Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-03-11
Mass. Liquor System q Failure


In more than a column editorial the
Springfield Republican has indicted
the Massachusetts plan Of dealing with
the liquor problem. 1t declares the 10
cal option system as unquestionably a
failure, and furnishes ample evidence
TO convict it, because none Of its proof
can be refuted. The Republican gives
the figures proving that the evil Of
drunkenness is steadily increasing.
under a system maintained for more
than a generation, resulting in pop
uiation more whisky soaked than
ever"
The Republican says:
ALARMING INCREASE OF DRUNK
ENNESS
There were nearly 1900 more ar
rests in Boston in 1917 than in any
previous year. The total arrests were
l0s.556. Drunkenness is officially as
signed as the cause of 1888; and Of
the excess of arrests over the year
1916 no less than 5000 were due to
drunkenness. Put in another way,
TWO thirds of the arrests in Boston
last year were due to drink, and due
10 drink also were two thirds of the
years increase in the arrests officially
reported.
The sensational, one might say the
startling significance of these statis-
tics covering the city of Boston is
that they confirm the report of the
state commission to investigate the
drink evil submitted to the Legisla-'
ture in the spring Of 1914. The COM
mission showed that since 1901, the
number of arrests for drunkenness in
Massachusetts had increased SO per
cent. Whi,h was enormously dispro-
portionato 10 the increase in the states
population in the same period. Re
viewing that report just four years
ago, The Republican stated its con-
olusion as follows:
There is on escape. apparently. from
INC fact IF an increase in habits of in
"brtty ~ Massachusetts at y rate tina.
may he called alarming rather than mere.
~ disquiethg, without the slightest ex-
aEccratipn or the slightest over-empha,
sis. For an Increase of IS per cent in ar
rests FOR drunkenness since 1901 is not
merely an absolute increase; il is a rela-
we ncr"hs" demonstrating a weakening
instead Of 4 strengthening Of self-control
"mong our population as a whole in the
consumption Of alcoholic drinks.
The people who pride themselves
ON studying the question without
emotion and with an, eve for "prac-'
teal rather than theoretical or ideal
istlc solutions. should study the facts
regarding the recent increase Of
GF ~ ~ III,
1908. the report of the trustees Of the
FoAhOro state hospital for inebrjates
declared that this problem 'is grow
ing increasingly serious" In 1914, the
special state commission Of investiga-
ton confirmed the conviction Of the
foxboro hospitals trustees as to the
alarming increase of this evil. Be
sides. the state commission reported
the following as established facts
statistics from various sources satisfy
us that at least onc-third of all crime
aside from public drunkenness) is direct
~ occasion.d by the use of alcohol Mas
sachusetts prison statistics show that 80
per cent OF all criminals in our prisons
m 1917 were Incorporate by habit.
A|coh"llc incompetence was the primary
'dus" OF insanity in 1867 per cent of the
cases committed for the first time 10 a
hospital for the insane during the wears
lslo-lsl2. and was assigned as a contrInn.
Tory cause Ia AL per cent of first COM
mitments.
We ar" convinced from available data
mat the annual cost to the STATE nv loss
OF labor resulting from prema ture deaths
from preventable disease and from acct
GENTS occas!oned 10y Incorporate use or
sands OF dollars E ''i'"
=" rart played by drunkenness in the
'o'"' ''on or poverty Is very large.
Fast investigation of the Cause.
OF poverty reveals that in from 10 TO ~
per cent. Of the cases applying to nub,in
or private agencies OF relief abuse ~ o.
c""o, is an immediate cause of dependen.
g. 'i'-tenth or more OF the nresan+
cost OF public and private moor ratine
would probably be wiped out If drunken.
ness could be eradicated from our corr
nonwealth. WA ''i"-
me greatest economic loss to the State
lies in the ideness of cana HE mon Et 49,
Teen out or every - men imprisoned fo,.
uiuhhenhess In Massachusetts last vear
Sme.s o! American or British birth. nm.
handicapped In their occutation Nv 1im
,uIues with our language Four o,t +
.Ne'N I'VE men so imprisoned were ha
t"eeh IL and 20 years of age ANA tharo
dys,r a. me very period in life when IN
uust'iaI output should be largest These
men, al the prime OF life lost over aao oo'
worklns days from Imprisonment alone
year. ana probably an equal amobnt
release w sTa ,ost IN hunting for work after
eease from prison. That efficiency in
"ork - reduced through alcoholism is ,,n
tuestohed II Is impossible to caln,,,a.
~ CONTINUOUS loss which IL invoivas ~
me cost or drunkenness to the stat. i,
soInes broken through divorce tbronnr
Seserioh' fhu cost in neglected rbtid
hood, In degraded manhood ana uo Lin
hood' Is beyond measure. "''''h-
40" comes the Boston police com
fnlssioners report showing that tbe
arrests Tor drunkenness alone in Ros
ION iast year We're 1898. as com
pared with $685. arrests for drunk
ehhess In the whole Of Massacbuse,ts
III the year 1908. That is to saw t,,o
past decade has seen drunkenness g.,
me capital city become almost az
prevalent as it was in the entire com.
n'onweaith at the beginning of tho
period. But even that does not reve.,
the worst Of the situation. For in
recent years the policy Of the police
mas been to take into custody only ,
email proportion OF intoxicated per
sons. As the state commission said
-FOUR years ago: Tho problem of
drunkenness is very much larger than
the problem Of arrested drunken
ness
II being convincingly demonstrated
that this social evil is still increasing
In Massachusetts at much faster
rate than the increase Of tho ror,,,o