Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-01-13
REPORT OF THE EX. COM. OF
THE STATE TEMPERANCE sOCI-
ETY.,

-
or and purport, the Report of the Executive
! Committee of the State Temperance Society,
presented at the late Annual Meeting, by
! Rev. @. c. Parker for the Com. We are
sure our readers will find it, statements and
suggestions interesting aad importi'nt Kew
i j. Copeland was employed az ar agent OF
tie Society during the last winter, especially
in Bennington, Rutland, and Il part OF Ad-
,iison counties Societies were organized
where it was practicable, and collections
were made on old subscriptions to the Carson
league fund; but few new subscribers were
obtained and the Committee consider that
plan abandoned.
While they have been compelled TO this
result there has been no change IN their
views in regard to the Importance Of 40 am
/ ple and reliable Fund to sustain agents, To
aid IA prosecuti1ns and to keep the general
| iutercs., %. the cause in "a heiltDiUl cbndi-
ZION Ample and well administer ionds
a.e the slnews OF every efficient and Succ -
ful cause.
No agent has been employed in the State
since ltSt Atdrcu. Inc OOiI i4e'O ~
| doubt the services of an agent will be de
manded and they ask the particular atten-
ton OF this meeting to the subject OF agen-
ces, the manner of their support, and the
| specific objects to which their laborS shall be
! directed.
| For the purpose of presenting Just view
| of the condition of the cause IN the , lte, Il
| letter of inquiry on the subject was addressed
| i =. IL .
| in the several Counties and in the State. y
summary of the intelligence thus received IS
! here presented
In Addison County, there Is a strong Ia
tent temperance sentiment sufficient for any
purpose when thoroughly reused. Bat Jaere
is great apathy on tie subject, and IN the
villages and centers Of business, 1t IS believed
there has been an increase of drinking gen
orally, and especially among young men.
! The law is generally respected, though not
uniformly enforced.
In Bennington Co., the opini.n that the
cause is receding. II is believe ,--t large
share of the hotels keep and tp.n.st liquors
secretly, and that t. a sad ext-ng lnr young
are forming the habit of drinking. The law
is outwardly respected, and prosecutions for
its violation, when commenced, are generally
successful.
The Temperance Law is popular and well
sustained ia Caledonia County, Intoxicating
drinks are not sold in open violation Of law,
but the apathy of the friends of temperance
is quite too prevalent and there Is great need
of more work b=ing done-should think
drinking on the increase among young men.
The County Society has held but one meeting
during the year
TO the inquiry. what Is the condition Of
the tsmnerance cause in Cnittenden County
the reply is, bad, and vet 1t might be worse
The law is regarded by all good citizens as
an excellent one.-the officers Of the law are
faithful in executing It. ana few res9ijto
men are always found ready t. stand by
them. signing the complaints AMI seeing the
matter to IN issue; but the number OF such
men is quite too small Tor the efficient e2ecu-
tion and triumph of the law. To 70 sal eN-
tent it is parilyzed by the apathy of lis
friends Il is believed that there has been
an increase Of drinking among the yodnS
men the past year, and that this results. IN
mart al least, from TIE lACj chat visv agents
are in every community selling liquor IN
small 0ottl s - That every one can have MS
h,rtla in his pocket 10 suit an emergency.
Ia,.r Beer saloons also have been largely
multiplied. and in this way the tipping pro
peusitv has been greatly Increased. Paruc-
ular attention is ca led to these two facts
the commerce in small bottles and the IN
crease and sale Of Lager Beer, In this Coun-
ty, almost every crime for the year, one OF
which is homicide, is trdceaple directly t0
the use Of strong drink.
Essex County, it Is thought, viii compare
fayorably, IN the matter OF temperance, WIN
almost any County in the State, ana yet IL Is
thought that here there Is an increase OF
drinking, both on the part OF young men,
and of many who once belonged 70 the lem
perauce Societies The Public sentiment
sustaius the enforcement Of the law IN every
case of prosecution.
In Franklin County, there is q decided
majority in favor Of the law, and the past
! year it has been well executed, but appre-
! tensions are expressed that influences and
| agencies are at work which viii have an un-
| favorable effect the ensGing year. 1t Is
thought that special Efforts are necessary to
reach Young men, and restrain them from
drinking practices.
! In Grand Isle County it is believed the
| cause is not retrograding, and that drinking
is confined mostly 10 foreigners. A native
| drunkard is seldom found. The law is gener-
| ally respected; but the close proximity OF the
County to Plattsburgh, and other points in
| New York, makes it very easy matter for
any one TO procure any quantity OF liquor at
anv time In consequence OF liquor thus
bought, three Canadians lost their lives last
spring.
In Lamoille County the law is generally
respected; open drinking seldom seen. and
drunkenness extremely rare; still 1t IS found
that there is not a little Of drinking. especl-
ally among young men.
In Orange County the law, though not as
uniformly enforced as it is should be. has
had salutarv influence the past year. Sew
eral persons have been prosecuted, and such
is the feeling ot the community, that 1t is
thought that the illegal sale of liquor will be
effectually stopped for the present.
From Orleans County the intellige ce re
ported is very favorable. TIE law is res
nected hv a large majority Of the citizens; no
omen sales hut by authorized agents; no
drinking at social gatherings, and little it is
! bell we'd, among yornI mcn. Apparently
the cause Is slowly oa the advance.
In RuU- - unity. out Of K Rutland, it is
believed the ten erance sentiment was never
stronger than it is now, nor the law ever
more favorah'y regard ID. In many OF the
towns it is enforc d with thoroughness. Bet
in Rutland it is said, ''L'quoy is sold open
". and drunkenness stands out IN bold hg-
es'' In TINS County, a III many others,
one of the most serious difficulties in the way
Of progress, is the free sale of strong beer.
In Washington County the law is outward
ly respected; take the county tlroug' there
doubtless has been much less liquor s d the
present year tina the past. But in SINE OF
the larger villages, it is unquestlonahly sold
clapdestinely. but with great freedom There
have been very few prosecutions. and the
friends Of temperance have done little the
past year, save the alecting Of temperance
Commissioner.
From Windnam County the report Is a sad
one. In reply to the inquiry, - Is the law
generally respected and enforced ? the aa-
swer is, Broken with impunity-Aquor sold
daily, openly, and very rarely Ii she law en-
forced To the question. Is there apparently
| any increase Of driuEirer AMONG taS yJ1ng.