Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-10-22

have high license, put the sale of your
liquor into responsible mems hands and
there will be less drunkenness, the laws
will not be broken, the morals of the peo-
pie will be higher. They have fine
theory, they weave beautiful mantle and
throw it over the dragon and il you did not
know the animal you would be almost per-
suaded to accept their logic.
Statistics | know are dry but figures are
obstinate and for the sake of convincing
those that are willing to be enlightened, /
am going into that field for few moments.
The city Of Fitchburg with prohibition en-
forced, had in six months from May l,
1887, $50 arrests Tor drunkenness next
year '88 with no license but with q mayor
elected that believed in license, not en-
forcing the law, they had in the first six
months 218 arrests for drunkenness in '89
with license law and the same mayor,
they had 1929 arrests for drur kenness in
the first six months, so per cent or more
increase, hence you see that the prohibi-
tory law even not enforced is better than
license but still better when enforced. New
Hampshire has had q prohibitory law since
1855 but it has been poorly enforced and yet
there are nearly three times as many Grim
inals according to the population in Mass
achusetts as there are In New Hampshire
Massachusetts has l know q bad Hub to
contend with and many other large cities,
but New Hampshire has her Manchester,
Nashua, Dover and Portsm ,uth. Let me
give you later experience of Fitchburg
by quoting you letter recently received
from the city marshal Of that place.
Your letter of inquiry received, would
say in reply that our last year Of license
commenced May /, 1898. For the 10
months following the arrests for drunken
ness were 1911, arrests for other cause
4O3, total IVA; since that time drunken
ness has decreased SO for the last -
months the arrests for drunkenness have
been only 1856 and for other offenses 366,
total 802 against 1714 for our last license
year. During the month of August last
the arrests for drunkenness were only II
which is the least number for any month
for the last ten years, which think is re-
markable showing for q city Of $4,000
inhabitants.
There are just two things that cause all
the trouble in the liquor business, these are
averice and appetite; if these could be
eliminated the creature would require care
full nursing to keep him alive. The ever
lasting appetite fastens itself upon man
and follows him as long as he lives and the
yankees ambition to get rich, these con-
nected with the liquor traffic cause IS per
cent of all the crime and misery in the land !,
casting gloom over many household
that otherwise would be cheerful and
happy. The prohibitory Law is more diff
cult to enforce than the other laws for this
reason, the man that sells and the one that
drinks are accomplices in the same crime,
they are confidential friends and stand by
each other.
The man that pays large money for IL
cense has got to get his money back and
make his pile besides and will many times
have halt dozen accomplices running
low GROCERIES without licenses in different
parts Of city; these GROCERIES or rum
kitchens do not do the mischief that IL
censed saloons are capable of doing. Sup
pose there were in the center Of Springfield
village two or three licensed saloons with
splendid glass fronts and gilded decanters
and everything attractive, backed up and
sanctioned by the state !; you would find 20
Of our young men going in there where
you will find one sneaking around the
corner to get into some dirty rum hole.
will quote only one more argument re-
ceived from the license men ard that is
that the prohibitory law is dead letter,
and it is ridiculous to have the statute
books loaded up with such dead trash it
prevents the execution of other good laws.
The fact is. the law is not as they would
wish to make it appear it is too much alive
{ox <hosv b,,osuo.s - hohhsvr, ~, oo,vk
and every where else hitting the guilty
right and LETT. If the prohibitory law was
as dead as the blue laws Of Connecticut,
not one in ten knowing that there are any
such laws, then there would be no cry for
license. We should then have free rum,
just what those agitators want.
The trouble is not with the law but the
people whose business it is to enforce it
many Of the officers Of Vermont, who have
taken their oath and whose business it is
to enforce these laws, are in sympathy with
the liquor traffic. Law must be backed by
public opinion to have it effective. Rouse
up the people, teach the danger of alcoholic
drinks to the children, let the people real
ize the importance of this subject, blessings
are not appreciated till lost and we as Yer
monters do not know how to value the
wholesome laws we are living under and
probably never will until we are brought
under the fearful scourge Of intemperance.
l am not surprised that when you find
men that think more of their grog than
they do OF the gospel, they should want
free rum if not that then license. But men
who take no pleasure in the death of the
wicked or the downfall OF humanity, but
are always ready to lend hand to help
elevate their fellow men, how such men
can vote for license, is beyond anything l
can comprehend. The state of Vermont is
an agricultural or e, the tiller Of the soil
does not care for hired help that he has got
to nurse with bottle, and know that the
less of the article there is, among the man
ufacturers and merchants, the more success
full they will be from business point Of
view. This I know is the business side and
weighs very lightly beside the moral.
If should drug my neighbor and cause
him to commit crime I should be liable to
punishment, and believe that the state
that grants license is morally liable as much
as the individual vet crime is carried ON
under state law and is only winked at. There
is q wonderful lot Of charity among the IL
cense men chow ready they are to excuse
c ime ;'she would not have done 1T had he |
not be en- under the influence Of liquor, yet |
these men are ready to license that article |
that causes 85 per cent Of al the crime and |
misery in the land; but thank the Lord |
Vermont has too many level headed men |
to go into the license business. So stand |
by your guus,ye men of temperance, and |