The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-23
Boston Il safe.

Those who have looked with pride and
affection upon Boston as a bulwark
against the license and luxury Of these
epicurean times are disheartened by the
triumph Of vice in the three hilled town.
Curfew is to ring no longer at II p. NJ.
The dissolute will soon be able to get a
drink as late at 1889 p. NJ. in certain
hotels. What will be the effect of late
hours upon a simple people? To be
sure, the ~lengthening of the wet season
is primarily q business measure. New
Workers and other strangers within the
gates are to be induced to stay over
night; nor can we believe that a still
austere and frugal generation will aban-
don the habit Of carrying an emergency
flask. Yet there are weak or frivolous
souls to whom it will be a guilty joy to
tarry at an inn until midnight, until the
small hours come; for refreshments or
dered just before IL may be consumed,
we suppose, at the pleasure of the IN
sumner. Still, there is little reaso for the
friends OF Boston to be cast down. Only
thirty hotels are to be licensed. The
general public will continue to depend
upon its private sources of supply, and
the unfortunates who are bad or shame
less enough TO sacrifice to their thirst
cordm populO will have little joy OF their
sin. Public spirited B~ostonians, male and
female, will make it their business 4
inspect with a gimlet and a freezing eve
those temples of rum. They will keep
tab on the amount Of .abhorrent wines,
liquors, beers and ales inserted into their
neighbors, Can gayety and youth, can
cynical middle life. can hardened age
hold out against that pitiless Gorgonian
scrutiny? BY IL 80 the walters will have
the air Of mutes at the funeral Of q muir
dered man; the popping of a cork will
sound like an act of proclamation in a
church; the electric light will seem the
unsleeping stare of conscience. Des-
perate characters, who have been known
TO balance a beer glass rakishly On edge
at a Pop" concert, will gulp down a
s~arsaparilla and m%ournfully steal away.
Stern and not too low rumors ring in
guilty ears;
That's the second OF them green things cream
OF mint that woman has had TO night.
IF there Amt that SALroSsrALL Q. WINTHROP
hsvin' another glass of lager beer.
There ought to be q law maxim folks retire al
nine o'clock every night"
And 40 on. The young buck who
was saying a moment ago: We'll, this
is something like Vienna, " calls for his
check and flies. Only two or three New
Workers., unabashed students of lobster
and sociology, linger in the banquet hall
deserted. The walters contemplate them
pityingly. Silence possesses the place.
Il wonder If we can get into the Old
Granary burying ground at this time Of
night, whispers a chilled revelIer; Al feel
as though l needed something to cheer
me up"
No, the morals of Boston are safe. This
innovation will not bulge her. She is
moored to the old landmarks. A Morn
ingside genius went to Boston once to
study the drink problem. He had letters
of introduction to the Mayor, whose coun-
sci and assistance he asked. The fact
is" said his Honor. I'VE have no drink
problem in Massachusetts,. In 1888 the
General Court chartered the Ancient and
Honorable Artillery Company to attend
to that. Go to the armory in Faneuil
Hall. There is yet some liquor left. Not
much, but enough to be the subject of a
sociological study"