The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-07-26
CORRESPONDENCE.
Geo. J. Bond Declines the Prohibi-
ton NominatIOn-He Reads the Re-
publican Party a Lesson Based upon
Erroneous Premises.

Geo. j. Bond Declines the ProhibI-
ton NomInatIOn-He Reads the Re
publican Party Lesson Based upon
Erroneous Premises.
To the Editor of the Banner DEAR
SIR Having been nominated by the
Prohibition convention for Judge of
Probate, and having declined the same,
l wish to say few words in regard to
the matter through your columns. /
can say truly that am grateful to that
convention for the honor they conferred
on me, for feel that they were honora
BILE men, and know that they are en-
gagged in the noblest work ever under
taken by any party. That is, the sup
preston of the liquor traffic. But no
party ever existed whose actions at
times were not open to criticism. Aud
believing as do that Judge Of Probate
Is the most responsible office in the
county, involving as 1t does thorough
knowledge of law and practical business,
in the adjustment of estates and matters
of insolvency. believe that any new
candidate offered by any party, should
be at least equal to those Of the opposing
party. And knowing myself to be Meth
er locally, legally, or practically qualli-
fed, have declined, The Probate office
in my opinion is all right where il is.
But the loose enforcement of liquor and
other criminal laws in Bennington coun.
ty has been shown by two if not three
murders in the village of Bennington
traceabe directly to the use and sale OF
liquor in that village. And a general
lack of enforcement all over the county
hn, haartN, MI hu 9Th tha
Prohibition party in their desire for a
change in the executive officers.
There are laws enough on our statute,
if fully enforced to stamp out the liquor
traffic as nearly as it does other crimes,
but the records are so arranged as never
to show second or third offence, and
as long as men can get gloriously drunk
and plead first offence every time and
get out of it for eight or nine dollars, he
is all right. The committee Of the Jaw
and Order League have done nobly, but
they have not been sustained as they
should have been in SO important o work.
Liquor and crime are boon companions
and until the first is crushed, we cannot
hope to materially lessen the latter.
1t seems strange to some that the Pro-
hibtIon party should grow so fast III
VIEW S oan r nuv Ie that tRs R"nnbIi
can marty never favored the temperance
cause till about year ago, and the Dem
ocratic party never did and never will.
1t is no wonder that the temperance PEG
Pr ho ReDuhS ,ca , marty was fonnded on
the broad, grand platform OF human
freedom and equal rights How well II
mas lulhIle tu i' s,, nnlIS.on' ,no poseS VI
l'Ie.oiS VIII 'ei M, "" ',,, 800 ,ri,,norb
p tGI La ~""y ar, neha;anar Ire M n,o
VIII Ve III ,t 'id' pa,y ,,oan;1aD H.
may Sc, "nrUn squa, nh G daInnos o o,,
,o W. ,,,i,h up III oLiidrar;s 80 and
a. w" !, ,,,i " ~ ILL - ,bnso who
~ ~ ~ Vii ~" Had5oo,. doro bofr,and
Inv Sn1 LOr t t"ne0SN
VIC vi u"Aa'' '0"' rroDop poun
Sa,rohuro Vi JrIv % 1893 ~
this 'et'ei VI WI Doiiu 'ho"e 'n"s
he, like many other good men, ID misled
by the name Of the party (Prohibition)
m exnec, works which thew have no in
- M. ., 4,
teh''on oi PERFORMING Ane aVo"en w.
ton of the Republican party (Uide The
Voice. weekly not the suppression of
,ho Iin,or ,roe1o In foo, ,hor do M,
VIC "quo' ,'''i''' ~ '"o' ,"eS W NV
expect to do more than assist the Demo
Gratis into power 30 that the Republicans
NAV be thus compelled 10 disband las
~ ~ I'D On ,bo min. oroorivaor
'heS ea1l' anu o'' '"o "'no
other political party OF which the SAID
Prohibitionists shall be the leaders and
the head. The murders referred to due
to rum are in no sense the l,gacy of the
Republican party-as well attempS to
hold the church responsible for sin. be-
cause men are free moral agents. The
responsibility lies in the lack of moral
stamina in the individual citizen, that
the laws Mr.. Bond refers to are not en-
forced. One ProhibitionIst, if honest,
could shut I'D every saloon in this CT any
other town, but, casting the blame upon
Republican executive officers they settle
back into their cloak of pious indigna-
ton and help put into power, according
10 Mr.. Bonds own statement, the party
which does not believe in Prohibition at
all. And like Mr., Bond in bis letter.