Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-12-08
temperance.
INPEMPERANCE.

been lax and lenient, and moderate |
users of Intoxicating drinks The
habit of drinking lightly, and in some
cases excessively, in high social life,
has become a condition of that
life to certain and great extent, |
so that great danger has arisen from
this source alone, because from this
class the executives OF states and ma
ton, legislatures and officials who
are to execute the law, are chosen.
So long as the habit of drinking is a
habit of high social life, reforms in
the shape of prohibitory laws and ex-
aniples of abstinence, which may and
should be respected, will come to us
very slow indeed; and SO long as
this habit remains with men in high
responsible positions and official life,
we shall be compelled to educate the
masses who shall lead in and ulti-
mately compel reforms at the sources
of prohibitory enactments. | sup
pose there are many who practice so
cial tipping because invited by men
whose good will and the convention
alities of society they dare not ignore,
who in sentiment and previous belief
were temperance men. And this we
see in the practice of choosing and
electing officers in our own state. The
party in some towns who can ''per-
suade" by the largest number of
drinks are the prosecuting officers
who are or are not, enforcing the pro-
hibitory law Of our state, and the lack
of proper enforcement of that law
is due in many cases to this fact
alone, because the officer elected is
pre-pledged to save harmless from
prosecution those who have by their
suffrageS elevated him to power. The
law in this way loses an efficient and
model advocate and protector, and
the officer himself loses his manhood,
and self-respect, and character, and
standing as q man. Now these are
some of the reasons why the law of
our state, and the prohibitory laws of
all states arc not effective to prohibit.
The foreign element which has sought
an asylum or home on our shores,
bringing their tipping habits with
them, have become a powerful polt-
ical factor in our government, and
the rum element throughout the coun.
try court their patronage aud votes tC
raise them into power, and thereby
defeat the best means of temperate,
reform, viz, the election to office o
men who will prosecute the law, re
form habits and enforce temperance
Not even in our own state is the son
fourth of the fines" a sufficient incen
tive to prosecution, so debased ar
some of our officers by ridiculous an
unwise pledges made before election
SO long as the different towns an
equities elect such officers, so Ion
will the law, to certain extent. +,
main dead letter upon our statu
books. l think / state that which
exactly true when say that the ele
tive power Of our state has becon
so corrupt, as | have explained, tn
there is hardly town in the sta
where liquor Of some kind, and
some extent, is not sold, and in sor
of the larger towns and villages t
hotels keep open bars, where the ii
pier can resort at all times of day a.
night, and "have his desperate nee
suppled'-desperate because pr
haps the dime he places upon the {
cursed rum-scller's counter is his la
and that which should have suppl
his furnishing family with its |;
loaf of bread, or its last bod
coal. But does such picture aft
the rum-seller? All +! could he see
woes of man enhanced by his pr
tice, the degradation and despair
many wife and child and his ne
rious business has entailed. and
gathering record which the Alnig
is daily making against him, it sec
he would desist. While the runs
Ell knows all this, yet he will sci
sell Unfortunately and shameless
Why? Because he is countenanced
men in official positions: perhaps
States Attorney of the county or
grand juror of the town have becC
his patrons. The legislator,
chance, has "winkcd him in the
cret corner. The selectmen and
justice of the peace, perhaps, h
occasionally been closcled with It
landlord" or grocery man, and
haps have made some purchases
do not care to let tie world knO,
just then; and in this way the /
seler-the ''judicious," the &c
ful'' rum-seler-is let alone, for
official has made consignmer
the rum-seller-uf what? His ho
a sacrifice of his official trust.
riice of that official protection w
is due from him to the weak and he
a sacrifice of himself, soul and b
to the work of the devil. Having
trayed his trust, what is 10 be d
Elect him again, do we hear any
say? Yes hundreds of voices
votes approve. And why? Bee
they have found him true to the
radiation of their purpose and
pledges, and false, as are his COZ
uency, to every high purpose an
form. The energy and force a
our municipal and town election