Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-04-11
Address by Prof. Priest of st. Lawrence
Univer sity Rev. DIR. lowell, Rev. MI.
Reese ana Others.

RUTLAND, April 4.-The anti-license
meeting tonight was a decided success,
despite the fact that the rain descended in
torrents at s p. III. nearly 400 assembled, to
hear Prof Henry Priest of st. Lawrence
university. Rev. Mr.. Phillips offered
prayer and brief remarks We're made by
Rev Mr.. Reese, and, Rev. DR.. Lowell Prof
Priest, held the closest attention of his
audience for one hour and a half. He gave
considerable attention to Mr. Sunderland :
high licence speech and also to the arguments
of the Herald. \ number of prominent
business men sat on the PLATFORM
In discussing the question how to remedy
the liquor evil, Prof, Priest stated the prin-
ciples of prohibition. An act is prohibited
by law if it is an owl in society or endan-
gers the State, whether it is a crime per So
OF not, and he instanced gambling, bribery
and lotteries. The subject of prohibition
is not to make people good bv law, but to
save them from becoming evil. 1t is not a
sumptuary law any more than a law which
prohibits the sale of tainted or diseased
meat Law does not and can not prohibit
a man from eating rotten meat or drinking
gin if he wishes.
If the law is as bad as asser ted by Mr.,
Clement and others why not get rid of it,
in the quickest and best way by complete,
rigid and impartial enforcement of it.
The principles Of license were thus stat
ed If the selling of liquor for a beverage is
a proper and legitimate business, not detri-
mental or dangerous to society or State, the
/ State has no right to say who shall or who
| shall not engage in it or demand license
! therefore. If the business is detrimental
| and dangerous to society and the State,
the State has no right to become partner
| in the evil as it must if it licenses,
The question is not how many saloons are
| there but how much liquor is sold, how
much drunkenness and crime is there. lie
claimed that high license laws are violated
more than prohibtcry laws. and in proof
pointed to 500 unlicensed places in Pitts
| burg and 1000 in Philadelphia.
1t makes an infamous aud wicked bust
ness seem respectable and thus tempts
young men to their ruin.
License destroys legi innate business
! Each saloon becomes a waste bank to take
the place of savings banks. He compared
St. Lawrence county, n. Y, with Vermont
! 1t is about onethird as large, but there il
not savings bank in the whole county
There are waste banks, however, by TIA,
hundred
. Every dollar received for license is BLOOD
money, NHlCu 10 hi appear ~ stHillnel
says the Herald. Vet liquor makes drum X
ards, fills poorhouses and prisons, dcstro o,
homes and fills drunknrds' graves II
license an evil is against Christianity.
affirm with emphasis that this is a question
of morality and Christianity as well as wei
civil government
Mr.. Sutherland's Bible argument was re
viewed, aud some parts OF the Bib
quoted as Prov. XX., /, Prov XXIIl, %
30, Habak H., -, &c, which the Speake
said that gentlemen evidently had neve
read. The high license discussion in Yer
mont was criticised and characterized a
buncombe and exaggeration without proc
and improbable. Many selections from tn
Rutland Herald were read to illustrate.
The speaker found evidence in Mr.. Suth
erland's speech that the liquor-makers an
dealers are behind the movement in Yer
mont. 1t was move TO secure votes i
other States. He concluded with an appea
to men Of all parties to read both sides c
the question, and for both men aud wome
to act fearlessly for Good and homo an
native land "