to the
meaning of this law. The counsel holds
that liquors shall abs olutely not be sold
TO minors for any purpose. The ma
!orlty of the Commissioners hold that
the intent of the law is that liquor shall
not be sold TO minors for them to drink,
but that it may be sold to them to carry
home for their fathers and mothers to
drink. This is vile and preposterous
Interpretation of the law. 1t is shame
and an outrage that law so express in
its terms should be nullified in this way,
and that children may be sent without
restriction or restraint to purchase In.
toxicating drinks for home consumption.
provided they don't themselves drink it
there If there IS any one point in the
terest the whole community it is This.
We must save our children from the
contamination of the grog shop. Men
who drink themselves are ardent in this
matter. A man must be very bad man
who don't walst to protect the young.
Many men who smoke don't want their
children to smoke. Many men who
drink don't want their children to drink
The whole community are nearly united
on this question.
The particular shape the temperance
movement has taken now is this-the
law shall be enforced The particular
direction OF the temperance movement
IN Brooklyn at the present time should
be to see to 1t that even the Inadequate
laws That we have shall be executed. In
that battle [ link discern which side
Is. going to whip"
Mr.. Andrew Paxton, general agent of
the Chicago Citizens League for the
suppression Of the Sale of LIQUOR to
Minors explained that the Citizens
League of Chicago was a combination Of
citizens without respect TO creed or
political affiliations. The temperance
people Of Chicago had in former wears
made heroic efforts to put down intem-
perance. There were Moody and San
Key meetings; Templars OF all kinds
ana degrees; blue ribbon and red ribbon
men; there were meetings and sermons
ana tracts by the thousand, but with ali
tney years ago found themselves as near
the solution of the problem at the end of
ener work as they were at the begin
n1ng. When dr1nkard was taken out
OF the gutter two were found there the
next time. They could not understand
why TINS was so until they found that
the saloon keepers were manufacturing
drunkards from the young.
1t was discovered that at least thirty
Thousand OF the boys and girls of the
city OF chicago were being trained up in
TIE saloons. 1t might startle his hearers
70 learn that at least twenty-five thou
sand boys ard girls in the city of Brook
Iyn under the age of fourteen years were
constantly in the habit of going into
saloons 10 purchase liquor. It was de.
termlned in Chicago that the only way
In which the evil could be put an end to
was to enforce the law against the sale
OF liquor to minors. The people of Chi
cage, and particularly the saloon keep
ers, laughed at the idea. The society
was organized, however, and work was
begun. The first gun that was fred was
IN the case of a saloon keeper named
Baker Burns, who had enticed half
dozen boys into his saloon, had got
them drunk, when they began to fight,
and he had them arrested. In day or so
the society had the boys before court
and Baker Burns was convicted. The
people of Chicago were astounded.
Other prosecutions followed and were
successful.
The effect of these prosecutions was
most beneficial. The Mayor took sides
with the Citizens League and the Super
lntendent of Police issued orders to his
policemen that they were, whenever
called upon, to put themselves at the
service OF the agents of the League.
Several saloons that had mainly been
patroDizcd by boys were compelled to
close their doors. The saloon keepers
became afraid, and did not dare to sell
liquor 10 minors. They became con-
WINGED that if they broke the law they
would be fined or perhaps lose their
licenses. In the first year of the work
of the League, instead Of the usual an |
nuaI increase of four or five hundred ar |
rests of minors, there was decrease of
! ,46S. The Liberty League of the liquor
dealers within couple of years exacted |
a pledge from applicants for member
ship that they would not sell liquor to
or drunkards. To-day there was
no more fighting against the saloon
Keepers in Chicago; there was no need
OF 1t. The great trouble the League
now met with was the people who
came to 1t to beg for leniency in the
cases OF indicted liquor dealers.
The League was now keeping %, 1000 |
boys and girls cut of the saloons of Chi
cago; 1t had lessened the arrests of !
minors by at least one-third from all |
causes; it had saved the city In dollars |
and cents IN preventing the arrest and |
punishment OF minors at least $500, 900: |
It hal demonstrated that the law could |
be enforced.
In closing the speaker said that in in
tervlews he had had with the Mayor aud |
Chief Of Police of Brooklyn they had |
assured him that they would stand by |
the movement and assist in the enforce !
ment of the law. A member of the |
church announced that movement had |
already been set ON foot and meeting |
would be held for organization at the |
Fleet Street Methodist Church.
II should like" said Mr.. Beecher,
''to hear this ascembly's opinion on the |
matter. All those who are willing to |
give their influence and their means to |
the maintenance CT law on this subject !
In Brooklyn will be kind enough to rise"
Everybody rose.
Give the other side chance" said |
Assistant Pastor Halliday. Mr.. Beecher |
did 50, but nobody responded.
Tie Editor and the Burglar.