Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-08-13

she not have had it? Obviously the re-
sponsibilitv of this whole matter rests
upon the party. Really, Mr.. Editor, is
there no occasion for new party? We
can assure you that a good many people
in Vermont who have not as yet identi
fled themselves with this new movement
have for long time felt that we stood
painfully in need of something. They
hesitate to sever old party relations, and
for that we will not censure them. But
the Republican party in Vermont is
honeycombed with disafiectiOn at the
course pursued in regard to the execution
of this law and with demagogueism gen
orally. This theory. that it is the duty
of the citizen to go forward and execute
the prohibitory law. seems to us entirely
unique. If the citizen is taxed to pay
for the execution of the law, he certainly
ought to be relieved. mainly. from fartlI-
or responsibility.
We find that the officers of the law rec
cognze their special responsibility in re-
gard to other laws. If den of thieves
exists in Mddebury. thev do not ask the
citizen to play the role of detective and
ferret out the whole matter; by no
means; they are prompt TO work up the
whole case and hunt down the guilty
parties. But these same officers move
about among the liquor saloons in utter
indifference and say if the people want
these places shut up, let them 90 about
it. They will serve the papers for them,
but as for meddlng with this matter
they are not going to do it, not they.
How many citizens are adapted TO this
sort of serviceF If these totficers are not
much better fitted for this work than the
average citizen, then they are obviously
not qualified for their positions. and not
fit to hold them. Moreover, the hood
lum crowd recognize the citizen a. out of
his sphere and meddler when he takes
hold of this business. and proceeds TO
make things hot for him generally. In
the execution of the law the officer is
recognized aS in his proper sphere. SO
far IL the officer may need the aid of the
citizen he is clearly entitled to it and any
temperance man who refuses to give
such aid is sneak and a coward. What
would he the effect if Cha>. NJ. Wilds and
Howard Clark should issue a manifesto
declaring that the liquor saloons and
bars of Addison county must close at
once, stating that no pains will be spared
to ferret out and bring to Justice all viO-
lators of the prohibtory law? If two
citizens i'll their private capacity should
y
suits compare? In our opinion. if YOU
trace out the origin of this doctrine. that
it is the duty of the citizen to eXeCu tc
our liquor law, you will carry it home TO
the sympathiZerS with the traffic.
But to intrench no farther ON your
space, we will say in conclusion. Mr.. Ed
itor, that when the Republican party in
Vermont make II failure on the part of
an officer To execute the prOhibitory law
treason to the party and promptly pro-
ceed to officially decapitate him and con-
sign him to political oblivion, then will
we agree with YOU that Vermont does
not need Il Prohibition party. Until then
permit me to remain. respectfully.
\ PROHIBITIONIST.
We did not intend to say anything
in answer to our Cornwall correspondent,
which could be construed as even in
timating that the ProhibitionistS are
confirmed lunatics. 1t might truthfully
be affirmed, however, that they are per-
sons who take an extreme view of the
power of the law. There are two ways
of looking at prohibition. or, rather, the
word has two possible meanings. There
/
ideal. Under legal prohibition-which
is practical prohibition, if there is such a
thing-the sale of liquor is IA misdemeanor
1t is under the ban of the law. and is not
open, as where license prevails. The
seller is liable To severe punishment, and
receives it when the machinery of the
law Is set in motion. The traffic is not
entirely done away with. for the reason
that the buyer is willing to pay the seller
for the risk of the sale This is the sort
of prohibition we have in Vermont and
that exists where prohbitory laws are in
force. The other kind of prohibition has
its being only in the minds of Prohbi-
tionists and will never be found any
where else so long as liquor is made.
They figure to themselves a temperance
| Utopia, where rum shall be as scarce as
Dives found water was, and where there
shall be no poverty, no crime, no suffer
ing-in short, veritable earthly para
disc This is pleasing picture to contem-
plate, but unfortunately it can never
have real counterpart on this earth.
There are those who will use liquor if it
can be had no matter how great the risk
of getting it; and if liquor were done
away with, something else would take
its place. The most that can be done is
to enact such law as is now on our
statute book, let those aggrieved enforce
it, and trust to education and moral
forces for the rest.
In attempting to give a parallel case,
our correspondent falls into the very
common error of considering prosecuting
officers as spies and informers. They
are merely the servants of the people, to
execute their will, and that will, in cases
of misdemeanors of every variety, under
the liquor law as well as under other
laws of the same character, is made
known to the prosecuting officer in the
form of complaints. TO clear up this
point still more it may be said that in
! ENGLAND Nybanna most of nur laual ma