The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-07-03

The Woodstock Standard having an
nounced some two weeks since that Geo L..
Fletcher, prominent Democrat of Chester,
would not support the Democratic state ticket
on account of the rum plank in the party
platform, the Standard Of last week publishes
letter from that gentleman which reflects
much credit upon the writer, and shows him
to be consistent advocate of temperance.
Mr.. Fletcher says:
81 do sincerely object to the declaration
that "we favor the enactment of a high and
stringent license law. l am opposed to the
sale of intoxicating liquors as beverage, and
to the repeal of the present prohibitory law.
That the sale by license would produce
"misery, pauperism and crime" there is no
doubt. The drinking of intoxicating liquors
is curse to the partaker physically, mental
ly morally, socially, domesticaly and inan-
cially. The seller is morally and financially
guilty before God and man as robber; he
takes the money Of his neighbor without rem
dering an equivalent, therefore, law that
prohibits the vending and traffic in intoxicat-
ing drinks is in accord with the best interests
of society.
The words high and stringent" used in the
resolution if to be so used as to restrict the
sale and be prohibitory, then would adopt
the word stringent; but if to be made prohb-
iiory then there would be no need to repeal
the present law.
The reason set forth in the resolution tor a
license law is that the prohibitory law does
not practically prohibit the sale because it is
not perfectly executed. This is a strange rea,
son to give why the food gates should be
hoisted as better means to cure the evil. In
my Judgment the stringency OF a license law
would be ten fold more "hypocritically' en-
forced than is the present law. | would no
sooner license the sale of Intoxicating drinks
than would the dread disease the small pox.
The former has been ninety-nine per cent
more direiul in its consequences than the
latter. In eleven months, in the United
Statet, forty-two wives and mothers were muir
| dered by drunken husbands and sons which
came under my observation and made record
| Of In 1872 of ninety-one murders commit.
ted, forty-three were committed by inebriates
The rum-seller shares in the guilt of the muir.
ders, and in the pauperism and other crimes
committed by inebrates. The sales cannot
be justified before God and humanity
whether made under legal license or in VIC.
lation of law.
viii it be said that license law will bring
large revenue into the treasury Of the state
Perhaps SO, but not only moity OF what i
will cost to support pauperism aud prosecu
ton of crime made and committed in conse
quence of the sale of Intoxicating liquors I'M
der license.
After forty years of mature conviction tina
the sale and use Of Intoxicating liquors is
curse, and that we as christian people can
not lend our influence, nor can we stand jus
tilted before God and humanity if we give Ii
cense to an indulgence so ruinous to the worl'
and so opposed TO the best interests of soci
ETY.. With my convictions ! cannot supper
a measure having for its object to give by let
ter of law license to commit that which
believe is crime against mankind.
GEO. l.. FLETCHER.
Chester, June 10, 1884.