THE LICENSING BILL.
(TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR:"]
Ssn,—The immense and almost unlimited extent to which public- houses have increased, and are daily increasing all over the country, has long been felt to be one of the greatest evils of the age. The evil works in two ways ; first, it is an encouragement to drunkenness,—the acknowledged parent of almost all the vices of the poorer classes ; and secondly, as the haunts of the idle, the- disorderly, and the profligate, the public-houses are a nuisance and a curse to all industrious, peaceful, and respectable members of society. The grievance has become so insupportable that the- Government has at last consented to try and mitigate it by in- troducing the long-promised "Intoxicating Liquors (Licensing) Bill."
It is not my intention here to enter upon the merits ands demerits of this Bill, but whatever they may be, there is one- point very clear, viz., that it is an attempt to put down this cry-
ing evil of intoxication,—and as such it deserves the earnest sympathy and support of the whole nation. And yet we are told,
that this Bill is not likely to get through this session. Why not? Is it possible that the principle can be opposed by anyone but the publicans and the drunkards ? Surely we- are not yet sunk so low as to be governed by them?' Not directly, perhaps, but indirectly, if we are to believe those per- sons who tell us that the brewers have immense influence in the- House and in the country. If it is indeed true that these brewers have this great influence, why, in the name of common decency, has this evil been allowed to go on so long? I do not think it is. an exaggeration to say that three-fourths of the public-houses in this country are, directly or indirectly, in the hands of the brewers. Why have they not taken a little pains to see that they are respectably conducted ?
I have the pleasure of being acquainted with several brewers,, some of whom occupy what is called a high positien in society, and who profess to take a great interest in social, and even religious
matters. It has always been a source of wonder to me that these men could have easy consciences while houses with their names over the doors, from which they derived the greater part of their incomes, were being pointed at by the city missionary and the policeman as England's curse and the poor man's ruin. And what do the brewers say to all this? I do not suppose that any of them think it a desirable state of things, though they may not consider themselves responsible for it, or believe themselves capable of introducing any reform. If this is so, surely they are the last people to offer any opposition to the Government when it tries to step in and do their work.
I am not a teetotaller or much of a believer in temperance societies, but I do protest, as I hope the whole nation will protest, -against being governed by the brewers.—I am, Sir, Ike., R. H. B.
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