Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-05-18

BlLL.-Gov Rice, of Massachusetts, sent to
the State Senate, on Tuesday, his veto Of
the local option bill lie says in his veto
message:
Legislation ought not to be fitful and in
termittent, and the statute ought not to be
changed unless some palpable form of evil is
resulting, or unless the change proposed is
clearly demanded by public opinion. The
existing law to regulate the sale Of intoxicat'
ing liquors has, in its present fern, been in
force only about twelve months, and has
been only partially tested; and | am ofOpinion
that it is clearly the wish OF a great majority
of the people of the Commonwealth THAT the
law, and the principle on which it is found
ed, shall have an exhaustive and, so far as is
possible, demOnstrative trial. In this way
only can we make any real progress in mat
ter beset on every hand with embarrassing
difficulties. This subject is too weighty one
to be made plaything in politics; and
thousands Of suffering women and children
are looking with beseeching solicitude to the
State authorities to deal with the evils of
intemperancc only with patient investigation
and wise discretion There are no evidences
OF fragrant evils resulting from the present
law but on tine contrary, the sale of spirit
uous liquors. to be drunk on the premises,
has been constantly diminishing; and there
is, so far as | know, no public opinion
demanding new legislation on the subject
1t is settled fact that no legislation can
perfectly extirpate the use of intoxicating
liquors as beverage, and all the forces OF
Chrstcndom have not been fable by any
means to accomplish that result. 1t is
fact in the history of the commonwealth that
extreme laws on this subject have not been
effective, and their impotency has not al
ways arisen from indispositlon to inioree
them on the part OF those charged with that
responsibility but from inherent difficulties
which lie in the way of their administn
ton
But while it il impracticable to enforce
laws universally prohIbitive, it is possibleto
enforce laws wSich become practically pro
hibitiye in great majority of towns and
cities, and which effectively regulate and re-
strain the sale of liquors in other places
where prohibition utterly fails. This is the
characteristic of the law now in force. 1t is
prohbitory in more than two-thlrds OF the
cities and towns of the State to-day, 1t Is
regulative in others, and it combines the
principle of local option applicable every
where 1t absolutely prohibits the sale OF
intoxicating liquors unless by license from
some particular city or town to issue IL
censc. except under provisions already about
as stringent as can he enforced The State,
as such. licenses nobody; and if liquors are
sold by license in any place it is because the
municipal authorities Of that place have
granted the license.
The noble men and women engaged in the
work OF the reform clubs have accomplished |
results before which the power Of Legislative |
restraint dwindles into insigniicancc. They
have brought into activity the social and
living elements in human nature, and, leav- |
ing angry discussion of abstract principles |
and cOerciye measures out OF account, have |
directed their persuasive appeals to the IN
diyidual heart, and conscience.
Just now also this work Is becoming lift
ed into the atmosphere of religious influence |
and religious duty; and men are beginning |
to see that reformation lies not 80 much in |
outward restraints, but in the inward purity |
OF the heart. These earnest reiormcrS are |
not suppliants for any change IN the liquor
law now, but they are cni>tins the sympa
thics and securing the APPRECIATION of good .
people everywhere to an extent which guar
antees that their labors will be supplement-
ed at every advance by any legal provisions
which experience may show 10 he useful to
their success.
| believe the enactment at the proposed |
law would greatly impede their work by III
i. A