The record-union., 1893-02-25

all the compounders OF nostrums in the
land and all the drug clerks in the State
will have practical invitation to get up
compounds as valueless as numerous and
by 'pulls' and other devices work them
off upon the more than half hundred
counties. Besides the S54, coo that the bill
calls for, it is not overestimate to say that
Sl50,000 a year would be inadequate to
pay for the prescriptions" and bottles of
medicine-indeed, so long as drunken
ness continues there will be no end to the
drain.
The unwisdom of the bill does not stop
here. 1t is further provided that when
any old sot shall complain to the legislative
body of any city or county that he has
had snakes in his boots such authority
shall issue permit for his detention in
the bill does not say where or what, but
lative body may make rules for the oc-
casion. 1t is thus seen what charming
and easy-going measure this is all around
for the boosting of gold cure establish
ments and private curative institutions
into prominence and prosperity and of
all the incorrigible drunks into the
hospitals.
Members Of Women's philanthropic
organizations are urging the passage
of the bill, we learn; clergymen have
appeared in its behalf; temperance peo-
pie declare for it. The sincerity of the
philanthropy of these people is not ques-
toned. But they lack worldly wisdom.
Can they not understand that there is no
cure for drunkenness if the drinker has
not the determination when his body is
aside his cups? Yet this bill, which is
urged as affording the poor man chance,
does nothing of the kind. But il does
propose to pay out of the public purse for
treating pauper drunks who will use it as
means in seven cases out of ten for suf-
ticient recovery to enable them to indulge
again. That is to say, the very class de-
scribed in the bill as ''pauper at Jurors"
are the sots who will return to their cups,
who nearly always do when they sink to
that level. So the bill will simply tend
to negative much temperance effort--in
fact to paralyZe and discredit it.
Possibly an unobjectionable bill might
be framed to secure commitment of those
whose appetites have enslaved them, and
who will not voluntarily take treatment.
Possibly bill might be drawn to be of
genuine benefit to the poor man who
needs treatment and cannot have it be-
cause of poverty; a bill that will not be
open to objections such as we have
pointed out, and that will guard human
rights and not invade any dangerously,
nor wreck county treasuries-such bill
the substitute criticised is not.
The bill is bad, in that it violates the
right of the citizen to his liberty, of which
| he shall not be deprived without due pro-
cess of law. 1t is bad, in that it reck-
lessly rushes the counties and the cities
into the patent medicine business. 1t is
bad, in that it provides a convenient, easy
and dangerous means for putting out of
the way unhappy wives, parents and
other relatives who have become aged,
worn or decrepit, and may haye estates
worth the handling. 1t is bad, because it
is loosely drawn, and is deficient in those
guards and guarantees that the law ought
to throw about the citizen and his prop
erty and liberty. 1t is bad, in that it
opens the door for jobbery and thievery
and all manner of low-down corruption
intemperance among a given class, and
| belittle honest reclamation. 1t is bad, in
that it dangerously enlarges the jurisdic-
| ton of Justices of the Peace. It is so
thoroughly bad and ridiculous, that we
can scarcely treat it with seriousness and
dignity-it is unworthy of it.
| But in one respect it must have treat
ment which will awaken the attention of
the medical faculty and managers of pub
lie insane asylums. Section 2, consisting
of but fourteen words, seems to repeal
the present laws providing for the COM
mitment of the insane. and might have
the effect of filling the insane asylums
so full that even the spacious grounds
surrounding them would not contain the
multitude.