Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-05-21
HINSDALE, N. Il.
The Liquor Fines Question.

How Fines and Court Costs are Manage
ed I'm Cheshire COunty---Turning the
Screws on Suburban TOwns---A Wig
OrOus Kick on the Part of the Tax
Payers.
The article on the disposal of liquor
fines and court costs in Cheshire county,
copied in The Phoenix last week, has call
ed forth some criticism on the part Of
the New Hampshire Sentinel, which, while
| admittingthe manifest injustice of thewhole
procedure, yet entrencnes itself behind
the fact that this is all done in accordance
with existing state laws. The editor says,
THE county authorities living in Keene
will not object TO change in the laws so
that the county may take the fines when
the county prOsecutes, nor should we
expect any protest from the city of Keene
for the change would be eminently proper"
but adds, in substance, that so long as the
law remains operative, Keene will scoop in
the fines and nothing else need be expect
ed. The statement of the article in ques-
ton that Walpole has police court was
incorrect, but was given on what seemed
good authority, but it appears that Wal
| pole don't want and wont have a police
court in that historic old town.
There is an ingenious and misleading at
tempt on the part of the Sentinel to con-
vince its readers that an effort has been
made to "give the county a black eye" and
smirch its honor. There was no inten-
ton of accusing the county officials of
corruption" or "rottenness." The
famous line, "There is something rotten in
Denmark" was quoted simply in the
sense of there being "screw loose some
where when Cheshire county pays out
such large sums in court orders and re
ceives a mere pitta zee in fines, while the
city of Keene reaps thousands of dollars
annually. If this is in accordance with eX-
listing state law it is an unjust law; a
"rotten' law if you please and should be
wiped off the statute book. The Sentinel
emphasizes the point THAT those fines are
largely paid by Keene liquor dealers. "
Now it is a well known fact that Walpole,
Alstead, Fitzwlliam, Winchester, Hinsdale
and other suburban towns have paid a
good many hundred dollars in fines within
the last year and half, the bulk of them
going into the city Golfers of keene; and
there is Just one feature in the rulings of the
Keene police court that people don't quite
understand and that is, how it comes about
that the fines imposed at any one triaI
OF OUTSIDE OUtuutIS are 81 luuOH ldl ESl
than those paid by Keene dealers. Mind
there is no "rottenness,' no corruption
charged, only a few extra turns of the jul
dicial screw, according to lac. Who has
ever heard of a Keene druggist paying a
fine and costs of $40 for simply having a
government license, or a Keene landlord
$3.50 in a lump on the cheapest kind OF
"spotter' evidence? And yet those instances
occurred to Hinsdale parties this very
spring Yet it would be hardly charitable
to infer that fines are "piled on to the
extent of the law to drive all the outsid,
dealers in the county out of the bushes:
so that the public will be compelled tC
buy all its rum in Keene.
The law as it stands at present is grea
source of revenue to the cities and larg,
towns where police court exists and whC
always send to the legislature one or NOR
men of experience and marked ability L
look out for their pecuniary interests
These men are returned to the Legislature
more than once and are thoroughly familia
with the rulings, while the smaller town
send new and inexperienced representative
al every session, so that no doubt an etfor
will be made TO keep the present law il
force, but if it is faulty, it is high time u
show up its inconsistencies and injustice Il
their true light before the people of tn
county and the state. W. :. L.