The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-16
INTEMPERANCE In ENGLAND
The Special Strength of the Drink Traffic
in the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Relations Of the Church to the Vending of
Liquor-How Licenses Are Granted and
Public Houses Are Legally Regulated.

correspondence
LONDON Sept 5.-Ths drink traffic Of Great
Britain is more strongly intrenched in the tradi-
tons, the customs, the appet:tes, and in the re-
ligon Of the Masses than IS the same traffic in
the United States. and naturally, as q conse-
quencs, progress is N ach slower in the work of
restraining it, whether the effort be to persuade
to personal abstinence or 70 curtail It's power for
evil through legislation. In moro than one sense
this business is aided by the Established Church
OF the country. for not only Is liquor selling.
much less liquor drinking, no bar to preferment
within her pale, but she is in some notorious in
stances either directly indirectly the owner Of
premises in which the traffic is carried on. And
though the latter charge does not lie against the
other denominations they must all plead guilty
in some measure to the former. The secretary
Of the National Temperance League, Mr.. Robert
Rae, takes q rather discouraging view OF this
feat e Of the situation. I'VE hear 1t said he
observes in his last annual address. ''tbat the
Christian church has taken up the temperance
question; but be adds, 1--WE cannot echo the
statement in anything like full significance He
declares, also, that 'in hundreds OF noncon-
formst churches at the present time the tenn
persnce society is only tolerated Still, the
cause, as Mr.. RAGS own figures abundanty
show.
In the Congregational body it is affirmed that
whereas, in 1883 the total abstainers amongst
the ministers in England and Wales were barely
in a majority, they are now over 400 in excess
of majority. Out of ]. 7j6 pastors OF Baptist
Churches, 99S, it Is said, are total abstainers
The Wesleyan Church seems 20 be judged less
by the temperance principles of its ministers
than by. those of the church as awhole for while
nothing is said the former point, in
formed that it has enrolment of abstainers
il its various bands amounting to $40. 600, an in
crease of $4,000 over the previous year. The
Church of England is accorded d ue credit for
what it is doing in this cause, as also are the
other churches, the palm Of pre-eminence being
gwen 70 the denomination known as the Prim-
tive Methodists Altogether there are said to
be about four million Of pledged abs tainers over
here.
Amidst much that is hopeful Mr.. RAGS re-
port has in il still another discouraging strain,
arising from the fact that the latter half of the
past year showed an increase in the revenue
from alcohol amounting to over $1,000, 900. This
certainly looks like progressing back wards; but
Mr.. Rae does not accept IL proof that she
people have permanently returned 10 their old
habits; ne regards it rather one of the csprices
crease in revenue il owing, not so much to an
actual increase in the consumption Of liquor, as
TO the increased efficiency Of the excise board
IN preventing adultoraiion. Be this as it may.
that the cause is progressing from the legal
point Of view. that il is more and more getting
into politics.. "a express il, and awakening
increased attention in Parliament, are facts
equally patent TO both the foes OF the liquor traf
nc and its friends. 1t is something more than
popui.- fancy that the Gladstone
government went down almost as much because
10 seemed TO threaten the EnRlishmens beer
mug as because il asked home rule for Ireland,
and, az showing that tho other side no less
desperate in this fight, it is Q striking fact that
its seeming antagonism of the temperance sent.-
ment OF the country should have been the first
and only rock Of peril encountered by the Minis
try now in power; and, truth to tell, the govern
ment was but recently compelled, in obedience
- this sentiment, to withdraw certain parts OF
the most important act OF the present session.
The great agitation now is for q general Sunday
: closing law. Such measure Is already pend
Ing, but as the Tory governments gets a large
measure OF its support from the publicans and
their allies, there IS little or no hope for such
reform as this until the Liberals come into
power, and not mush hope even in that contin-
geney a. present.
The regulations under which the retail LIQUOR
traffic Is carried on 10 this country are very
stringent. First all persons engaged in this
traffic must have license The victualer's IL
csnse allows the person holding il TO sell all
kinds of drinks, but there are licenses granted
IoS the safe OF ceer ana cider, others Tor the
sale OF beer and wine; others for cider and per-
~. and still others for beer only and for wine
only. The total number OF licensed houses of
al descriptions IN the United Kingdom is Dr.
193. diminution since 1855 Of 2,S04 beer
license costs Sl1.5O year. The cost OF Wet
ualers license varies according 20 the annual
value OF the premises. said annual vaine to be
taken at either the amount at which the place
Is rated, at the rent it brings. or az an indie
pendent valuation, as the authorities may deter
mine. IL the value were under 500 the license
wonld De S4O year, and so on, in fair gradua-
ton, ND TO a $500 house, in which case the Ii
csuse would cost annual sum of $3.50
The power OF granting or refusing licenses
rests with the local magistrates, but should
these refuse to renew or transfer q license when
requested to do so, the heensee, having given
bond for the costs, may carry his grievance to
the quarter sessions. In cases where 4 new IL
rs applied for the decision of the magistrate
10 final; though, II the license be granted such
grant is not valid until confirmed by special
licensing committee, appointed by the magis-
trates from their own number, the members of
which are supposed to thoroughly canvass the
merits Of the case Any one intending to object
70 the renewal OF license must give due notice
Of such purpose. with Q general statement of the
nature OF his objections both TO the court aud
the licensee. and the evidence in such cases
must be given under oath. An applicant for
new license must give twenty-one DAYS
notice 20 OF the overseerS and TO the in
spector Of police IN the district Also rs the
new law stipulates; within twenty-eight days
OF the licensing session, notice must be affixed
and maintained between the hours of 10 and
on two successive Sundays, on the door of the
house for which license is sought and the
parish church or chapel, other conspicuous
place, and such notice must also be advertised
In a ioeal paper some day not more than four
nor less than two weeks before the application"
Inc provisions made for closing at certain
hours ara very elaborate, and admirably car
ried out In Scotland the public houses close all
day on Sundays, and from ii p VI. TO A. " on
other days. In Ireland Sunday closing obtains
everywhere, excepting iG the Eve principal
towns, where the selling OF LIQUOR Is permitted
five hours that day, the universal rule for
other days being TO close from p NJ to A. "
Sunday closing has no exceptions in Wales The
hours vsrv in England. In London, within the
four-mile radius OF Charing Cross, the public
houses must be closed on ordinary days from a
halt hour after midnight 10 . A. NJ On Satur-
days they close at midnight, and remain closed
until A. NJ on Sunday. AT P. NJ they again
close until o, remaining open then until III p. NJ
Houses beyond the above radius but within the
metropolitan police district. or in place con-
tanning not less than l. 900 inhabitants, close at
ii o'clock on Saturday night, opening on Sun
day from 1890 P. NJ to go p. NJ, and from 6 to
10 o'clock at night. During the week the hours
of closing in these places from ii p. VI. TO 6
A. NJ. while houses situated in country districts
must be closed from 10 p. NJ TO 6 A. NJ
The reason these hours so strictly observed
Is that violation invariably entails its due pen
Ity. For selling after hours the publican is Ii