The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-04-04
WOMANS TEMPERANCE COL.
UMN.
Editress eth Woman's Column of the


Editreu Of the Womans Column of the
Register:-
Through your column, will you allow
me to call the attention Of the people of
Middlebury and vicinity to the liquor
agency? Two years ago few good men
petitioned Mr.. Wicker - then commits.
sioner-to appoint no agent here. 1t was
believed and 30 stated in the petition
that the "law was failure" that large
portion Of all liquor sold at the agency is
used for drinking, and obtained for that
purpose" Yet for some reason the agent
was appointed, and has been since, and
continues to carry on the nefarious busi.
ness under the sanction Of law as bar.
barous as the old fugitive slave law.
Those petitioners were right. A liquor
agency is no more to be tolerated by
righteous people than low saloon car.
ried on by private enterprise, and be.
lieve it more hurtful. One glass taken at
a saloon will not have the baneful effect
of quart of alcohol drank perhaps with.
in an hour. And for this reason l be.
lieve .he saloon TO be the less hurtful
place and believe this to be the opin-
ion of those who have seen the most of it
and have the best opportunities to learn.
The iaw too, about the sanctity of which
so much is said by some, is as often bro.
ken at the agency, as elsewhere. Every
pint is sold for large pro6t-against the
letter and spirit Of the law-putting ov.
cry tax paper in town on lerd with the
common rum seller. A year or two ago
it was moved in town meeting, and the
motion was vigorously supported by
few, to allow the town agent $50 extra
because he had made such large profit
for the town-to pay our taxes, or debts,
or what you will-run our schools, per.
haps. Mr.. Taxpayer, are you not proud
to be able to pay your school teacher or
your school house debt with the profits
OF the rum agency carried on by the
town ? No! Save it for the poor house.
Let it take its legitimate course-let il
take care Of its own-let it care for its
natural offspring. Had that motion been
carried what would have been the result?
The agent would have said, Here is a
bid to Inc 20 make large sales and receive
compensation according to the profit
mako for the town" Such proposition
was damnable and was voted down. Yet
it had its supporters, and believe, were
the agent to report loss to the town.
that the supply would be cut off and the
miserable business discontinued People
out of town are charged more for liquor
than people of Middlebury. This is ille-
gal and wicked, placing us all under
righteous condemnation. To surrounding
towns l say, establish your agencies sell
your own rum, make your own paupers.
make the profits in the business pay the
bills Don't allow Middlebury to get
rich in making paupers for you-make
them yourselves, and have the genuine,
home.spun article; unless Middlebury
will stop Let every honest man pro.
test against this agency, Let every hon.
est woman protest, and by petitions, res.
olutions and prayers induce the commits.
sioner to pass US by and leave US an hon.
est, sober people, willing to pay our taxes
out OF the sweat of our brow-not with
the bread Of the hungry and the clothing
of the naked. Truly yours,
i Z. A, B.