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

Editor Register In your issue of Au-
gust YOU make some statements in re-
ply to the communication from Cornwall
which seem to me rather sweeping. and
which. if true, would consign the Pro
hibitiOnists of Vermont to the category of
confirmed lunatics. In the first place
your statement that prohibition is an ac
complishei fact is an assertion we think
calculated to amuSe the Whiskey dealer.
and cause the generous hummer to lift
his eyebrows in quiet derson. With IL
quOr being sold freely in nearly all the
principal towns of the State and the Of
ticers of the law stalking about careless
ly in the midst of it. frequently patrons
of these bars, and winking at the whole
business generally-if this constitutes
practical prohibition then the temperance
reformer had better suspend operations
on this line AT once, and pray that the
angel may hasten to plant his feet upon
the sea and the land and declare that
time shall be no longer; for the grand
central hope Of the temperance reform is
blasted and the scene can but grow dark
er at every advancing stage.
But we had taken an entirely different
view of the matter, and had supposed
that our prOhibitOry law might stand on
the same plane as any other law designed
to restrain the criminal classes. Now,
Mr.. Editor, by way of illustration let us
suppose a case. Let Us suppose that
horse -thieving had been rampant in our
State and the Republican party, being in
power and recognizing the popular de-
mand should enact such stringent laws
in regard 10 this crime as To give promise
of its being speedily stamped out. Sup
pose that after little show of enforce
ment she goes into her party conventions
and puts in nomination for executive Off
GERS, prosecuting attorneys. sheritfs, etc,
men who are in entire sympathy with the
horse-thieves, who purchased these sto-
len horses, nay. some of them actually
engaged in stealing horses. Again. sup
pose the citizen whose barn that has been
fired by an incendiary finding such ready
and prompt assistance from the officers
of the law in ferreting out and prosecut-
ing the guilty parties, should venture to
call the attention of said officers to the
fact that horses were being stolen on ev-
cry hand, and desiring that they should
look into the matter
Suppose that the officer suddenly be-
comes dignitied and says that he must
attend to that affair himself; hunt up
your man, bring me your papers proper
ly executed and | will serve them for
you, but detective work is not my official
duty. Pray, Mr.. Editor, would there be
any cause for complaint? But suppose
that after the people had endured this
state of things for series of years they
should proceed to make practical protest
by organizing a new party, known, per-
haps, as the Law and Order party, whose
object should be to put in Office men who
would enforce the law and suppose that
the editor of respectable journal should
rise in his place and say that such IA
movement was entirely superfluous; that
the suppression of hOrse-thieving was an
accomplished fact; moreover, that such
action was likely TO engender animosities
which would endanger our excellent law,
rendering its repeal quite probable; and
thus these friends of reform do very
much more harm than good. Mr., Editor,
if you are entirely free to express your
private opinion of such statement made
under such circumstances you may do so.
Without further comment on this Gas
it appears to u.s. most absurd position,
we will ask is not our illustration sub
stantially just in all its parts, of the
treatment Of the prohibitory law by the
Republican party, and the officers ap-
pointed under ii, Have we not seen in
all these years past executive offices
filled by men who were either indifferent
or absolutely hostile to this law. Have
we not seen that neglect 10 execute this
law did not constitute the slightest bar
rier to their reelection! Is it not plain