OUR ISLAND STORY THE NINTH CHAPTER- '

Evil of Intemperance-How Minimized.

Throughout many years the liquor traffic made the heaviest" draughts upon the profits of the people of Prince Edward Island. In towns, villages and country, there were taverns at intervals of a few miles on the sides of all the main post roads. There were taverns in the vicinity of every shipyard and in every other place Where men - were wont. to congregate. The prosperity of many settlements in the Island was distinctly retarded by reason of the too free indulgence of their inhabitants at the open bars of taverns, at frolics, exhibitions, and other gatherings of the people, as well as in the privacy of the home. So general was the evil resulting from the Liquor Traffic that the Legislature was early constrained to attempt its control and reduction.

In the year 1775 an Act was passed by which the retail of rum, whiskey and other distilled spirituous liquors was expressly pro- hibited unless a special license to sell them were” first obtained. But this law was frequently evaded and broken-F—and not~ vigorously- enforced. Several amendments to it were made in the following years. Yet the public evil resulting from intemperance continued and increased. In the year 1852 it ’was enacted that the licensee of a tavern should be required to provide bedding and stabling for travellers and their horses and should obtain the certificate of two justices of the peace verifying him and assuring the public that he had complied with all the requirements of the law.

Notwithstanding these precautions, the loss of time, property and money consequent upon the intoxication of men of all classes was so heavy and so widespread that clergymen and others inter- estedin the. welfare of the people and the prosperity of the country began to exert their influence in the direction of total abstinence.

W 1 1”. WW. -WWWWWWQT"TV“ ‘ -’ " .. .. ;. .. '~ : .,,.: .z- ) ..v, \ .. ‘ '- .; ""‘" ' V'flwfim’xtya’l‘ -2. '.Y w:- i V "I “1 fliafiiifhkfiawflwiws’ 3‘" "“1