Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-31
portion to numbers have less OF Il
virtues than had their ancestors.

portion to numbers have less Of the
virtues than had their ancestors.
There are instances where it
is apparent that by the intro
duction of various enterprises and cos
mopoEtan villages the homogeneity Of
the town population is consid-
erably weakened. This together
with the diversion of interest. arising
from the increased facilities of COM
munication with the outside world, has
undoubtedly lessened in some degree
what might be called townorlocal pride
Consequently it may be that town gov
ernments, where we are accustomed
to say the principles of our county,
Stale and national government were
first exemplified, have not in some in
stances kept quite up to the high
standard, and in more cases have been
modified in spirit if not in form.
While there appears to be room for
criticism from the fact that drunken
ness figured in both brawls, as SO fire.
quently happens, it is equally certain
that if we are making comparisons be-
tween New England towns of today
with New England towns of century
ago we shall probably find that nova
days much less liquor is imbabed per
inhabitant. We do not know how
much OF criticism may be due on az
were when the fight began at North
Vassalboro, (the towns people will
probably look sharply after the
matter now if they haven't be-
fore, but from reports already
received il appears that several of the
party had been drinking split alco-
hol and water, before going there and
then were aggravating it by another
villalnous compound called hop beer"
Now it is a matter of common knowl-
edge that these drinks occupy a prom
inent place among the intoxicants
which find their way into a community
where the law is pretty well enforced
and where there is a population or con-
drinking some form of alcoholic liquor,
ard consequently willing to appease
their thirst with such vile compounds
Ii may, however, be safely concluded
that in many of the so-called rural
towns manufacturing industries have
attracted thither quite a number of
people, unaccustomed to the ways of
the community into which they come
possibly temporarily and to escape the
consequences of their acts elsewhere:
also that the communities are unac-
CuStcmed to the new Corners ways and
chinery for enforcing such restrictions
and maintaining such supervision as he
has Seen accustomed to and needs.
Suitable police supervision even in q
thickly settled place like a city is Otter
a problem. 1t requires more of ex-
perience in dealing with criminals than
the average village officer is able to
obtain in his environments to make
him an expert in such matters and
ready for every emergency. Just how
these natural defects are to be
remedied is a practical question, one
concerning which no doubt the town
and village communities would like
practical suggestions, for what with
the tramps driven out of the cities and
grown insolent because of the oppOr-
tunities for mischief a scattered popu-
lation affords them and what with
varied and penplexing conditions among
the people, the town problems of today
are not inferior, in some respects, at
least, to those the brightest minds are
addressing themselves in the larger
municipalities.