Year: 1866

the EXCISE ana LOttery Leg1slat1Ons


1t is now very evident that the rural legisla-
tors at Albany have failed to accomplish the
object intended by the passage of the stringent
Excise law for the Metropolitan district. This,
however, is no more than might have been ex-
pected. The attempt to control the appetite
Of mankind by legislative enactments will
always meet with q failure and oftentlmes
increase the very evil which those framing the
law intended to control and abolish. The ap.
petite may be regulated, but it cannot be con-
trolled or abolished by the passage of laws.
The very fact that law Is placed on our
statute books prohibiting the sale Of beer,
wines and other articles Of beverage, after
certain hour and on certain day, arouses the
determination Of large class to drink far
more than before on those occasions. This Is
human nature the world over. II the liquors
cannot be obtained in the usual way ON the
day prohibited then other modes will be re-
sorted to. It is very plain that this Is the
case with our present Excise law. More men
were seen around the streets in a state of
intoxication on last Sunday than usual, and
this was the case at an early hour
In the morning. Those who did not
wish to cross the ferry into New Jersey or
visit Westchester county to get their Sunday
dram laid in their supply by the bottle or
demijohn on Saturday night. and instead Of
taking one or two drinks on Sunday morning
sucked at thoir bottles until exhausted, drink
ing ten times as much as before. The result
of this was an unusual number of noisy and
drunken men in the streets during the day.


The same result followed the passage of the
Maine liquor law several years since While
1t may have reduced the amount of liquor
drank at the counters Of the grogshops It in


creased the amount used privately. These
facts go TO prove that tho appetite, above all
other things, cannot be controlled by legisla-
ton, nor drunkenness as a general rule re-
duced by prohibitory laws. Our law makers
commence at the wrong end In regulating this
affair. IntoxicaHon is not so much the effect
Of the quantity Of the liquor drank as the
quality There Is far more liquor drank in
France In proportion than In this country, but
the number Of persons who are seen in q state
Of intoxioaton there bears no comparison. This
arises from the fact that the people Of that coun-
try use the best quality Of liquors, while in this
country the large proportion Is villanously
adulteratsd. In this fact alone is an important
suggestion TO those law makers who are
constantly trying TO reduce the amount Of
drunkenness BY legislative enactmenta What
should bs done Il to prohibit the sdulterstion
of liquors. Let q system Of inspection be
established and no liquor Of any kind permit
ted 10 be sold that does not come up to . GER
tain standard Of purity. This Ia the most feast.
BILE and only effective way Of controlling this
traffic and reducing drunkenness by legisla-
ton.


A similar state Of affairs exists in regard to
the lottery policy trade. Three States in the


Union, Missouri, Kentucky and Delaware, char.
ter lotteries, the others prohibit them and In


many instances declare the sale Of tickets ille-
gal and criminal offence. But this does no:


prevent the sale Of tickets. The epeople will buy
Notwithstanding the laws against the business
Tho result Ia that those three Sta'os which
grant lottery charters supply the people Of oil
others and make an immense profit out Of It


In this way the great bulk Of their taxes arc
paid out Of the money expended by the people
ID tn, States where The laws prohibit even the
sale OF the ncsets. We do not wish to be under.
stood as advocating the policy Of charteriug lot
tercs: not By any means. but only to point ou