New-York tribune., 1886-05-09
SUNDAY EDITION.
MAY. 9, 1886.
TEMPERANCE IN BOSTON.
WORK OF THE LAW AND ORDER LEAGUE

Law and Orler League during the week. at which Gov
Robinson presided and General Stewart L. Wood
ford and the Rev. Washington GLADDEN. made addresses
brought into prominent notice the efficient work for tenn
perance throughout Massachusetts Mainly through the
efforts OF the League. OF which Mr l.. Edwin Dudley
the and secretary temperance Is looked upon
less from tho old time sentimental standpoint and more
from the legal ground Of good law aud order The stt
| tude OF Mayors, Aldermen and iqnor-desers IA nov
| the anxious. questioning mood OF "Isit legaf" End
whole communities once ignorant are well versei upoa
tho legal restraints OF the liquor traffic The profit OF
this unsentmenta public view in the increase OF
nonicense towns and even cities-wOrcester With IL
10000 inhabitants being the greatest gain Of the pase
| year.
Tho Law and Order League is form Of Temperance
work peculiar to Boston for Its thorouy yhness and
pletcness Ciizeus Leagues In other cities for the
preservation ofaw have been one-sided and more
limited IN their field Of work The Chicago League OF.
ganzed for the suppression Of the sale OF liquor 70
minors" only; in Philadelphia organization worked
for equally contracted end and DIR. Crosbys work IN
NewYorkis Is known to be able I'm its especial efforts.
The platform OF the Boston L,syle Is broad since 1t IN
cludes in its object the enforcement OF all the laws 70
ating to the liquor traffic. It's aims ambitious foe
they strive perfect the Government mschinery for
Carrying out the law and its Of working are pcr.
fecty fearless and confident Although It's interesting
origin may known to its friends its early history
encouraging that it nigh. be briefly recapuated for
| the interest Of outsiders About fve years ago.
| the present secretary Mr. /. Edwin dudley.
| who was interested in tho poor boys OF Boston.
found that they patrons OF liquor saloons AMI pur
suing his investigations. saw that the bootblacks In
whom he interested only representatives OF
large class OF children Much to his surprise study Of
the book showed that the law OF Massachusetts,
orblds the sale OF Intoxicating liquor to person whoh
minor The great work o. the Chicago League In ess
enng the sale of liquor TO minors then inspired Mt.
Dudley to agtate the subject Of enforcing the laws ia
Boston, aud May 81, 1882. at the Hotel Brlnswick
tho Citizens Law aud Orter League of Massachusetts,
formed enrolling among its members ex- Governors
Rice, Gaston Talbot and Long, tho Rev. Phillips Brooks.
Edward Everett Hale, A. ]. Gordon, f. b. webo. Amos
c. Lawrence Robert Treat Paine. Henry kidder Rufds
| S. Frost and Eustace C. Fltz
The OF the work has been surprising Interest,"
Ing all classes OF citizens license ayo
aud moderate supporters Of the traffic. the League
has become hateful AMI terrifying to lquorsellcrs aud
defence to all abiding citizens has no. 300
members IN Boston, some OF the most prominent Of whom
| are Amos A. lawrence William ID. Appleton. Martin
| Brimmer Miss Ida VI. Mason Charles T. Goldman. +.
Jefferson Coolidge. W. W. Clapp, and all the promnens
clergymcn. Mr. Dudley has been energetic In forming
branches and at present there are ezhtyhye active In
the work. many OF which have actually revolutionized
the towns in which they exist Places like Marblehead.
Peabody and somerville have entirely changed theif
character and growing with rapdity never equaled
| before a gain Of population. prosperity and good
reputation As an illustration of the terrifying influence
u
which IL exists Mr. Dudley tells incident OF the form
alton OF branch Lexington. When 1t was announced
that Law and Order League would be formed. all
the strong and Influential citizens became mem
| bers according to the usual custom. Before the
meeting for organization, Mr. Dudley was visited by
the hOtelkeeper OF the place. who appeared much ag
tated do you business r. he asked OF Mr.. Dud'
ley "Yes" answered the secretary. "Well," said the
hotekeeper, 81 can't stand out against all those men
whose you have for the League. Give me week
to 90 OF and I'll do It," At the end Of the week
tho hotel-keeper true to his word, was out OF town
Many other illustrations could be cited showing the sau-
tary effect OF the League through its influence upon
lQuor-deaers At the beginning OF its course dealers
were Indifferent. and snapped their fingers sarcascsly
its purposes, but they feel they must be certain
OF the law before undertaking business At rst to take
simple Illustration, they paid no attention TO Cvu
Damage notices. II lQuord dealer sells to any person
addicted to ntemperance after he has been forbidden
by the wife relative OF the he is liable
aties under the Civil Damage Since the recognition
Of the Law and Order Leagues power 1t is generally
found profitable pay Immediate attention " tho
ticc.
The practice of the League 10 sending Its agents to in
vesgae discover OF violation OF the law has
aroused the antpathy we'll fear OF the lquordea
ers, and many exciting have taken place 10
this department OF the work. An event OF dramatic In
terest the assault Of two agents at Newburyport
As they engaged one Sunday IN the work they
recognized by liquordeaer, who hal been pros
ecued in Gloucester The result of this recognition was
acrowd OF hundred hoodlums At the railroad sta
tion the next morning and assault upon the agen
OF the agents drew his revolver and nrsd
at the ground Upon reaching Boston both agents were
arrested by device Of the quor-deaers but Mr. Dud.
ley convinced the conrt OF the Injustice OK the ar
rest and completely changed the aspect Of affairs Two
assauters In the House OF Core and
two are hiding from the clutch OF the law.
In a conversation with Mr. Dudley and proninens
member OF the Executive Committee some OF the results
labor s were briefly stated The best has uadoaS
edly been the enforcement OF the law against selling
dren WHO freQuented saloous was cstimated at moro
than $4,000. but now child is seldom seen buying
also been gain. Public opinion has been influenced.
5eGs rchsr dSfas SS the Sn
Important, change made ia the control OF the poies
s Of s a% appoa
! by the Governor Is freed from corrupsine
for On saa It the
in less devoted now to prosecution than 10 vsiiancs
liquor When prosecution is carried on It is usually
the Civil Damage act. The workings Of the screen Law
are interesting Il prevents the existence r ~ sa.oca
and the fact that the quordealer keeps screen
puts him IT. the same CATEGORY with unlicensed desler
against dealer and strengthens tho case OF the Law
ana Order League BY an especial act Of courtesy The
| ecuting the offender against the screen law.
a S Ss e o the o
| liquor goes on with success Many cases O. wives
selling to an husband brought to justice
by the Law and Order League In one instance. after
year and q half OF persevering efforts the lawyersot
the League gained $3.50 for woman In the mean
time the dealer failed aud the League Is now iu-
pressing signdcant lesson by suing the bondsmen.
friend OF liquor dealer who hnds himself responsible
for his offences against tho law might be more 10
the future in giving OF his name. The most mpor
tant work before the League the effort TO secure
change II Is found that under the
present system election by the people impossible
Tor the DstrctAttorney who is the prosecuting otcs
to Impartial proposed to revive the old Office %
solicitor general which existed twenty years ago. and
to strive tho solicitor general and his assistants
shall be appointed like the judges TO serve for threo
years. The proposition failed to attract this Legsiat-
next year Although tho organization has passed .
wonderful Of usefulness By no means salts
fed to its protest against lawsssness Tnero ere
nnu ROStOn. and those necd cArelW