Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-04-23
National Temperance Legislation.

National Temperance Legislation.
The rising wave of temperance sem
timent, which is becoming the great
question of the hour in this country,
is exerting its influence to some ex-
tent even in Congress. Among the
measures introduced during the pres
ent session is the following 10y Repre-
sentative Grout:
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress
assembled, That there shall be APP
pointed by the President, by and with
the advice and consent the Senate, a
commission of five persons, not all of
whom shall be advocates of prohibi-
tory liquor laws, and neither of whom
shall be the holder of any office of
profit or trust in the General Govern
ment or any State government. The
said commissioners shall be selected
solely with reference to personal fit
ness and capacity for an honest, i'm
partial, and thorough investigation,
and shall hold office until their duties
shall be accomplished, but not to eX-
ceed two years. 1t shall be their
duty to investigate the alcoholic, fer
mented, and vinous liquor traffic and
manufacture with reference to reve-
nue. and taxation, and the effect of
each class of such liquors in their
economic, criminal, moral, and scien-
tific aspects, in connection with pau
perism, crime, social vice, the public
health, the general welfare of the
people; and also to inquire into the
practical results of taxation and Ii
cense, and of restrictive legislation
for the prevention of intemperance in
the several States, Territories, and
District of Columbia.
Sec. 2. That the said commission
ers shall further ascertain, as near as
may be, the number of gallons of
wine, beer, or distilled liquors annu-
ally consumed in different countries,
more especially within the United
States the number of deaths annu-
ally from alcoholism the number
and character of crimes resulting
from the use of alcoholic and malt
liquors, and the diseases produced by
the use thereof, mental as well as
physical; the number of arrests for
drunkenness the amount of pauper-
ism produced by the use of such liq-
uors and the amount of revenue re-
ceived by the Government from the
liquor traffic and liquor-making; the
amount of tax or revenue received
from such manufacturing and traffic
by State and municipal governments
the amount of food transformed into
alcohol; the probable retail cost of
alcoholic and malt liquors consumed;
the cost of caring for the insane,
ldiotic, criminals, and paupers made
such by the use of alcoholic and malt
liquors the capital employed in the
manufacture of such liquors, and in
the traffic thereof; the quantity of
such liquors imported and exported
the number of persons employed in
the manufacture and sale of such
LIQUORS.
Sec. 3. That the said commission
ers shall serve without salary, but
are hereby authorized to employ {.
secretary, at a reasonable compensa-
ton, not to exceed two thousand five
hundred dollars per annum, which,
with the necessary expenses, incident
al to such investigation, of the secre-
tary and commissioners, shall be paid
out of any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated, upon vouch-
ers signed by the president and coun-
tersigned by the secretary, and APP
proved by the Secretary of the Treas
ury and the sum of ten thousand
dollars, or so much thereof as may
be necessary, is hereby appropriated
to pay such vouchers.
SEC. 4. That said commissioners
shall, as soon after their appointment
as is convenient, meet and organize
by the election of one of their num-
Der as president of such board, and
they shall also elect a secretary, as
hereinbefore provided, who shall take
the usual oath of office, and give
bond to the Secretary of the Treasury
of the United States in the penal sum
of three thousand dollars for the
faithful performance of the duties of
his office, which bond and the sure
ties thereon shall be approved by
such Secretary of the Treasury.
SEC. 5. That it shall be the fur
ther duty of SAID commissioners to
report the result of their investiga-
ton and the expenses attended the
same to the President, to be by him
transmitted to Congress.
Strawberries from Florida and 9TH
er southern ports are arriving in guam
titles much in excess of the receipt
up to corresponding date last year.
Florida growers found the business
so remunerative in recent years that
they have doubled the acreage in
Strawberries, and as a consequence,
prices are very much lower this year.
We think the business is being over
done.