The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-10-02

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Tsspssases q. Tie Lssisistsss.
The election Of 90 unusually large nun
bss Of D~noc Alto members OF the leeisis'
iure. nosi OF whom are 10 isvor Of hisl
liosnss. together vith qai,s . nunbsr o
high iicense Bspublicsns. gill give thh
question sprcninsscs THE year that IL be-
cot STAINED 10 the Legislatures OF The pes
thirty years The question should b
deal, vilh precisely - any other question
affecting the welfare Of the Stale - {
ubole II 10 clsiGed With strong sbos
Of reason tina. In many Of The larger town
Of the state the lsv 10 20 openly aud con
stsuiiy violated that . stringent license
isu might be 80 improvement This 10 on
the ground that such . lsv would be en.
forced. but there 10 some question sboui
that The profits Of liquor selling would
temp, meo iust ~ strongly under that las
- under prohibition. II 10 true that the
men Who pay for The privilege Of ceiling
would be interested 10 preventing others
vho psy 20 license from engaging In the
business. but - long - IL Ia profitable
more or lees will sell ION The sly" while
people who have no pecuniary interest 10
the matter would not be - likely 70 exert
themselves 10 punish the offenders ~ they
now are, since their beat efforts could not
stop the sale OF II By licensed vendors
We think il is generally admitted ths,
nearly ~ much intoxicating liquor is sold
where . license 10 10 force % there 10 With
no restriction whatever. There are less
open drinking places but they are better
patronixsd. II this 10 the case. there 10
only one great advantage 10 . license Law,
and tbs. 10 the revenue. while . great
many people are opposed to receiving .
revenue from licensing what they deem 10
DO wrong.
But there arc large number and prob
ably majority Of towns in the state where
the present Law 10 fairly we'll enforced and
where comparatively little liquor Is sold.
II certainly would be wrong TO force Ii
cense law upon these towns against their
wishes. A local option law 10 sdvo
Gated BY large number TO obviate
this difficulty. Let the towns vote on the
q usstion and 60 wet or dry - the major.
ity may determine. This would DO bet.
ter than . general license Law but such
Law 10 open 10 some serious objections. In
most towns there would be . bitter fghs
every year. or - often Is the question 10
TO be voted upon. A town may vote 10
go dry and its neighbor. near ct hand,
votes for license and II is only = matter Of
: mile or two 10 an open saloon.
The liquor question is hard one 10
deal with and always will be "a long Is
drinkers have . burning thirst for IT and
sellers can make large profits from the
business. The pressure all the time 10 in
Ihe direction OF its sale. lawfully or nm
lawfully. aud probably To law can entirely
,top il. In our judgment the bes: law for
This state or any other state is the one that
will. in its practical operation. allow the
least possible smount to DO sold. II pro.
hibilion does this il Is the best Law, IL not
hen high license law may be preferable.
Temperance people should not rely 81
together upon law. They should teach
people and especially the young that the
Thinking habit is the worst evil that can
,efall humanity. That . man bad better
pend his life ct hard labor in state pris
IN than to be slave to q dsvouring sp
petite for whiskey. That the only safe way
Q to let il entirely alone. When people
ealixe this truth as they ought TO. when
{ 10 burned into the child with letters Of
ire never to be effsced there will be fewer
lruukards and less drink sold, because
here will be fewer to buy.