The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-09-07
w SER ON
BY REV. A. G..

l make the case against myself as
heavy as / can. In Manhattan. in 1920
thirty-six people were convicted Of
homicide; that was the lowest figure
In twelve years! Two hundred and
eighty-seven people were convicted Of
burglary; that was the lowest figure
but three, in twenty years!
"The same applies to forgery, lar
ceny, all kinds of crime. 1920 was
not a bad crime year: II was a low
crime year, and crime had been going
down or less steadily ever since
1908. And. mark you, in 1908 the pop
ulation of Manhattan was smaller; we
are therefore obtaining less criminals
from a greater population. II that Is
not all right, what is all right?"
A recent survey OF the state of Mas
sachussetts by Cora Frances stoddard.
appearing in the Scientific Temper
ance Journal, may surprise some who
have thought that prohibition was fall
ing to produce good results. In this
survey Miss Stoddard covers the per-
iod from 1912 to 1921. The figures
she gives are from the official records
OF the state, and set forth the. condi-
tions in the light OF truth. Bear In
mind that Massachusetts Is an indus
trial state, and that 94.4 per cent of
the population live in towns and cities
of $500 or more. Also remember that
Boston, to which the figures that fol-
low relate, is one third foreign born.
and another third have both parents
foreign born.
1.-THE following are some summaries
of the various tables.
THE table showing arrests for
drunkenness. in Boston shows an aver
age of 59,308 for the seven wet years
1912-1918 and an average of 26 1893 for
the two dry years 1920-1921, a de-
crease of SIS per cent. There was a
decrease of SO per cent In arrests for
drunkenness of the foreign-born, a de-
crease of SO per cent in the arrests for
drunkenness of the non-residents.
1.-The table showing commitments to
Deer Island, Boston, Suffolk county,
House Of Correction, shows an aver
age of $3.50 commitments for the sew
en- wet years and an average OF 1923
for the two dry years, a decrease OF
SO per cent. IL shows an average Of
commitments for drunkenness OF 4,2S1
for the seven wet years, 1912-191S, and
an average of sos commitments for
drunkenness for the two dry years,
| 1920-1921, a decrease OF SIS per cent.
"The 1851 arrests for all cause in
| Boston, 1921, were the fewest OF the
decade except in 1920, also a Prohibit
| ton year. and the part Prohibition
year Of 1919. The average for the
seven wet years was 90.079. The aver
age for the two Prohibition years vas
65, 489, a decrease Of q per cent.
There was a decrease of 80 per cent
In arrests of foreign-born for all caus-
es in Boston covering these periods.
Average of arrests in Boston for Of
lenses other than drunkenness for the
seven license years was 4,068, for the
two Prohibition years 3,40S, a decrease
OF 16 per cent"
In the report of the whole state II Is
shown that the evil effects of the IL
lquor traffic have been very largely
reduced, and the good effects OF prohi-
bition, such as increased savings ac-
counts, the benefits to women and
children, and in many other ways,
have been greatly increased.
One of the most foolish statements
one can hear is that there is more
drunkenness today than there ever
was. During three days in Mime
apolis recently, I did not see one
drunken man. In 1912, when we re-
sided there, and when the saloons were
thick. you would see them by the doz'
, en- every day. The same Is true ol
every town and city in the country.
The part for you and me to play II
this day is to stand for the Constitu
ton and law and order. II you know
that the law is being violated It I
clearly your duty to report 1t to th'
, authorities, at least.