The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-07-12
DEMOCRACY'S COADJUTORS.


The Convention and the Platform.
The County Prohibition Convention
held at Bank Hall, on the 18th, passed
off very quietly. There were twenty,
including spectators, at the morning
session, and after being called to order
AMI short time occupied in promiscuous
talk there was an adjournment to 2
o'clock p, IN. At the appointed hour
the meeting was called to order by
franklin Scott, and opened with prayer
by Rev. Fred Widmer, when Doctor
II. j. Potter was elected Chairman and
Sheldon lockwood Secretary. There
was thirty-one present, and there being
no speaker present from abroad, Me-.
Penn imam being detained on account OF
sickness, it was proposed that the Chair
appoint committee Of three to make
County ticket for the consideration of
the meeting. f. Scott. w. A. Adams
and II. Ii. Hurlburt were selected as
sl.Ui, and committee consisting of Rev.
G. A. Kerr and Mr.. Gukey, was also ap-
pointed. A short time sutficied for the
purpose of the committees, as probably
the slate had been arranged, and the
resolutions and tickets were brought
forward.
The platforms of the National and
State Conventions we're end rsed, with
some points suggested by the experience
from prosecutions in this town and
county, which after some discussion
were all adopted. The ticket as present
ed was accepted by the Convention as
f. Gonat,ro napiaI n,an Dnu
nal, Robert NJ. Provan, Manchester; As.
sistant Judges, E. P. Lee, Stamford, g.
W. Whitney, Peru; Sheriff. Charles F.
Sears, Bennington; States Attorney. E.
d. Whipple, Shaftsbury; High Bailiff,
Henry Roster, North Bennington;
Judge of Probate, South Shire, Geo. j.
Bond, Searsburgh, North Shire, Edwin
Burrett, Manchester; County Commits
sioner, Chas. B. Wall, Bennington.
Several letters were read from different
parts OF the county with regrets for
being unable TO attend, and then there
was an adjournment to 8 o'clock in the
evening when Mr., Bascom would be
present and make an address. TIE
evening was rainy but about fifty were
present, The speaker was very severe
upon both the old parties, giving a de-
scription of their conduct at the last
conventions at st. Louis and Chicago,
both of which he attended, and claim.
ing that too much was made of the
tariff isoue where but few millions were
involved, when the expenditures Of nine
hundred millions, and ninety per cent.
of the crime in the land, was traceable
to the liquor traffic.
THE PLAT FORM.
The Prohibitionists Of Bennington
County assembled in County COnven
ton at North Bennington, July 18th,
1888, respectfully ask the suffrages OF
the voters Of the Couhty in support of
the following principles and objects:
We heartily endorse the declaration
of principles Of The National Prohibition
party, as set forth in their National
platform at Indianapolis and in thei,
State platform at Montpelier.
We are in favor Of the extinction Of
the LIQUOR traffic on the ground that in
its nature 1t is inLrinsically criminal;
therefore we affirm that the same should
be prohibited by both Constitutional
and Statutory law. That the illegal
importation, ms nufacture sale trereof
should be made felony by law.
That conviction of either Of such
felopies, should be punished by both i'm
pri .onment and forfeiture OF the voting
fra uchise., ...
That the imposition Of money penal
ties for imfraction of the liquor laws IS
wholly insd sIuate, to ever restrain sIcn
violations, and therefore we are IN favor
of the abolition Of such penalties, and
of the substilutiC n inGte I'd thereof OF
penalties which do not appeal - the
ayarice and cupidity Of the prosecutor
and of the parsimonious taxpayer.
That the system awarding moieties OF
fines imposed in liquor prosecutions
under the present law has tende cy to
aHd does prevent prosecutions TO-
offenses which involve imprisonment.
Therefore we believe that such mOiety
features OF the law should be abolished
It also works practically to stimulate
the prosecutor to pursue the criminal
for booty rather than for the public wei
fare, or for the punishment OF his
crimes.
We are opposed 10 the imposition OF a
money fire for the misdemPanor Of liz r.
toxication, because it too frequently
robs the poor victim OF means which his
Iunlly neeubs AS pOhohy .Oh sHNNA'
cation we would recommend that the
right OF such convict to vote at any
election during the year ensuing be sub--
pended, and that record OF such con-
victlon he entered during such period
on the voting check list.
We favor making inioXi cation at the
polls a ground Of legal challenge. aud
that no INTOXICATED person be allowed 10
vote.
We are In favor Of an i7crelse OF all
fees in criminal prosecutions, on the
ground that the present fees are
ridiculously low, and do not Adequately
remunerate the officer, juror or witness
for the time, trouble and vexatlon Incl
dent 10 criminal trials, and that this
meaRre allowance tends to defeat the
ends Of justice in many criminal prose
cutions. -
North Bennington, July 18th, 1888.
No great improvement: Edison't
AQent-W ouldn't you like to buy a
nhonoQra xph? IL will store up every