The Republican journal., 1888-02-09
Letter from Rhode Island.
Correspondence of the Journal.

DANIsvILLE, Jan. 81, 1888. The opening
month of each new year is customarily time
for ascertaining the standing of accounts. Bal
ance sheets are prepared showing the condition
of private industries, and to this rule the atl-
ministration of public affairs is no exception.
CompcrS of statistics are delighted at this sea-
son, and never has more abundant material
been produced for their discussion. The most
formidable array of figures thus far published
in this commonwealth is the report of Chief
of Census Returns Perry who presents vol
ume of GG0 pages. 1t is useless to begin quot
ING from the same, for the task would seeming
ly have no ending.
Among the exhibits of interest is one COM
piled from authentic sources showing how pro-
hibltion works in cur territory, especially In
the city of Providence A statement giving the
was made public Yesterday Hy comparison it
is found that after eighteen months of consti-
tutona prohibition, Providence has about one
hundred and twenty-five more bar-rooms of all
descriptions than existed under the license sys-
TEN previously in vogue. These are divided
among wholesale establishments, saloons, gro
celie- and houses, or ''ktchen bar-rooms., The
precautions observed for while after the pro-
hibitory amendment went into force have been
cast to the winds. Now it Is rs easy for any
one to purchase liquors openly as it is to secure
coffee or sugar. No attention is given to who
the purchaser may be or his possible official
occupation. The principal change noticeable
So III III,
voted to business purposes. Saloons were clos
ed under the license laws at midnight at the
latest, and with very rare exceptions remained
SO closed over Sunday. Now. il is plainly as
serted, ninety per cent. admit customers
throughout the twcnty-four hours, seven days
in each week. Some dealers report Sunday
sales a> exceeding those of ordinary week.
days. 1t is generally admitted tlat more than
ordinary caution is observed in conducting the
business quietly as if it was intended to pay
some Difference to public sentiment, even if the
prohibitory law was tlaSrantly violated.
1t is principle in human nature that men
di>graced cast about to find if they have COM
panions in misery. In comparing results de-
rived from prohibitory legislation it is common
to consider Maine as a standard, because of its
pioneer efforts in the work. Rhode Island is
an infant of scarce two years growth; Maine
attained her majority over a decade ago yet
from data at hand we have no reason to avoid
comparison of advancement made in propor-
tonatc periods. 1t is probably beyond ques-
ton that the city of Portland has been continr-
ouSly under more Jealous temperance patrol
than any important city in your State. How
di>Eeartening. then, for Us to read of a condi-
ton of affairs in that municipality similar to
those prevailing in Providence. No contratlic-
ton has reached us of the facts given in SER
mon by Rev. Mr. Bayloy, of Portland, wherein
it was plainly stated that drunkenness was on
the increase in the Forest City; that never be-
fore was drinking in cul-rooms so habitual
that arrests Of intoxicated persons numbered
932 in the six months just ended or nearly
double the total of an equal period two years
previously. Corroborativc testimony is adj
Nanccd that open sales of liquors are notorious
y common and that nearly one hundred and
fifty places are known where rum and beer are
dispensed If, as is alleged. the arrests for
drunkenness average one for every twenty-five
inhabitants, certainly Providence makes much
better showing. In the latter city the last
average coming to notice was one arrest to
some eighty citizens.
But arrests by the police of drunken persons
form poor basis for percentages. Regulations
for obtaining intoxicated lnfortunatcs differ
widely in various cities More latitude is given
policemen for using discretion, possibly, in
Providence than in Portland. Here the police
usually permit people to walk along the streets
when they are sufficiently able to do so without
making inconvenient the travel of sober men
and women. Upon indications of desire to
revel or block the thoroughfares, such over
stimulated persons are promptly arrested. Port
lanl is said to have one policeman to each 1900
inhabitants; Providence has one for every 800.
From this possibility of more thorough patrol
it would appear that if more drunkenness cX-
lst> here. Il greater average of arrests would be
made TIE actual number apprehended in
either city is a disgrace to any civilized COM
muEity claimin. to live under prolibitorv laws.
Governor Davis presented his message to our
General Assembly at its opening session IA fort
night ago. An inspection Of Its contents shows
our finances 70 b1 in Il rather demoIalized con.
dition In the two Years just closed public
revenues have diminished over SIS, 600 For
the year endn" Dec. 81, 1887. expenditures ex-
ceeeied receipts to the amount of S11ta52 The
State cash box is rarely empty. and now meth
OBS must be invented to redeem the shortage.
Almost total annihiIation of license revenues is
the principal cause Of the deficiency. The sum
commonly received from liquor licenses APP
preached Sl20,000 per annull. This money,
now lost to the State treasury, is directly added
to the profits of the rumsellers. No diminli-
ton is noted in the quantity of liquor sold no
less misery is entai!ed upon ordinary sufferers :;
the usual expense is charged against public
funds for supporting reformatory institutions,
and in caring for inmates of poor-houses. All
of which leads persons who will not vote for
license to inquire who has the best claim upon
the lost item of "bood money!
The Governor mildly pronounces the prohi-
bitory law ''>aClly Inefficient from 'want of
public opinion to support it," and labors to
show that it was ''public opinion" that carried
Will'' which defeats enforcement. His dis
elimination on this point IS drawn to rather
narrow lines. There are not a few of the
opinion that it is the duty Of the Executive to
enforce laws rather than seek excuses for vio-
lations. Chief of State Police Child. we are
told, has been working quietly. No one can
question this. He is now receiving reports
from his deputies, and no doubt will soon adj
dress our legislators. When this occurs, they
may be in the position Of the man referred to
by Abraham Lincoln, who was pleased to hear
his child's cry, for then he knew it wasn't lost.
4 public hearing is to be soon given before a
committee of our Legislature OH the matter of
weekly payments by manufacturing concerns
Many operatives declare their wages will 90
farther in purchasing necessaries of life when
bought with ready cash. Others differ from
this familiar assertion, and very properly claim
that it is the mans character and disposition to
pay that secures him the best terms; that many
who are paid weekly run credit accounts and
pay higher prices than he who is known to be
'good pay One thing appears very positive
the increased expense in large manufactures,
because Of augmented clerical force, will not
tend increase wages. In Fall River many op-
eratiyes who have tried both now pronounce in
favor of the monthly payment system. From
reliable sources comes the statement that banks