Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-11-19
NoT.-s FIiosf MONTPELIEIl.

pOrtant acts passed are acts apprOpri-
ating SIG, 900 for the Soldiers Home;
10000 for monuments and grounds on
the battlefield of Gettysburg; 5000 for
repairs in the State Prison; an act fix
ing the salaries Of ths Judges of the
. Supreme Court at 5000 per annum
an act TO authorize the Quartermaster
General to exchange the arms and
equipments OF the National Guard for
the newest and most approved pat
tern, appropriating Sc 800 for the pur-
pose an act authorizing bridge be-
tween Grand Isle and North Hero an
act to prevent persons unlawfully
wearing Grand Army badges; an act
to incorporate the Peoples Trust
Company OF st. Adams. Electric light
companies have been incorporated
in st. Adams and Rutland. Three
bills have been passed amending the
Prohibitory law.
The bill making the Office of state
ge0Iogist and curator of the state an
appointed one-the incumbent to be
appointed annually and to be con-
firmed by the senate-was favorably
reported and passed to a third reading
by the unanimous vote of the house.
General Ripley the opinion
in the house that not one-fourth of
the personal property of the state i,
taxed. This is probably reasonable
estimate.
The bill to change the hour of
town elections was defeated, after
long struggle, by a close vote. The
bill had merit, just the same.
A license bill has been introduced
in the senate identical with the Cur
rier bill in the house, except that it
contains provision submitting it to
the voters of the state at the next
March meeting. Several senators
have an idea that the bill SO framed
will pass the senate.
This license bill was referred to
special committee, and they reported
in substance as follows:
We consider the true object of leg
islatiOn upon this subject, to be to
adopt such laws as will most effectual.
| ly restrain and prevent the sale of all
intoXicants as a beverage. We find
that our present prohibtory law has
been in force for a period Of about
thirty-four years, that it has constant
ly been changed, receiving strengthen
ing additions and enlargement of ap
| plication, with constantly increasing
penalties for its infraction, until hu
man ingenuity has been almost ex,
hausted in the effort to make its pro
visions etfectual to accomplish the
fact of actual prohibition. Every
feature of prohibitory law asked by
Jealous advocates Of prohbitory leg.
iSlation has been freely adopted, and
money, effort, teaching and legislation
have been expended with lavish gen.
crosby to secure its enforcement.
But Notwithstanding all this we are
informed by our governor in his in.
augural message, "That the laws Of
the state on this subject are in many
places openly violated and aagrantly
disregarded, is an open secret ; and
that in some instances, too numerous
to be contemplated without concern,
those upon whom has been, or is i'm.
posed the sworn duty of its faithful ex.
ecution, are its violaters, aud are blind
or Indifferent to its. violation by Others
is also but too we'll known"
The committee says the governors
language lis fully justified by the
facts" that "the painful truth is
that with all effort and law expend
ed upon the subject, the body of our
prohibitory legislation is, in practical
effect, but local option law, enforced
as prohibitory law where public sen.
timent will admit of its being done,
and resulting in free sales of intoxicat
ing liquors where public sentiment
! does not procure its enforcement;
and, that public sentiment sufficient
for the enforcement of the law exists
in but few of our towns and villages. +"
Even ''from Names most earnest tenn =
perance advocate comes the desparing
cry that her prohibitory law is Il fail
IRE" Similar testimony is adluced
from all states of long experience in
temperance legislation" many having
abandoned prohibition VIII ich does
not prohibit, and adopted stringent
laws to restrain and regulate that
which experience shows cannot be
completely destroyed"
sin view of these facts" the COM
mttee sayH 1.-The minds Of our most
earnest temperance people have be.
come convinced that some radical
change is necessary and cumulative
prohibitory laws having proved in
q, effectual, many now believe that the
traffic can be best controlled by the
enactment of some we'll guarded law
containing the best known features Of
Reinforcement, whereby the sale of
intoxicating liquorst under careful
restrictions, may be permitted in
towns that desire to adopt its provis-
ions. This view is shared by all classes
business men, employers of labor,
temperance advocates, and workers
COMPASSIONATE integrity of purpose,