Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-12-31


therefore, needs fund upon which it can |
draw, to meet all such demands, and thus !
secure the highest interests, and the widest /
influence of the cause. The strong should /,
thus help bear the burdens of the weak.
Again, in cases Of prosecution under the
liquor law it is very important that there
should be an ample fund upon which in case
of the failure of II suit, on of unjust prosccu
ton arising from the enforcement of the
law, complainants and prosecuting officers
may rely, for the payment of their cos s. 1t
was for these two purposes, to support
agents and to aid in the execution of the law,
that the plan commonly called the Car
son League was adopted by the society and
commended to the friends of temperance
through the State. So far us any record of
what has been done can now be found among
the papers of the society, but a small portion
of the State This is not just; and it is no
matter Of surprise that many subscribers to
the Fund, feeling the unequal burthcn they
are bearing, are disposed to withdraw from
the League, and that in those sections it is
very difficult to get additional subscriptions
Unless there be general cooperation in
this matter among the friends Of tempe
rance through the State, the inevitable
result will be, and that speedily, that,
by Withdrawals, removals and deaths, the
whole Fund will disappear, and tho treasury
left with no source whence it is to be sup
piled But while this 10 the certain result OF
letting the matter rest where it is. your conf
mittec have no substitute to offer for the
LEAGUE. They think it cmbodies the best
plan to complish in an equitable way the
end proposed, and that an earnest and deter
mined effort should bc made to bring all the
temperance men of the state into hearty
cooperation in the measure. II t is can be
done, the burden upon any individual, Will
be light We have therefore directed our
agent to give particular attention to this
matter of the Fund not only in collecting as
sessments, but in securing additional sub
scriptions, and have authorized him to say
that the whole State shall be canyasscd anew,
and IF there were not general cooperation
in the measure, it shall be abandoned and no
further assessments called for The work
has been very thoroughly done on the cast
side of the State and with encouraging sue
cess we doubt not the west side, when the
opportunity shall be presented will promptly
and heartily respond thus the whole matter
will be put upon solid and equitable basis e.
While it will he necessary in the present
condition of the Fund TO send an agent
through the State to call attention to it and
s,curc subscriptions, we do not think 1T viii
b. wise to adopt this course from year to
year. five do, We shall find that IL very
large per cent. of the whole will be absorbed
in payment of the agents services. We are
decidedly of the opinion that the most eco
nomical and satisfactory way, as a permanent
thing, will be to accomplish this through
town and county societies.
In order to IL hcalthtul and prosperous
condition of the cause every town and county
ought to have it's thorough and efficient
ION, ,,rn ,rfrl MIA finn When this is
it would be an easy matter to secure sub
scriptions to the Fund and collect assess
ments as often as they should be called Tor
The whole might bc deposited In the treasury
of the county. subject to drafts from the
treasurer of the State Society, or to he used
for the general interests of the cause in the
county. We make these suggestions with
the conviction that if some such system can
be perfected. not only the funds wi. be raised
more certainly and at much less expense. but
that bv such efficient ORGANIZATIONS ns this
will require a new life and energy will be in
fused into the cause
We do not think the friends oftcmperance
generally desire a repeal Of our present law
or any essential modification of it. We
believe that on whole it is the best prohibi-
tory law in existence that whenever its
friends have been true to it, enforcing it
with promptness and energy, it has accomp-
lishcd nearly all that ought to be expected
from any law. But while we are satisfied
with the law as Il whole we would suggest a
few additions and notifications as in our
judgment essential to realize the purpose of
the law in its fullest extent.
Nearly all the spirits legally and properly
sold by agents are sold as medicines, and n
severe penalty is very properly imposed for
the sale Of anything not the genuine article
it purports to be. But We apprchend this
law is very little regarded, and that the
agents in many portions of the State are sell
ling to the sick and dying for the purest