The Newtown bee., 1903-05-08

what he can realize. We thus suffer more or less in this town. There is a direct loss annually of thousands of dollars spent for liquors, whichImoney otherwise might flow in1the channel of enterprise, producing generals pros perity. Many of our citizens.ares sad !y injured, physically mentally .|and morally; and their service to the town is partially or wholly lost. We have tipplers and toperS and drunkards, endowed with good natural abilities, who but for the maddening bowl, have been good citizens, contributing much to the public veal. The number Of drunkards in this town, according to our standard of judging is between 30 and 10. But as others may differ from us in opinion as to what is necessary | to constitute man a drunkard we l choose tO'leave here blank, request ing each one to number up all the hard drinkers he knows of in town, chasing and naming them in a manner to suit himself.
 But there is an important item of direct expense toall taxpayers. caused by intoxicating drinks, which we must not fail to notice. We have sev- eral citizens who, so far from contri- outing anything to the general pros perity of the town,are direct burden upon it. The number of the towns poor, last year, was nine, of whom seven were reduced to this condition of de- pendence, directly or indirectly through strong drink. The expense to the town of supporting these nine was $666. Seven-ninths of this bill of expense, or $5lS, n.Lst be set down as caused by intemperance. The whole amount of the last years town tax was something less than sl,3O0. One half of this, therefore, was occa- stoned by pauperism, and twO-fifthS of it by pauperism caused by intemper- ance. Let every man'know of every S5 of town tax which he pays, s2 is indi- rectly for liquor which others have drunk. Indeed, if no liquor had ever been drunk in our town, we cannot believe our taxes would have been one half what they now are.
 In view of these facts thus offered for consideration, you see something of the ground or reason advocated for the cause of tempelance-even total abstinen from intoxicating drinks as beverage. What we here present is but a superficial view of the evil consequences of dram-drinking. The heart of the evil, which lies in ruined characters and ruined families, in the remorse and horror and despair of poor inebriates, the shame and tears and anguish of disconsolate wives and children and premature death, we are unable to reveal. Herein is loss which no arithmetic can compute, which no figures can cover. Something has been done by argument, in years past, towards staying the desolate tide of intemperance, and securing our citi- zens on the side of sobriety. Yet much remains needing to be done, as we have attempted to show.
 It is not to be affirmed by us that we are sinners above all other towns, in this matter. Much the same state of things perhaps, on diligent search, be found to exist in large proportion of the towns in the state. But so much the worse is it for us and so much greater the need of reformation here. Connecticut "is in bondage with her children" enslaved by strong drink. Whence shall her deliverance come? Lo, the march of the banner state, leading on the sisterhood of states to war and conquest over the foe that has so long held them in subjection, and whose yoke still presses heavily on our necks.@ Nobly is she acting up to the motto inscribed on her banner,- "Dirigo."* With fearless steps she moves onward; and, encouraged by her dauntless front and animating voice. the other states, as in duty bound, are fast wheeling into line. Shall Con- necticut remain inactive, preferring chains and slavery to the blessings of freedom? Forbid it, fellow citizens. Call upon our legislators to place us speedily in the line of battle. Entreat them to give us law with which we may successfully assail distilleries and rum stores, and bar-rooms, and grog- shops, those Notifications of the enemy, whence, strongly entrenched, he hurls his deadly missiles upon us-a law which shallserveas broad Egis for the protection of our lives, our characters, and our property. We hope soon to see the day when Connecticut will take her stand by the side of the other New England States on this subject; indeed, when all the states of this mighty confederacy, shall be acting together as one. Then will an independence. be gained not less important than that securedby the war of the revolution then will the stars of our national ban. ner beam with new splendor-then will the American eagle soar on loftier stronger wing through the heavens
 attracting the gaze and increasing ad
 mration of the whole world.-[SON
 OF TEMPERANCE, Franklin Di
 vision, No 3, Brookfeld, Ct., Marc h
 1853.
 HUNTINGTON.
 A SOCIAL EVENT.
 lo]Iitv was the keVnOte of the even