Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-01-28
wednesday,, January 2s, 1855
SOME NEEDED LEGISLATION.

| SOME NEEDED LEGISLATION.
| The recent explosions in London have had
a good and needful effect in stirring up the
people of this country to want something
done which will regulate the possession and
use of dangerous explosives. Every State
| ought to have law providing, under suita-
| BILE penalties, that no one shall make buy,
| sell, give away or have in his possession any
of the high explosives unless duly licensed
by the authorities of the city or town where
he lives. Heavier penalties might be pro-
vided for the sale, Or having in possession
any of these substances with intent to make
a criminal use of it OF with knowledge OF
reason to believe that it would be so used.
The New York legislature has a bill before it
which points in the right direction. 1t not
only prohibits, under penalties, dealing in
nitro chlorate explosive compounds for
purposes of destroying life and property, but
makes it felony to contribute or solicit
money other property for their manufac
ture, sale, transportation, or use for such
purposes It also regulates the traffic for
any and sll purposes, making permit neces-
sary and record of the persons engaged in
it and of all to whom it is sold or for whom
it is transported.
That there is need of such laws and their
strict enforcement, even outside of our for
eign relations, is made very plain by circu-
lar recently issued by the railroad commits
sioners of Massachusetts. They say; We
are informed that the dynamite which
Gently caused terrible explosion in q New
Hampshire town was transported, in viola
ton of the statute and of all the laws
of prudence, in the train of q Massa-
chusetts railroad and in the of
an express company. Neither the employees
of the railroad nor of the express COM
pany were guilty of any wrong or of any
carelessness. They were all misled by the
recklessness of the person who smuggled the
dangerous article into the car and imperiiled
the lives of all persons in the train. The ter
rible results THAT followed the careless hand |
ling of this explosive, while they preclude |
any idea of enforcing the law against this |
offender, illustrate the danger to every per-
son on the train by which the article
without any warming given OF
taken. 1t seems desirable to call
the attention of all managers of railroad COM
of explosives. The penalties
provided are severe, being fines not exceed
ing $1,000, and confinement in tbs State
prison not exceeding five years. But they
are not too severe when it is considered what
danger is created for innocent pas
sengers by reckless persons who wish to
avoid slight expense or secure q slight con-
venience. And it is the duty of all persons
with railroad companies not only
to exercise diligence as to transportation of
explosives, but also, whenever the law is vio-
lated, to bring the offender to justice for the
protection of the public.
It is certainly not too much to ask that
the makers of dynamite and other dangerous
explosives shall be obliged to work under
license and severe government inspection.
There is no telling how soon some Of the dy
Mantle fends may take it into their heads to
''operate" in this country. All that law can
do to head them off should be done.