Evening star., 1901-09-21
w. B. rloses & Sons, F ST., Cor.

cents is exacted On the other hand, the
fines in Illinois range from $40 to 800. The
reason for making the possible financial
retr1bution for inebriety 200 times as large
In the sucker state as in the blue hen
state Is not easy to explain, unless, in
sooth, 1t be on the theory of the late w. r.
Traverse. who said that he stammered
more in New York than he did in Balti-
more, because New York was much big
ger place.
Alabama likewise authorizes a maximum
hne OF $100 for a person who "manifests
a drunken condition by boisterous or in
decent conduct or loud and profane dis
course but the minimum exacton is So
Similar variations exist in Imprisonment
penalties for intoxication. For instance.
the maximum term for which drunkard
may be imprisoned in Wisconsin Is five
days, while in Rhode Island a habitdal
drunlfard may be committed for three
years, and in New York habitual female
drunkard may be kept in the house of
refuge at Hudson for five days.
In several commonwealth the penalties
are graded and cumulative For example
in Connecticut for the first offense COM
mon drunkard may be sentenced TO hard
labor for maximum term Of sixty days;
for the second offense, to a maximum term
of 2i0 days, and for the third Offen3e, to
| maximum term of $50 days. In Minnesota.
which is also typical of the states i'll which
the scheme of graded sentences prevails
for the first offense drunkard may be
fined from $40 to $40, or imprisoned from
ten to forty days: for the second offense he
may be fined from $50 to $40, or be i'm
prisoned from thirty to sixty days. and for
the third offense he may be imprisoned
from sixty to ninety days.
In Arkansas, West Virginia and Indian
territory security for the good behavior of
a convicted drunkard may be exacted In
lieu of a fine or imprisonment. In Arkan-
sas the presiding magistrate may require
of the intoxicated person surety for good
behavior and for keeping the peace not
exceeding one year." but in case the bond
cannot be procured Imprisonment for a
maximum term of thirty days is authorized
In West Virginia the life of the security IS
limited to six months.
Treatment In Retrfbutiye.
In eight states and territories statutory
provision is made for the institutional
treatment Of inebriates. North Dakota au-
thorizes the commitment. at county ex-
pense, of habitual drunkards to "any repu-
table institution for the treatment of drunk
enness" designated by committee ap-
pointed by the governor. The victim must
express desire to undergo treatment and
must be impecunious, and he cannot be
committed a second time at the public ex-
the law Is substantially similar, not more
than four persons can be sent to the instl-
tuition from one county In year. In North
less than three months nor more than a
year, and a drunkard may commit himself,
upon application indorsed by a respectable
friend.
Legislation providing for the suspension
of the execution Of sentence and the condi-
tional release of a convicted drunkard upon
parole under the supervision of a proba-
tion officer has been enacted in Massachu-
setts, New Jersey and Rhode Island. The
probation system was introduced into Mas
sachusetts more than dozen years ago,
and 1t has become an important feature
Of the penal policy of that commonwealth.
Proposed laws establishing probation ma
chinery based upon the Massachusetts prac-
tice have been under advisement In the
legislatures of various states this year.
The conventional treatment OF convicted
drunkards in the United States is retrfbu-
tive rather than reformative, and It Is not
justified by the logic of results. some stu
dents of the subject say. Experience, they
declare, has proved with painful positive
ness that the imposition Of fine or a jail
sentence does not operate on the inebriate
as a regenerative agency and does not tend
to divert him from his antf-soctal tenden-
ctes. The most hopeful experiments. they
think. lie along the line Of the application
OF the probation system to first offenders
and the commitment of habitual drunkards
to special institution ander an indetermi-
nate sentence where they may be confined
at hard labor and under scientific treat
ment until their appetite for alcohol Is
deadened and motives for sustained good
conduct are created.