The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-06-14
Increased Taxes.
THAT IS WHAT THE FIFTH
AMENDMENT HAS CAUSED.
Drunken School Children
IN THE CITY OF P0RTLAND-THE
GREAT SCOTT LAW IN CANADA.

IL Is the general opinion among citizens
who desire the repeal OF the Fifth Amend
ment that the voting on the question should
10 carried on under the provisions OF the
ballot reform law because then the voters
would be free from any Interference. and the
result would show the real sentiment OF the
people. Indeed. IL seems that the bill post
poning the operation OF the ballot reform
law until the 30th Of the present month was
passed In the interest OF the Prohlbltlonlsts
and the members OF the fourth party who
want the prohibitory amendment retained In
ihe constitution. They know yery woll wha,
an important part the women played In the
contest OF 1886 when tho amendment was
adopted. Asa matter OF fact, their impor-
tuning Of voters IN the polling places did moro
than anything else, or than any other In
fuence, 10 carry the amendment through.
knowing this the PrOhlbtionists very natur-
ally desired postpOnement OF the ballot re-
form law, because II the vote Oh repeal were
10 be taken under u the women could not
exert the same powerful influence ~ they ia
IN 1886. In securing The pOstpOnemcnt OF the
time when that Jaw will become operative
the persons who are fighting for the reten-
tlon Of the amendment have increased
their chances OF success. AZ tho same
time II can DO sald that oven with
this advantage they Will not be able 10
defent tho repeal Of the obnoxious article
that has brought NO much trouble. loss ana
general discomfort on the state. The people
OF Rhode Island are conservative, ani this
conservatism leads them 20 form correct
opinions as to what n best for them and for
The State. Before the Ffth Amendmens
was adopted they listened TO tho ar
hat
favor They were told that intemperanco
would be suppressed, that rhine would bo
dimin ~ cd and that the traffic In liquors
would alnihiated. They were willing I'D
give this system, which II was claimed would
.o 30 much for the State, a fair trial. For
noarly three years H. has been tried and with
what rcsultf II has increased drunkenness
and crime, the saloons aud kitchen barrOOms
Iayo multiplied while the treasures OF tbg
city and State have been depleted
md taxation has beon increased. Take
che State tax as an instance. The vote In loSj
was IL cents on $780, In 1887 II was IN
creased TO IA cents aud Mt the last January
session II was stlll further Increased to ~
cents. Thus within tho three years that
prohibition has been in operation There has
been an Increase OF Il cents on slOO or fifty
per cent Of what the tax was when the
amendment went Into effect. II is clear
therefore that ono OF the results
taxation without supprossing, bu. rather ag-
grayatlng tho evils OF intemporance. Had tho
amendment accomplished even In tho small
est degree any good thoro would be men who
wolld be willing TO give II n still longer trial,
but with the evidence on every hand OF fail
uro that Il utter aud absolute the citizens Will
cast thoir ballots In favor OF repeal, and for a
return TO license systom which proved ef-
fectye In Keeping the liquor traffic within
reasonable bounds.
Always n Failure.
wherever prohibition has been tried Il has
proved failure. Even In Maine, which was
the foremost OF the states In prohibition legls-
laton, aud which has perhaps tho strongest
code OF laws that can be devised for the sup
preston OF the liquor traffic, the result IL
similar 10 that In Khode Island. The testi.
moDy OF Rev. T.. 4. Bayloy Of Portland ls
very significant rs well ms convincing. lie saws
that he has seen I'm that city liquor sold To
woman by bartender In 'Saloon
where there was no concoalmcnt whatever.
lie saw also lOns lines OF men drinking at tho
bars while the hotels had th0lr bars as open
Ms the day, where drinking was carried on
FREQ and undlsturbed. In the, g.,tor Of ar-
rests for drunkenness, which IL perhaps as
sure an indication Of the extent 10 which pro-
hibltl0n prohibits, Portland furnishes somo
worry important igures. From the lst OF July,
1887, to the 1T OF January, 1883, six months,
g22 person were arrested for I'm decent inloxi-
cation, while during the same period Of tho
previous year only 6BI arrests were made.
Thus In the short period OF six months pro-
hbition increased the number OF persons
arrested for drunkonne,s1' = 800. which 10
equal TO 40 for the year. No more convlnc-
ing testimony OF the evil effects Of the attempt
90 enforce such sumptuary laws can DO given.
But worse than this II the fact that children
become the victims OF the law. for
pupils were found drunk in tho publ
schools aud one day policeman had TO DO
called into primary school 10 remove an In
ioxicated pupil. And what does the teacher
OF this school sayp lie says that In one room
every boy except one admitted that he drank.
A nice record for prohlNtlon indeed, whom
the children can obtain liquor 40 freely and
easily that they are found drunk nj their
desks In the school room. Is this not n sad
commentary on the claims OF those who want
prohibition to remain In order that the young
may be protected from tho evils OF intem-
pcrancc. Not only IN Portland but In most
OF the cities and towns In tho State the same
condition OF affairs exists. Eyosons OF tho
prohibitory law run riot In Bangor, and II ls
not held In special regard In Lewiston or
brunswick, In Augusta, Saco or Biddeford.
The Congregatiounlist Speaks.
The Congrcgatlonalist, which Is the leading
exponent OF the best thought OF the douomi-
nation which It represents, says that for
the most stringent prohibitory laws
would prove absolutely effective. Its on
percnce. however, leads Il TO say: "But
experience has constrained US reluctantly TO
doubt whether In old established communl-
ties. made up largely OF persons OF foreign
birth, training and taste, aud wherein great
vested interests already exist TO DO disturbed
and overthrown by absolute prohibition,
such policy can ut present make
itself adequate, and prove itself trl-
umphanL We have accordingly felt will-
ing 10 have tho experiment OF what -
called high license thoroughly tried the more
that, II /; failed, that failure, it would seem,
must react to cause all who sincerely desire
the abolition OF the liquor traffic TO revert TO
prohibition rs The only remaining alternative;
thus, perhaps. securing TO II that decided pre-
ponderonce Of public sentiment, In the ab-
sonce OF which II cannot be depended upon
TO drive tho drink curse from among u.s."
This Is the opinion OF paper that is In
favor OF prohibition. but which has the can
dor rs well rs the honesty TO admit that the
system OF suppfessing intomrerance Is not .
success.
Testimony from Canada.
Canada has learned also that prohibition leg.
islaiion IL not what II Il claimed TO be. From
data recently collected by Goodwin Smith
Il appears that twenty.eight counties and two
cities In the province OF Ontario have nj one
time or another experimental with the so
called Scott act. This IL n law prohibiting
for three years the sale OF liquor In n given
district when the majority OF It's voters shall
have adopted It's provisions. At the
end Of the trienna term the question
whether tho act shall continue In force is
again submitted 10 the people, aud negative
majority insures repeal Ten counties have
already Ryailed themselves OF this oppor-