Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-04-11
LEGAL PROHIBITION OF THE
LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
No. II.
From the PRINCETON Review.


If the State is possessed of the
power to enable it to take precau-
tionary measures for the prevention
of offences, it is important to ascer
tain. as nearly y as may be, the exact
relations Of the liquor traffic, to
crime.
In 1913, that eminent Chief-Jus-
tice, Sir Matthew Hale, expressed
himself in the following manner:
"After an observation Of more
thon twenty years in the courts, [
have found that if the murders and
manslaughters, the burglaries and
robberies, the riots and tumults. the
adulteries, fOrnicatlons, rapes and
other enornities that have happened
in that time, were divided into five
parts, four Of them have been the is
sues and products ofexcessive drink
ing-of tavern or ale-house drink
ing.
Passing over many similar utter
ances, by distinguished judges of
England and of this country, We
come to the opinion pronounced by
Noah Davis, the learned Chief JUS
tice Of the Supreme Court Of New
York, wherein he says:
"Whether judging from the declar-
ed judicial experience of others, or
from my own, or from carefully col-
lected statistics, running through
many series of years, | lie i4ve it en-
tirely safe to say, that one-half of all
the crime of this country and Great
Britain, is caused by the Incorporate
use of intoxicating liquors, and that
Of the crimes involving personal vic
lence, certainly three -fonrths are
chargeable to the same cause"
No man, though in his own con-
ceit be he wiser than Matthew Hale,
ana the long line of distinguished
men, who have believed as he believ-
ed, can break the force of these opin-
ions, fortified by statistics that can
not be questioned. An examina-
ton Of some of these statistics will
be both interesting and important.
Lord Morpeth, in his official ca
paclty as Secretary for Ireland, dc
clared that of cases of murder, at
tempts at murder, offenses against
the person, aggravated assaults, and
cutting and manning, that there were
in 1887, twelve thousand and ninety
six; in 1898, eleven thousand and
flfty-eight; in 1889, only one thou
sand and nInety-seven, while in 1910
there were but one hundred and sew
enty-three. 1t will be at once adj
mitted by all that this was a most
remarkable diminutiOn in the num-
Der of offences, for which there must
have been some adequate cause.
That cause was the temperance
movement, instituted by Father
Matthew, whose name is to be spok-
en- only with reverence to the latest
generations. That movement, be-
tween the years '3S and 40, had
been sweeping all Ireland like some
wave of the sea, and had cleansed it
Of the great evil of intemperance,
which had hitherto been breeding
all kinds Of crime and disorder in
the State. he consumption of
spirits fell from y, 100000 gallons t.
100000, and the excise on brandy
decreased ESQ, 900. The number
of prisoners confined in the Bride
we'll at Dublin, fell in one year from
1876 to %, and one hundred cells
stood empty. The Smithfeld prison
closed its doors. That was the su-
preme moment for Ireland. The
time was ripe for a prohibitory law.
Such law, supported by the public
opinion then existing, might have
been enforced from that time on.
But the tide was not taken at its
flood. The traffic went on, and
everything drifted back to the old
condition Of things. Father Mat
thew, learning by experience, finally
saw his mistake, and admitted the
necessity Of "a prohibitory law.
A committee of the House of
Commons Of Canada, reporting in
1915. stated that out of q, ,289 COM
mitments to the jails OF the prov
inces of Ontario and Quebec during
the three previous years q ,236 were
committed either for drunkenness or
for crimes perpetrated under the in
fuence Of drink.
The number of arrests made by
the Police Department of the ci y Of
New York, during the year IA, are
reported to have been 81, 1899, and Of
this number 81, ,470 were for intoxi-
cation and disorderly conduct.
The convictions for crime in the
State Of Maine, with a prohibitory
law, were in the proportion Of one tt
every 1869 Of population. The con.
victions, on the other hand, in the
State Of New York (outside Of New
York City, without a prohibitory
law, were in proportion of one t
every $40 Of population.
Crime diminished Is per cent. IL
the State of Connecticut under the
prohibitory law of 1854, and in 1873
upon the restoration of the licens,
system, it increased so per cent. in
single year.
1t can not be necessary to 0ursu'
this subject farther, for it must b.
apparent to all that the relation
between intemperanee and crime ]
that of cause and effect. To perml
the sale of intoxicating liquors II
saloons is to permit schools for tn