The Somerset reporter., 1885-02-11

The following Arrangement Is made by
The author OF Ten Years Police Court
Judge
Tbree-quarters Of The crime, the writers
concur is saying, IL ref,rable to this cause
(aleohol). II Is &C srce exaggerstion to say
fur. Reckoning all the DRINKS, all the
unlicensed ffquor-s~fiing, all tn disturb
auce, nine tentbs OF the assaults, eight
tenths OF all the murders, two thirds OF all
the lsrcenies, one half OF all the burglar
ies, and fractions larger or smaller OF near
all other Offences outcome Of the traffic,
and 1t spproxln.ateA to the fact that crime
a. whole l. a.crio1Die 20 r-u-m- Nor Is
II believed 10 he stretch OF truth so TO
reckon. There Is many offence which,
though appearing at the time of the com
mission entirely uDconnected with the use,
sale and manufacture OF liquors, Is yet
trsceable 70 this prolific source of wrong
and woe-r-u-m.
81 true is it that rum and riot go thus
hand in hand that, If one watches the
Soa7se- eTiSae iz771- tsszss3, be. hs All BAT
ready TO protest that there is no violence
to law and order faom intoxicating liquar
apart. Directly not seldom, but Indirectly
often, iarcenies and burglarics, where the
parties ntfrndiDg We're sober, are found to
be the .ffiux Cf state Of things induced
by liquor. II the theft was inspire by
poverty, the poverty was eptailed by in
temperance. If the burglar was sober in
this act, the act was yet the offspring Of
inebriety. The propensities Of the thief
strikingy tie somehow to the training be-
gotten of ardent spirit. Profession
burglars and gamblers who 20 about their
business with Clear beads, aud are some
times. indeed, teetotalers, are men whose
inciuatioDs had origin under the corrupt
ing Influences OF strong drink as beyer-
age. Theii moral sense WAS destroyed by
the canker Of evil example, and their au-
dacity sucked by the rev. lfes aud hedevil.
ments Of drunkenness. Name gambler
whose associations are not With the grOg
shop. Name a burglar who is not 10 con-
federacy with gamblers. How rare the
murder that is not allied to the bottle.
When from the trial of Webster, If then,
TO the trial of Guitcau, if then, has there
been a capital offence who's br s,h did not
smell OF alcohol ere the evidence was
closed? A. for assaults ana other disturb
ances of the msdemeanor class that do not
import into the courtroom odors of the
bar, the cases are rarer than swallows in
winter.
or seventy-three cases Of eyad ng car
fare three only were there that did not
spring direct, from from drunkenness Of
the defendants. Either they li&i no ticket,
or, having one, could not tiud or get aboard
without a dime, or took the wrong train,
and swore their ticket proved it the right
one, or were saucy enough 10 refuse aud
defy the conductor. whether with or with
out ticket or the price of il, became
drunk.
What broils OF woman that do not have
beer al the bottom? What neglects of fam
lily are not of the cup? What processes in
bastardy that do not find the sin in wine.
Even the irespssses aud mischiefs of boys
are the fruit often of parental looseness
rlpened by indulgence. truly sober
crime committing man, woman, or child is
AL exception on the criminal calendar. 1t
seems to be the fatality Of strong drink to
betray its evil genius in some form, degree,
manner, OF color. in every viola;ion oil the
peual CODE. The code, indeed, upon
view of its operations iu respect of crimes
per Sc, seems to be a contrivance of society
purely for the purpose of protecting itself
against the invaSionS of barbarous tribes
warning under the demoniac sceptIe Of
Bacchus.
Communities that have been able, for
considerable period, to bansh liquor utter
~ from their borders have proved thit
criminal laws are quite unnecessary. Ev-
cry member of the community being in bis
senses assumes that every other member
Is, and walks in the ways simply of COM
mon sense, which are the ways of good or
der and ueighborhood. Sobriety is the re-
straint As well As the liberty and pleasure
oil the people. ENce-ses are little known,
because excuses are the prodact mainly Of
stimulation. aud where there are no ex-
cts>es there are teg heterogeneous upon
er>onsl rigats. Society runs itself with.
ont the machinery and cog-wheelery of
codes an Cousfuhes