Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-05-02
HARTFORD cLERGYMEN.

;ers' association of this city was held to- |
lay at the rooms of the Y. N. O. A. The
address of the occasion was delivered by
Mr.. 8. P. Thrasher of New Haven. At lis
close general discussion of the features
of Mr.. Thrasher's pspsr and of the work
which has been done by the Connecticut
Law and Order league and the leagues
aims and objects, and of the need of q CO.
operative organization of the kind in Hart
ford, took place, after which resolution
was adopted unanimously endorsing the
league and its work. Mr.. Thrasher's ad-
dress was as follows:
am to address you on the work and
methods of the Law and Order league of
Connecticut But first wish to speak of
the necessity for such an organization. To
my mind nothing more seriously threatens
our nation to day, than the growing disre-
gard for law.
The enforcement of the law Ia becoming
one of our greatest problems, but 1t is
problem that must be solved. 1t Is plainly
evident that the vicious interests are COM
bined to evade law, and public sentiment
is becoming awfully Lax regarding 1t. l
suppose 1t would be waste of time to I'M
dertake to prove to a body of elergymen
like this that our laws are openly and def
antly violated; and yet am unwilling to
believe that even you are fully aware to
what extent our laws are dehed.
We all know that the seat Of lswlsssness
Ia the saloon. I bslieve that I speak with
authority when I say that large majority
of the liquor dealers of the state are will
full lawbreakers. This Ia roundly denied
by their friends, but 1 believe I ana in q
position to know. In proof of my state
ment cite the following instances:
In the town of Bristol the people voted
''no" on the license question at the last
election. There were at the time some
twelve or fifteen places licensed to sell
liquor. Now, what happened? Did the
keepers of these places submit to the lawa
DID they change their business or move
out of towns OF courss not. They did
not even take down their signs. Under
the guise of selling "soft stuff" they con-
tinued as before.
sent detectives there and secured evil
dence against ten men who were openly
breaking the law. Convictions followed.
The cases were appealed, but majority of
them pleaded guilty and settled.
In the town of Putnam there were near
ly twenty legalized places under the license
10Ws AAtoI LILO UOWA fotCA 41o AASOA4oo SAAS
l.same thing occurred which I have related
concerning Bristol. sent detectives in
there and occurred evidence against every
one of them. Many pleaded guilty and
paid their fines. There ia no question in
my mind about winning the appealed cases
when they come up.
This is true of almost every town in the
state where no license supplants license
I find, too, that in nearly all towns where
the business is legalized, the prohibitive
| and restrictive features of the law are vic
lated with impunity.
Our law prohibits the sale of liquor or
| Sunday, and yet believe that majority
| of the dealers are selling on that day
| election day is prohibited by law, but who
believes that the law is obeyeds There il
l a law against selling to minors. and yet
| will venture to say that this night will fine
boys, yes, and girls, from thirteen tt
twenty years of age being educated in VIC
in the drinking shops Of Hartford and o
the state The law on gambling Is quit
| strict, and yet not a town of any size i
free from the blighting influences of tn
| gambling hell. Houses of ill fame ar
hourishing in every city and town, as vel
| as in many small ones. Prostitutes ar
soliciting boldly in the streets of GU
| cltl6s, LII Upon FiolnoAoA Va WY eoAAS
statute law.
We have law enough concerning obscen
and criminal literature, but no one be
lieves that such matter does not infest GU
schools and families to an alarming degree
Professor McCook has already soundet
the alarm concerning bribery and cor
ruption at elections, and has shown t
what an extent our present laws are de
fed
Now, gentlemen, confronted as we ar
with this condition of things, what is to b
done? Are the people of tho state to 81
quietly by and permit this lawlessness t
go on uncheckeds What excuse can b
given for such state of affairsa
Admiral Dupont was once explaining
why he did not enter Charleston harbo
with his fleet of ironolads; he gave thi
reason and that reason and the other req
son. When he had finished Farragu said
"Ah, Dupont, there was one more reason.
"What Yves that?" ''You did not believ
you could do it." So hold that the chic
| reason for the non-snforcement of law
found in the fact that a majority Of on
citizens do not believe 1t can be done.
seems to me to bs an insult to America
citizenship to admit such thing W
must enforce our laws or submit to
reign of anarchy and communism. Phil
lips Brooks, for whom the world nov
mourns, once said: "The imperative need o
someone asks: "Why are the laws not On
forceda' Many reasons may be given, bu
1t must be apparent to ali that the chic
reason is the influence of the saloon in pol
itics The ward politician knows tn
power of the dram shop and uses it to ef
feet at every election.
1t ia stated by responsible parties tina
every licensed liquor shop in New York in
fuences, if it does not control, the votes o
forty men. and that, therefore, the election
to any important Office of anyone hostil
to the liquor traffic ia an utter impossible
ity.
What Is true of the metropolis is true
to degree, of every city and large tow
In Connecticut.
Dean Waylsnd says 1.-THE saloon hob
nobs with tbs police whom it's agents hav'
appointed, smiles at and with the magis
| trate whom it has placed in Office, rejoiceI
in mayor of it's own election, fears M
hoetile legislation from the solons whom i
has sent to the state capitol"
Theodore Cuyler says: ''The liquor sell
ers are bound together, and with unlim
tied pscuniary resource at their command
there is no oligarchy in the land that com
pares with them in power"
| In taking W1tn pOuceman sno Otne1
day, asked him why the laws were moi
enforced on his beat. His reply was il
substance that his head would come off II
he did more than he was already doing.
| Now, gentlemen, what is the remedy for the
| condition which confronts US, or is there nc
remedy Our friends the prohibitionsts say we
must get rid of the liquor traffic. God speed the
day when this curse of cures shall be uprooted
| Whatever my private Opinion may be as to the
not enter into the discussion Of the question be
| fore us, and will only say to my prohibition
friends that we have right to hope for respect
or obedience to laws which we may in the future
enact unless we demand and obtain respect and
obedience to the laws we already have on oul
books.
We are sometimes met with the statement that
our laws are impracticable and vicious. would
say enforce thena, and thereby expose their i'm
practibility and viciousness. We'll, how is it to
| II there Is one word to be found which will at
all answer the question, 1t is the word organi-
cation. Organize the law abiding sentiment OF
the community and the problem is solved. be-
lieve there Is righteous sentiment enough in any
town In this state to secure the enforcement Of
law.
Recognizing the need OF united effort to re-
press law breakers, a few citizens organized the
law and order league OF Connecticut. need not
thorough which it has passed, but will simply
state that there is to-day full fedged assocl
alton for the enforcement Of the law in the state
1t is not organized to promote righteous legis-
lation or to advance the cause of any religious
denomination political party, but it exists sole
ly for the purpose Of securing the better enforce
ment OF law. AS to what has been accomplished
by the league will speak later.
The methods employed by US are much the
same as those employed by similar organizations
In other states. We work Though the regularly
appointed officials whenever that is possible, but