The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-07-24
Close Up the Rum Holes.

The Montpelier Watchman in an
article upon the recent rum raid in
That town and the course of the Argus
in reference thereto, holds the follow
ing sensible views that can be en-
dorsed by every law abiding citizen,
whether in Montpelier or London
derry:
The name Of Vermont, throughout
the length and breadth of this land,
is a synonym of public virtue, of
good government. These qualities
are the moral and political comple-
ment of her .'rocks and nlls, her
woods and tempted hills" Every
son of Vermont is intensely proud of
his native state. Her capital is one
of the fairest and most picturesque
Of her many beautiful towns. There
is this one blot on her bright escutch-
con. For this Vermonters blush,
and for this Montpelier is everywhere
reproached. These saloons have long
enough disgraced the fairest capital
of the fairest state in the Union.
They should henceforth become the
object of the unceasing warfare of
every reputable citizen-every busi-
ness man, every professional man,
and, more than all others combined,
of every laboring man.
In this work of suppressing the
saloons the way is straight and plain
before every good citizen. No one
should falter, or allow his aim to be
distracted, and no one should be in
timidated by the threats or personal
attacks of the saloons newspaper
champion. The saloon is the object
of attack. That should be kept
steadily in view, and it should be at
tackled persistently and systematical-
ly, under the law, without heed to the
"barbaric yawp" showered upon the
assailants. That is harmless. 1t
does't kill. 1t doesn't even wound.
There are scores of good men in town
and all over the county and state,
who may not be prohibitionists, who
may not be total abstainers, who will
say God-speed to courageous, we'll
directed effort to close up the rum
holes. The men who are instrument
tai in this work, private or official
VIII have the respect and gratitude
and support of this community, and
of the communities around, even to
the boundaries of the state. The law
should be vigorously enforced, the
same as the law against horse-steal-
ing, or any other law. We have
great respect for law abiding citizens,
whether in respect Of the law against
traffic in Intoxicating liquors or catch
ing fish Or killing game. Our es-
teemed contemporary up street is an
aggressive supporter of fish and game
laws. The poor cuss on Lake Cham
plain who takes fish from its waters,
contrary to law, to feed his family,
had better have milestone about his
neck, if detected, and be cast into the
depths of the lake, than to have Edi-
tor Atkins after him, armed with the
penalties of the law for such offences
made and provided but the man who
deals out "liquid damnation" to his
fellow man, and attrociously violates
the law of God as well as the law of
the state of Vermont, is the cherish
ed object of his fierce protection
The citizen who sets in motion the
machinery of the liquor law is pa
riah the man who is violating the
law is patriot. Strange perversion
of the relations of right and wrong
Our esteemed contemporary, as q
statesman or philanthropist, is, we
fear, a woful misfit But let the
good work 60 on, and let the friends
of law and order and of temperance
In this county and in the state sup.
port this movement, and let them be
assured that s'the solid men of Mont.
pelier" sustain the raid and the raid.
ers. They believe the time to catcl
bears is when bears are out. The
bears were around last week anG
were nabbed-and that is the bes
part Of it.
A Liberal Proposition.
Who has not heard of that paragon o