Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-11-03
TEMPERANCE NOTES
LIQUOR IN GREAT BRITAIN.
The Traffic in Alcoholic stimulants In
creases Yearly.

The Traffic in Alcoholic stimulants In
crosses Yearly.
The situation in Great Britain as re-
ga.ds the temperance question much
resembles that in the United States. |
The masses of the people are either in
favor of the liquor traffic, because they
are themselves drinkers, or they are in
different on the subject. Public opinion
has not vet been educated up TO the
point of recognizing its evils. But
there. as here, there is class OF TEN
rerance people who are over-zealous in
their methods, which are impracticable
in the present state of British opinion;
they bitterly oppose any remodeling OF
the liquor laws, and demand the utter
extinction of the tratfic-which is en-
tirely impossible of realization at pres
ent in that country, as, with popula
ton much smaller than ours, it spends
over 500. 900 900 year for intoXicants
Meanwhile, the traffic increases in vol
ume yearly, and its opponents are pre-
pairing to discuss methods of dealing
with it at the approaching session o.
parliament, instead of bending then
energies upon the education of the PEG
pie.
The problem is even more difficult
one with our English cousins than witt
us. for the government derives a reve
nue. from this traffic of over $3.50, O00,
go il vcar No plan has any chance OF
adoption which interferes with this rev
enue. for there is absolutely no meani
whereby this sum can be otherwise
raised, except by direct taxation, anc
no English statesman dares propose
an increase of this. There are at pres
ent in England and Wales l26,00t
places where Intoxicating drinks art
sold or one to every 200 of the popula
ton With us the matter is one foi
the states to deal with individually
the supreme court of the United States
! having SO ruled. it will be remembered
| in the California cases; and it would be
comparatively easy for any state e
/ provide means for raising any revenue
| now derived from liquor in some othel
way.
The liquor question entered largely
| into the late parliamentary elections II
this wise: The United Kingdom ALI
ance, a temperance organization, has
for several wears been actively waginl
the adoption of what is there called the
"direct veto SYSTEM" which is prac
tically what we know as local option
| All public houses and other drinking
/ places would be closed If a majority o
| the voters demanded it, and no pro
vision for compensation to their keep
ers was another feature of the ALI
ance's programme This reused tho
vested interests" of the liquor traffic
and in the recent parliamentary strug
gle quite a number of liberal candi
dates were defeated through the saloon
influence. SO strongly did the run
power make itself felt that the liberia
leaders are seeking some less radica
plan of action.
The following scheme has been made
public through one of the liberal semi
official organs and it is being actively
discussed by the English press at tn,
present time:
Existing saloon licenses 10 be confirmed 70
three years, but in order TO lessen the numbe
within that period provision 10 be made for the
| surrender Of licenses on a payment equivalen
] 10 one years profit Loans might be author
/ lied for that purpose. Al the end Of three
years all licenses should expire. The local au
thorities the town, village, or county council
should then tx the number OF licenses 10 be-
| issued-in no case TO exceed the proportion
one license for each 1000 inhabitants Those
licenses which are to run five years should BE-
| offered al public auction to ;he highest rcspon
| sible and reputable bidder. Any profits TO be-
| derived from this plan should be applied for IN,
compensation OF those who surrendered theh
licenses during the three.years period Al
No.. hons N h4a sub Ia
lice supervision and subject to the regulation
the local authorities. A conviction OF license
holder 20 be followed, according TO the gravity
! OF the onense, by a forfeiture or by the iudorse
ment Of the onense on the back OF the license
TO be followed by forfeiture in the event OF rep
etition.
Whatever be the plan adopted, it viii
fail to check the evils of the drint
habit There is but one final mode o.
dealing with the traffic and that is ii,
extinction All that stringent LICENSE
or regulatory laws can do is to curb i
somewhat. But prohibitory law
would not and could not be enforced il
England. in the state of public opinion.
The work to be done. then, is to bring
TO the attention of the masses the truth
about rum. and the unnumbered woes
physical, moral and political which
result from the drink habit. Until a
large majority of the people waSen L
a realization of these. and are deter.
mined that they shall be cured, it is idle
to attempt TO enforce prohibition, q
TO pulverize the rum power. Toledo
Blade.
CURED BY A JOKE.