Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-08-03
Sarm Copies.
TEMPERANCE AND AGRICULTURE.
HON.. F. D. DOUGLAS NINTH ARTICLE.

depression from that of farms and farm
ing. But the practical farmer will not
fail to recognize the intimate relation be-
tween the two subjects. One of the first
essentials of successful farming is the
to procure good farm help.
have known many farmers to sell their
farms and retire from the business be-
cause. unable or unwilling to bestow that
constant attention and care upon its de-
tails so absolutely essential to financial
success, and this because of the scarcity
of trustworthy help. With reliable help,
men of wealth can successfully conduct
farms without hat serious draft upon
their time which at present is unavoida-
bic. If the wealthy proprietors of farms
acquired by mortgage foreclosures or
inheritance could successfully conduct
them while giving only enough of their
time to look after their general supervis-
ion, the details of the work being faith
fully and intelligently performed by men
in their employ, the arrangement might
be both pleasant and profitable for all
parties. If it were practicable to thus
conduct farming operations, there would
be less farms thrown upon the market
and sold for the mere nominal price
which they now bring.
The risks of trusting teams and other
property in the hands of men and boys
of doubtful temperance principles at the
present time are enormous, yet this is I'M
avoidable in conducting the operations
of a farm, unless the proprietor himself
attends to nearly all of the details of its
management.
There are few points III western Ver-
mont which can be regarded as business
centres where intoXicants cannot be free
ly procured. The present law, as now
executed, is no check upon intoxication.
the slight impeachment to the purchase of
intoxicants which may result from it be-
ing more than counterbalanced by the
deeper draughts of the inebriate when
procured. Add to this the demoralizing
effects of conscious violation of statute
law, both on the part of buyer and seller,
with no adequate punishment for such
violation, and we have in the law itself a
fruitful source of depravity and vice.
That instructive desire to gain possession
of forbidden fruit. so often observed in
human character. and illustrated in the
story of the fall, finds ample food for
development in this combination of law
and lawlessness-a combination which
might reasonably be expected to attract
the hayward and sharpen the appetite of
the inebriate.
approach the subject from a purely
business standpoint, and the positions
which | shall take may differ widely from
the theoretical and sentimental teachings
OF professional temperance advocates as
it will from the theories upon which u
present temperance legislation is based.
| shall assume that the civil code of an
enlightened people should hold every
citizen alike responsible for the control
of his appetite and passions so far as
these affect the rights, property or hap
piness of his fellows. Every human be-
ing has a right to demand protection of
the government under which he lives.
Whenever, by yielding to passions or APP
petites, of whatever nature, individuals
encroach upon the rights of others, they
should be compelled by the strong arm
of the law to restrain those passions and
appetites.
This is a fundamental principle upon
which the civil codes of all enlightened
nations are based, and which, in our own
country, at least, is extended to the pro-
lection of domestic animals. The theory
of our temperance legislation is directly
opposed to that upon which our penal
code in all other particulars is founded.
Our law practically treats the man who
gives way to his appetite for strong
drinks as an exception to the principle of
which | have spoken. 1t assumes that
he is not responsible for yielding to this
appetite that the criminality of drunk
enness rests mainly with him who sup
plies the drug by the use of which the
offence is committed.
am aware that there is a law upon our
statute-books which imposes the nominal
penalty of So for drunkenness. But this
penalty is so manifestly out of proportion
to the offence that it is, as it should be, a
dead letter. When applied, it serves
practically as a penalty upon the family
of the drunkard, if he has one, as it takes
from them so much of their means of
support, while it has little, if any, re-
straining influence upon the culprit.
Now, if we assume that men should not
be held fully responsible for the control
of any one offensive appetite or passion,
why not be consistent and relieve them
of all responsibility of this nature? If
we admit such a precedent, what be-
comes of all law looking to the restraint
of human passion.