The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-04-11 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

OPINION ON DRUNKENNESS. • The following is from "social Reform," bx.sir Fdirara Sullivan  Drinking ought to be made diftictilt, ineferal of easy ; every legal hindrance should be put in the way of procuring drink. The "permissive" Misteni by which I understand the right of the householders in any neighbourhood or-district to regulatn the number of public-houses, should be tried. Laws are made, or should be, for the protection of the wocl ; not for the convenience or encouragement of the had. Publicans should be closely watched; no extra facilities given them for recovering debts; setere punishments and loss of license should be the immediate pensiti. s of keeping houses in any degree riot, us. The law shoull. be so severe and so prompt that it would not pay for men of bad character, who Were not determined to observe the law, to enter the ' publican's business. This would free the country Irons liost of leeches who suck the life-blood of the nation, and fatten like dung.tlies on the impurities of the people; but what would, in my opinion, do more to reborn the public-houee trade, and to stop drunkenness, wool,' be very severe punishments for short measure, and for any adulteration in drink of any kind. Not one of the low public.heuses out of fifty, sells Wer or spirits in the condition, or of the quality, supplied Iby the brewer or distiller. To grant such men, license to sell beer and spirits is an absurdity. They sell neither; they sell poison flavoured with these articles; but that they ever sell them pure and genuine is on.. true. The maddening effects of the drink that instigates the awful murders that feed our scaffulder our gaols, our madhouses, our unions, that make the realdonut of England the residuum of the world, are not caused by brandy, or gin, or rum, or malt liquors alone, but Of those stimulants adulterated with materials that are absolute poison: vitriol, methylated spirits, opium in various forms, hemp, bang, &a—these are the poisons that, mixed with the drink of the lower order, destroy both body and soul : Instant her circling wand the Goddess waves, To hogs transforms them and the sty receives. But not even the potions of Circe herself, venom:nth and magical as they were, could more surely debase and degrade her victims than do the poisonous potions of our publicans. Let careful supervision be maintained over all publicans and dealers in spirits; and let severe and rapid punishment attend adulteration, and , drunkenness will diminish one-half. lithe keepers of the small beerhouses and Tom-and-Jerry shops were compelled to sell unadulterated beer and spirits, and' I give full measure, they would soon find the trade did not pay; the price must rise and their trade fall off. High prices and hmited consumption do not suit them ; they require low prices and unlimited' consumption"; they undersell each other by two simple methods— adulteration and abort measure; and the extent to . which they carry this .baneful competition is limited only by the credulity and long-suffering of their customers; practically the law leaves them perfectly uncontrolled. Amongst the lowest claw, price is the. great temptation ; to the drunkard,, quantity and frequent indulgence are the chief point. ; though they know they are dnnking poison, and very often they do ' know it, they cannot resist if they have the mean&