Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-04-22
Law and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,

Law and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
EpIToR OF OPINION; notice with
pleasure some very timely remarks In
your paper on the temperance question,
You also invite discussion. Permit me
to remark that, though agreeing with
YOU in your main conclusion, It may be
unwise to underratc rs you seem to an
agency that II not always successful Is
no fault of the law itselfQ) Legal
means for many reasons may often fail :,
as all human instrumentalities and laws
often do-as those statutes against bur-
glary and theft fail every day in every
town.(2) Shall we then think lightly OF
the laws against burglary and other
crimes because they are secretly broken
and dcspisedP
The better to illustrate my views of
law as IN instrumentality IN the tempe
rance reform, propose to give brief
outline Of our experience in Franklin.
1t Is q thrifty farming town of about
1000 inhabitants, bordering on Canada,
only two miles to free rum. BY untiring
effort from the start in 1929 we secured
n strong and abiding temperance senti-
ment (y, put down drinking in all the
better classes, sometimes fined the rum
seller; yet amid the A years of constant
labor we failed to gain satisfactory re-
suit. We were constantly mortified to
know that liquor was still sold on the
sly-and drank; for sometimes men
were seen on our streets with unsteady
steps and beclouded mind.
1t was about three years ago when we
took new departure. Some half doz-
en- men (4) resolved to evoke the aid of
law, to test its powsr and efficiency or
prove its weakness and worthlessness
by II fair and full experiment. First the
hotel keeper (sccond offence) was fined
800 and costs, and then within thirty
days some half dozen inebriates were
tried and fined $5 each and costs
amounting to about $l60, and paid too.
Though we had to appeal to legal force
occasionally after that, yet in the first
month the spell was broken, no one
could afford to sell OF get tipsy now that
it was evident we meant business. The
law gained in esteem and popularity
probably 100 per cent. in three months,
most (5) ofthe offendersand rum-suckcrs
soon left for more congenial climes. The
people were iubiant and proud of their
achievement and victory.
The prohibitory law was the Cher
ubim with flaming sword of our Eden
to turn away the fiery stream of death
and guard we'll the pure waters of life.
TO show that this is 40 idle boast will
say that the vote for Franklin one year
ago for County Commissioner was 100
for temperance and none against, though
contested strongly in the county. This
year, being sharply contested, her vote
was SO against and II for rum.
Although l do not doubt that there is
sufficient temperance strength in many
towns of Vermont hoW to drive the traffic
from their border if vigorously applied,
yet, as experience proves, most men are
SO timid, SO negligent or so busy that it
will not be done (6), and it is wise to in
vite any and every agency that promises
to instruct, persuade and wake up the
people to our common peril. So roll on
the reform movement; spread before ev-
cry mind-motives. facts, arguments.
And as it did in Maine so in our good
State may it so strengthen and elevate
the moral standard Of temperance that
her people will be but too glad by legal
force to assert their freedom from the
slavery of the rum power, the direst
curse and tyrant that ever enchanted
mankind. CT
|. COMMENTS BY EDITOR.
1. Our correspondent misunstands our
position if he has formed the idea that
we do not think the law a good and me-
cessary one and worthy to be kept upon
our statue books. But it is dead letter
unless it is enforced, and it cannot or
will not be enforced until public opinion
is by some means aroused to the need of
checking this torrent of destruction. 1t
is true that exceptional instances can be
quoted where the law has been success
fully enforced, as at Franklin, but ten
failures have occurred where there has
been one success. The reverse of this
is true as regards (2) burglary, theft and
other crimes. In such cases the escape
of q breaker of the law is the exception
and not the rule. WhyP Simply be-
cause the people have been taught to
consider the thief, the burglar and the
assassin as persons who shonld be kept
in confinement that the community may
be protected. When the people can be
brought to see that the rumseller is a
greater enemy to mankind than the thief
or even the assassin, there will be n6
trouble in enforcing the prohibitory law,
(D Did the friends of temperance
in Franklin during the A years work
earnestly and judiciously Did they Ego
out into the highways and hedges" and
strive to induce the moderate drinker
to leave off habit which would eyeptu-
ally become so strong that he could not
break away from it Did they provide
comfortable places where young men
could spend their leisure hours and
evenings and thus be kept from lettering
in the hotel office and other places where
temptations in various forms assailed
lhema Did the leading and influential
temperance people of Franklin, by act
ions, lead the drunkard to believe that
they considered him ''man and broth
en-" or if they saw him little worse for
liquor did they toss their heads and give
him a look which he interpreted to mean
t'YOu beast. stand aside; | am better