The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-11-12
The Rum Fighting Rum.
Editor Rutland Herald -

better suit them, they are not 20 absolute
ly tenantless of all sense, as to believe il
would be the best policy, even for them.
They know too well, that there is too
much of temperance principle, though
latent, to endure any such freedom OF
runs bitter curse. So, with them. "a
half loaf is better than no bread" II
they can't get liberty to do what they
would if it would be bad policy to open
the snce-gate Of the ipiquitous traffic,
they shrewdly labor for that, which comes
nearest, and which practically amounts
to the same thing.
To cry "liberty," to the deadly abomi-
nation, might wake up the sleepy and
slothful majority, by way of a veto, and
perhaps, by way Of an enforcement Of
prohibition, through State constabu-
larry" institution; and thus, in attempt
ing too much, lose all. And SO they cry
"license." Yes, ''lccpse" they cry when
they mean ''ibcrty.' 1t is an old dodge
of the old devil An artiul dodger is
he. True, the talk is ofputting "icense"
into the narrow path to heaven, and tax
ing it out of its usual and inevitable broad
road to hell. The shrewdeSt strategy.
In it ga Daniel has come to judgment" "
The old Luciler of intemperance, and the
ancient Apolyon of the rum traffic is to
be set free from all prohibitive ietters,
and kept free from all "State Police"
regulations. Not that there is to be no
clanking gives about it. Oh, no Licepse
is to be put under bonds to keep the peace.
a n argus.eyed enactment is to look after
all, who may sell the pestilent stuff. II
tho rum demon does damage, as he is sure
to do, bis human, licensed owner must
foot all bills And better than all, a
perfect panacea to cure all ills Of rum S
breeding. Rum is to fight rum--is- to
furnish (quod minime reris), "a selt-con-
stituted aud vigilant police" 1t will be
on the dockeis Of the courts, ever and
anon. "Bardwel VS.. Shanty." Thief
shall catch thief" hereafter. Cut glass
shall pursue plain glass, and silver chalice,
pewter dipper. What race for reform!
Dog will eat dog, sure enough. Or the
cur will chase aud bite off his own caudal
extremity la other words, aud to write
prose, "Licepse" will kill out tho un-
licensed. Patrician destroy plebian. Aud
all this, with no effort at all at any higher,
more stringent and effective apti-rum,
moral sentiment. In fact, temperance
men, OF the radical sort, will have reach
cd their millennium. The occupation is
gone. Satan isn't dead he is next 10 it.
His kingdom is divided. aud it is seen
falling throughout the commonwealth. All
ears are greeted with its crash of ami
hilation; while, accompanying, is the
music of treasury accumulation. Satan
is made "to fork over" at last. \ grand
collector he will become If he makes
Of humans "poor DEVILS" he will be COM
PEELED to support them. The "Gordian
Knot" Of pauperism, at least. as to its
support, will be united. Sin will neu.
tralize sin ; misery counterbalance misery,
and perdition will swallow rerdition
Verify the Catholicon, for the cure of the
rum-traffic aud its results, is discovered.
Lot tho jubiles bo sounded To license
sin is to cure it. To turn tophet loose
upon earth is to organize maven. To
lega!ize the greatest evil is to Danish it.
To make it respectable is to make society
spree it out. Surely the world moves, at
least, and at last, here in Vermont
Expensive license with heavy bonds
for the licensed" ,"-ah that's the thing
to bring the old dragon to grief. Sure
ly he must expire under those "heavy
bonds" He will. An easy end to a
hard subject. Besides, "liceuse" Of this
sort is "double-ender 1t assumes a
two-fold purpose. That is why we hear
Of it just now, as all at once so popular,
as such a popular expression" It"will
certainty show progress in the cause of
temperance OF course it will, and in
two ways-it will give every rumseller
and would-be rumseller, what he wants
for you can't find one in the State that is
not for "license, with heavy bonds for the
licensed !" and secondly, it will get rid
Of that fearful supplement to the "pro-
hibitory lava Estate Police -
1t will be capital for this latter. 1t is
Il back fire to save rum from the rising
and sweeping conaagration now burning
throughout the State, with true temper
ance men, in behalf Of Estate police"
Lynx-eyed rum traficers see this Some
thing must be done Happy men. They
find the ncedful ready prepared. No
doubtful experiment, no untried expedieut
is their salvation. The Western States,
and cen our neighbor 'woodeu nutmeg,
commonwealth, in their "Adair" or dam
age law, affords just the sample. How
ieicitious Surely heaven smiles Tor
once on the opposite kingdom Push in
"license," or the damage law" TO our
legislation, and 70 bead off that glisly
monster, all horns, teeth and claws, pro.
hibition," enforced by Estate police"
Hasten ye friends Of ours" cries every
rum-seller in the State "ilasten to save
us, ye who can make the worst appear
.he better reason; ye trained men OF
speech and Of law ye weights Of the
mighty pen; grave senators who are
happily FREQ from this temperance fan
aticism wise epresentatives-men OF
the third house-cunniug lobbyists, como
to our help. Don't--oh, don't let these
cold-water creatures invest themselves
with the 'constabulary powerr Pro-
hibition, as dead lion, We do not fear
bat oh as Il living dog, it would forever
follow our trail, aud bay at and bite US
and devour. Gentlemen, liberal treat
for you, if you will head off this pro
hibition,' State police, movement. Move
heaven and earth, or if YOU haven't in
auence enough with tho former, then move
earth with that other unde. world, in oul
behalf, Bring in license Put on til,
heavy bonds We are all responsible
men, in snch case Wen become, every
mothers son ofus, respectable landlords,