The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-10

sion Tor alCOhol unQer Cne PToVohco Vi
zeal for popular rights infringed. What
right" they shrek, has policeman
to investigate the breath or calculate
the equilibrium of free Boston citizen?"
This is sheer froth and flubdub. A citi-
zen of Boston has no rights; he has du-
ties. If he can't escape to New York, he
must obey the rules. He ia in the hands
of his wardens and keepers. They do
we'll to exercise over him pous, paternal
supervision, such as he wishes to exercise
over the rest OF the world. For It's
the sport to have the regulator regu-
lated.
Outside OF Boston, staggering would
not be regarded az an absolute indication
OF case for the police Aman may stag
ger with vertigo, from the effects OF in
digestion or the sting of his immortal
liver. His titubancy may be harmless.
According to a legal maxim he is to
use his legs 80 as not to interfere with
those OF other people. His brain may
be stronger than his legs. He may have
locomotor ataxia. He may have st.
vitus's dance. Even il he has alcoholic
want Of coordination, 80 long as he can
get home all right, whose business is lt'
Presumably he will take cab. The con-
dition of his legs is immaterial. The
phlosophic veterans Of the New York
police hold that man is not drunk UNI
til his cabman and cabhorse are drunk.
Watch the horses legs and let the mans
alone But this Ia worldly view and
doesn't apply to Boston. If man is
seen to stagger there, the legal presump-
ton ia that he has been enjoying him
SELF an unusual crime.
The od0r test is even more admirable.
We have heard cyncs say that half the
world would be half-seas-over all the
time IL that odorless whiskey of which
Science may be dreaming were Invented.
At any rate, Judge EMMoNs has jabbed y
King Alcohol in the Stats" The breath
bewrays the moderate, as we'll as the i'm
moderate, drinker. The one glass OF
beer, the half-pint of red wine leaves its
trace, slight but to be detected by vigil
liant nostrils. Thousands Of worthy
Massachusetts citizens who are hot
against housekeeping carry pocket
flask and solace themselves with secret
and solitary swigs. Arrest EN- on the
strength of their breath, itself confess
sion Run 'em in. until Boston, purified
of no1ious exhalation, can bask delight
edly in it's own halo, with some assist
ance from the Gilded Dome.
We waste no time on billiards who
insist that 1t ia a mans constitutional
privilege to perfume himself with rum,
garlic onions. cigars of Erebus or any
other fragrance which he likes. We
speak not of the world, but of Boston.
The Boston police are slow to accept
Judge EMMoNs's decision as a rule of
action. Allowance must be made for
old habit. You can't detect another
mans spirituous aspiration until you
have reformed your own. The decision
is thoroughly in consonance with Bos-
tonian presidents and theories OF gov
eminent. We are confident that it will
be enforced by the police. The truth is
that political economy is on Judge EN-
MoNs's side. This is an era OF specialists.
Amateur, occasional and sporadic drink
ing tends to disappear in Boston. The
supply of wines and spirits is limited, and
there are grave fears of scarcity in
October. The Ancient and Honorable
Artillery Company can be relied upon to
do its duty; and foolish and wasteful
competition on the part of the unskilled
public must be discouraged. The Gen
eral Court has only to supplement Judge
EMMoNs's decision by law forbidding
private and unauthorized persons to tres
pass upon an irrigation system which,
with careful use, may be sufficient for
fifty years to come.