Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-10-09
Shall we adopt a License System,

Shall we adopt License System.
The Burlington Times returns to the adyo-
cacy Of "a License Law, as preferable to the
Prohibitory law, and sets itself deliberately
to the task Of maintaining, that the open,
authorized and free sale of intoxicating drinks
to all who wish to buy would be better for
the cause of temperance and morality than
the prohibitory system. We say free sale
to all who wish to tuy; for that was the
practical operation of a license system in
former times, as everybody personally &C
quainted with the state of things in those
days well knows. Those who took licenses
did it for the express purpose of making
money by the sale of liquor. 1t was for
their interest to sell as much as possible, and
they acted accordingly. Doubtless licensed
dealers by prosecutions of those who
sold without license checked such undufhor-
ised sales to some extent; but the object
of such prosecutions was not to stop the sale
of liquor, but to secure that sale for their
own profit. And they had no other
effect We doubt whether a single
hogshead less of rum was sold in this or any
other State because of the license system
than would have been sold, if no such system
prevailed If the license system was a him
drance to some who would be sellers, it was
no hindrance to buyers. Old and young,
male and female, the gentleman who bought
a glass of sling, not because he wanted it,
but merely because he was unwilling to
cumber the public house with his presence
for a half hour and not give the hotel keeper
trife of profit in return, down to the
wretched inebriate, who would sell the shoes
from the feet of his suffering child, or the
last loaf of a starving family. TO get where
with to quiet for the hour the gnawing SEN
sation which his previous indulgence had
created, and which was soon to torment him
the more fercely for the present one-all,
could have their call for liquor answered for
the regular price. The license system was
no check on the sale or use of liquor, and
never can be.
Furthermore, every observant person, who
has lived long enough to compare the practi
cal operation of the two systems, knows per-
fcctly well that intemperanee was rastly more
prevalent under the license system than it
has been under the prohibitory one.
The argument for free license to sell rum
because 50 many now sell it surreptitiously,
and so many buy it in dark dens, who would
then buy it at the public store or tavern, lie
Just az good for licensing gambling houses
and brothels, as is done in portions of Eu-
rope. But, " fifty-four L. ). licenses have
been granted in this town. saws the Times,
land tiffy-thr,e applications have been made
for license next year Of course the Times
is aware that license under the [. 5. Ex-
else law, gives the holder no right to sell in
contravention of any State law. The L. 5
law expressly provides that the State laws
remain in full force, and the license only
protects the holder of it from prosecution by
the L. 5. Collectors We understand the
Times to mention the number ofliccnses tax
en- out, in order to show the present extent
of unlawful traffic. 1t as a large number,
feartully SO. This fact of numbers being
willing to pay considerable sum to escape
prosecution by L. 5. officer, taking their
chances for prosecution at the hands of
the State authorities, is sufficient evidence of
the eagerness of too many to make money by
illicit traffic, regardless of the law and of the
public good, but we can find in 1t no argu-
ment for license system. There IS no argu-
ment for 1t on the score of morals and good
order The argument in It's favor is sum
med up, when the Times says it will put $25-
900 or $4,000 into the State Treasury.
Perhaps it would, and thus save from 40
TO so cents per annum for each tax payer in
the State. And by adding the sale of Ii
censes to brothels and gambling bells, it might
be made 60 cents per annum. Shall the
State 90 into the business? VIII it pay?
We do not care to take up space on the Ii
cense question. 1t is not really practical
question at present. The people have not
the remotest intention of returning to the
free sale of liquor. Even the Sentinel. while
opposed to the Prohibitory law, on princi-
pie, owns that an immediate return to the
license system would be to "open the flood
gates of drunkenness and crime"
But intemperance is gaining on us. No
one can doubt that fact. Our neigh
bors of the Times dilate upon the amount of
the sale of liquor in vile dens and noisome
holes. We presume they know much
more about that than We do, and we
accept their picture as a true one.
Can nothing then be done about it?
We will endeavor to answer this question,
n measure, in future article.
The Legislature.
The annual Session of the Legislature will