Morning journal and courier., 1894-02-22
book. They have recently been walked up,

however, by some vigorous efforts Of the
law and Order league, and they may yet
70 found to be very lively and very hun
Try laws after their long slumber. No
honest liquor dealer doing Q legitimate
business will bring any objection to them.
Had suits for liquor bonds which are
legally forfeited been prosecuted to sue
,essful issue during past years consider,
able sum of money would have been added
to the county treasury and-what is of
more consequence-a ealutsry and power
full restraint would have been put
around the whole liquor business. Our
present county treasurer, Mr.. Jacobs, ts to
os commended for his expression of his
readiness to bring suits as the statute re-
quires, whenever proper evidence shall be
laid before him that q bond ia legally for
feitsble. You will notice that our exist
ing liquor legislation contains train OF
penalties, 60 that 1t may be only necessary
for lawlessness to block q single wheel In
order to bring the whole to stsndstil.
The intent of the law may be defeated, not
directly by means of an obstacle tnterpost
directly against this statute, for instance, |
concerning suit on bonds, but before ever |
the process of law reaches this final stage |
the whole train of consequences may be
side tracked.
The Law and Order league is patiently at |
work removing some Of these blocks and
setting right some of these switches In the
course of Justice, and we hope to see some |
day q through train to tho very end of the
law. If We shall succeed in getting the
law executed clear through We may then
fairly claim that . new era will have tesn
opened in the administration of this por-
ton of the criminal law of the state.
One open switch in the course of justice,
to which have not yet referred, is found
in the failure of justices and clerks of
courts to conform to the law which re-
qaires them to make reports to the county
commissioners of all convictions of viola
tions of the liquor laws (Puolic Ac's, 1889,
chap. 1888 The clerk of the superior court,
and the clerk of our own city court, have
complied with this law; but they are al
most the only officers in the county of
New Haven who have done 80. No reports
can bs found from the other larger towns
in the county Except Ansonis)-none from
Meriden or Waterbury-we would gladly
presume, If We could, that these towns 30
surpsss us in virtue that no regard to the
ties. The law offers a premium to the
clerks of fifty cents head for the re-
quired reports; but it imposes no penalty
for its neglect. Perhaps, If persuasion ia
found to fail with our clerks and justices,
the next legislature may be willing to add
little compulsion to this law.
THE ILLEGAL LICENSE OF MIR DUNN.
Under these statues, just cited, one re-
cent case has attracted some public notice.
In examining the records of the commits
sioners one morning together with our
secretary, Mr.. Babcock. and with the kind
assistance of Mr.. Lindley, at the same mo-
ment We happened to discover an illegslity
In the license which had just bseu iesued
to Mr.. James T. Dunn. the proprietor of
the Monopole. Mr.. Lindley at once ex,
plain ed that the license had been so issus sd
under mistake, the initials of the name
having been confusel in the memorandum
of convictions by which he was checking
the list of applications for license. I at
once accepted, of course, this explanation
of the absence of any illegal in
tention in the matter. But the guas-
ton at once arose, what should be
done with license which pl.inly aud ad
mittedlv under the statutes is illegai1 Sec
ton 3079 leaves the commissioners no op-
ton of mercy when proof. upon hearing
had. ia offered that license has bsen
granted by Misrepresentation or fraud.
Under thess circumstances the board of
county commissioners have their own legsl
responsibility to inset. The question has
been ktd-and indeed an attorney In the
interest of this licensee has approached
me personally with the question-whether
the Law and Order league intend to
prosecute in this cases To which quss-
| ton let the answer bs given, 30 that no
one may misunderstood it, that the Law
| and Order league does not prosecute any
| person. The duty of private citizsns nears
| it's end when Information of misdemeanors
| or crime ia laid by them before the prose
- H. rknk4 mI1k
| ton, in no CAGE high or low, shall we hest.
tate to discharge No further responsible
| ity can be assumed by us; no other re-
mains, except that of holding the officers,
| If need be, to strict account before the bar
| of public opinion for the faithful discharge
| of their obligation. 1t would be PR sump-
ton on the part of any body of private
| citizens to ais anne the responsibility of the
state in any case; and should we
do so tie prosecuting officer might
| properly turn us out of his Of
has the Law and Order league presumed to
do more than to lay Its information before
| the prose cutting officer of the state for him
| to proceed with or not on his oath of Office
| Following our only possible rule of pro-
cedure, therefore, In the cas- of this license
which was illegally granted, We leave the
responsibility for the action required by
the statutes with the county commissioned
where the responsibility belongs. And If
in regard to this. or any other Ease, further
| Information comes to us which in our
| judgment the authorities or prose cutting
| officers ought to know, we shall take such
information and. without favor or discrim-
| nation, leave it where according to law 1t
should be lodged.
OUR SYSTEM OF LIQUOR LAWS.
The existing system of liquor legislation
in this state may, or may not be, the best
possible system that can be devised for ths
control of the liquor traffic; but so long as
it stands on our statute book the friends Of
should desire to sse the best possible en-
fore ement of thes laws. The citizen who
votes, AZ have been in the habit of vot.
ing, for license, thereby commits himself
to the proper enforcement of the license
law for which he casts his vote. The Law
and Order league stands for the enforce
ment of existing laws. Individually we
may advocate a different system, If we
think a better system is practicable, but
collectively We stand for the enforce
ment of the laws which We already
have. While ss a league, therefore, we
cannot ask for any new kind of legislation
we ahall not trans osnd the proper limits OF
our organization If, upon the discovery OF
any loopholes in tie law through which
small criminal lawyers pull their twisting
clients out, We shall ask the legislature fol
any little amendments which msy serve to
draw the meshes of the law more tightly
around the violstors of It, Moreover, Il
may bs assumed that any effort on ou1
part to have existing laws enforc id will
etir up efforts to have further rents torn
by the Legislature in the existing system Of
temperance laws. would suggest ani
advise, therefore, that a committee CON
eisting of three be appointed by THU
league to put us in touch with other local
leagues In order that he course of temper
snce legislature at the capitol next winre,
may bs watched with intelligent previ
sion.
THE NEXT LEGISLATURE.
One other reformstory work goes some
what beyond our special line of effort, bu
1t is work to which this league may prov
largely contributory through utilization ant
cooperation with other bodies. The neet
is becoming generally felt that what Con
neeticut requires is a Legislature that shal
put on interruption. But legislature o.
honest men can be secured only through
timely and practical work and co operation
of honest citizens all over the state. Som,
plans for such co operative work of honest
citizens in both parties for this end hav,
been suggested, and may be realized. W,
| should hold ouree.ves in readiness to tax,