768 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the remissness — to use a mild expression — of the police in prosecuting 

 the offenses of publicans, and the universal facility of obtaiaing any 

 amount of drink at the nearest grocer's shop — I say things really can 

 not be much worse than they are. Under the vigorous exertion of 

 local option the state of affairs would undoubtedly improve in some 

 parts of the country ; the pressure of public opinion, of the proposed 

 Commissioners, or, in the last resort, of Parliament, would eventually 

 force the negligent localities to follow the example of the most suc- 

 cessful " local-option schemes." 



Let it be understood that I do not for a moment suppose that there 

 is much, if any, novelty in the proposals made above. In one place or 

 another almost every suggestion, except perhaps that of a superin- 

 tending Commission, has been made and discussed. The Lords' Com- 

 mittee have themselves recommended " that legislative facilities should 

 be afforded for the local adoption of the Gothenburg and of Mr. 

 Chamberlain's schemes, or of some modification of them." And the 

 Lords have themselves recognized the value of social " experiments " in 

 providing counter-attractions to the public-house. In their final report, 

 dated the ITth of March last, they remark (p. xliv.) : 



These experiments are too recent, and, in spite of their rapid increase, too 

 partial and limited, to enable the Committee to pronounce with confidence on 

 their ultimate success, or on the extent of the influence they may exercise in 

 diminishing intemperance ; but they desire to exjjress their strong opinion that, 

 if generally prosecuted and conducted with due regard for the wants and com- 

 forts of a population among whom education is gradually diffusing a taste for 

 enjoyment far less coarse and gross than in the past, they are destined to have 

 an important influence for good. It is obvious that the desire for recreation 

 is felt by all classes alike. 



What is this, however, but an express recognition by the House 

 of Lords of the need of experimentation as regards the entertainment 

 and recreation of the people ? I fail to see how such experimentation 

 either can or ought to be confined to philanthropists. If we look 

 around and notice the vast new restaurants of London, the innumer- 

 able glittering railway-bars in all parts of the country, the music-halls 

 of all ranks and kinds, the dancing and drinking saloons of some pro- 

 vincial towns — such as Nottingham — and the great enterprise with 

 which such places of recreation as the Pomona and Bellevue Gardens 

 at Manchester are conducted, we shall see that social experiments are 

 not confined to the teetotalers. Indeed it would not be difficult to 

 prove that the nugatory licensing laws, as now administered, present 

 the least possible obstacle to the publicans in pushing their experi- 

 ments, while they do prevent social reformers from interfering, or from 

 establishing counter-experiments on an equal footing. It is hardly 

 too much to say that the licensing laws are laws to give a license to 

 the publicans and grocers to do what they like to extend the sale of 

 spirituous liquors. 



