Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-08
The Canada Local Option Law.

SOM Am rican newspapers, favOring
local opt ON the temperance question
instead Of prohibition, are pointing to
Canada as AN instance of tae superior adj
vantage of local option. Canada has been
trying locd option for seven years. The
law was the fruit of Il great temperance
revival and agitation, which ought to
have resulted in something better, and
would have, could the half million petit
TONERS who besought the Canadian parli-
ameut to legslate on this subject have
had heir way. But such as it was, the
Temperance people in Canada determined
to make the most of t-with what result
thirsty Nermonters and others living near
the "border' can testify.
The law, rs it stands upon the statute
books of Canada, Is substantially as fol
lows: Upon petition of one-fourth of the
legal voters of a municipality, the petit
ton being approved by the governor and
council, the question whether liquor shall
he sold at retail in that municipality shall
be submitted to the vote of its citizens
Wholesale dealers may carry on their
business within the municipality adopt
iuG this act but they are not allowed to
sell 10 anybody living in the municipality,
or IN an adjoining municipality having
the act in force.
Under this statute it is practically found
to be Wrll-nlgh impossible to draw the line
between Il wholesale and Il retail liquor
dealer in the Dominion; also between II
wholesale and retail quantity of liquor. For
instance, the amount Of liquor Struggled
into this State in jugs and parcels from
s..s.. 1,t. e
liquor is forbidden, is large. In the uG-
gregate 1t amounts to Il wholesale tran
saction, but the sales are effected i'll small
quantities 20 Individuals Similar loose
ness prevails in selling to Canadian citi-
Zens. The restriction rs to selling to in
habitants of the same or an adjoining
municipality, of course, can he, and is,
evaded in Il score of ways. We doubt il
there is il village in Canada where liquor
cannot be obtained freely ut pretended
"whOlcSale' establishments. In fact, al
most every corner grocery in the Dominion
sells liuuor Eat wholesale. The result j.
that incompetence in Canada is still an
enormous and rampant evil. Further
more, it cncroaches upon this side Of the
line to an extent which is little realized.
Probably, nine-tenths of the liquor which
i consumed in Northern and Central Yer
mont +. .,,u,r.rled n,.rtho lime bv indi, i'll
,,al. , littIn a.tfur
Noyv if Canada had "a prohihitory lazy
although we do not claim that it would OF
could he perfectly cutoiccd-this evil ol
the iudi-crmiuate sale of liquor might he
c..a..I \Vby +. IL. II the prolibitoll
l,v.f..,f ,,, ,-all. I'm Vermont. and "rou
.,..t i... .rf,r,.j ''. .Y. its. u,n,ucl.l. .a,-
,b.., \-..,,,..rr,.,.. I,,. tn cross fine linz, +.
,r,t.tb,i.I.ru.r, WHAT sort of "A compa,.
i-ou doe, this afford of The prac ical work
iu,,or, hetvo laws While local option
.uf thi, sort may be better than mo lcrislu
tior ,t an a., fine liuuor question. if doe.
pnt cou,uarc in efficacy with a prohibitoly
law %nr will Canada overcome the Giant
evil or iur.uprr1rce until she adopts tn,
oanar,l puuciplc of the prohibition of tn,
traffic i'm liguur 10 he used ~ "A beverage
-. ~. ~. Wan.