Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-10-14


appointed by you to prepare uniform standard form
of policy to be used by all companies writing stock nsur
anCe in Vermont
PRoHIBITORY LAW
At each succeeding session of our Legislature the
charge made that the prohibtorv law is failure and
that its repeal should be the first labor of the session
That this session will prove exception this regard is
hardly to be expected The shibboleh of these would
be retormers is Prohibition does prohibit During
the past month have devoted considerable time TO an
investigation to the truth alsity this claim Nv
information has been gathered from the prosecuting ato
neys OF the different countless from the Superintendent
OF the House of Correction, and from other official
sources and the facts asceraned show concusvey
that the law is to-day being faithfully enforced than
ever before The number of commitments to the House
OF Correction tor the past two years has been $780,
pared with FL for the biennial term preceding while the
fines and costs collected have been 3d. as compared
with S2,474.37 for the period
The manner in which the prohibory law is being en-
forced In Vermont is fast making the liquor traffic unpo-
htable and when the element of profit is eliminated from
the business the prohibition problem is practically solved
believe that with five years more of as honest enforce
ment the law has had for the past two the ILLEGAL
traffic in intoxicating liquors will be practically stopped
in our smaller towns and greatly diminished in the larger
Public sentiment is moving in the right direction and
am confident that you will take no backward step in
whatever you may do with reference the prohibtory
law.
THE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT LAW.
Our first trial of the Australian ballot law has resulted
IN some differences of opinion as to its adaptabity to
Vermont The claim is made that necessity therefor
exists IN our State, and very likely you will be called to
pass upon propositions for its amendment and perhaps
for its repeal.
1t not improbable that the experience of our recent
election may suggest some slight amendments the law
but the general principles thereof should not in nv ud
men be disturbed He his party best serves
his country best and the broadminded citizen
however strong partisan he may be- will welcome any
system that compels political parties to bring forward
their best knowing that if they do otherwise dscrm
mating voter will place his seal of condemnation upon it's
unpatrotiC action.
believe there sbould he some chonoec mazda ,,L;L
will enable the electors their without as much
assistance as was necessary at recent election With
out any change second trial would undoubtedly show
very marked improvement the first not only because
OF the confidence which the eleCtor will feel in himself
after having passed through his experience but be-
cause OF the extensive discussions in the columns of every
newspaper in the State and everywhere among the
concerning this radical departure from the old
method These discussions will tend educate the peo-
pie well during the years that scarcely any
citizen of fair intelligence who read and write will
need assistance at the election of 1894. But to make
assistance unnecessary for the uneducated believe
we should adopt the original feature of the Australian
system by placing after each be voted for an
emblem, which shall signify the party which the nom
nee belongs instance after each Republican nominee
could be placed the national flag the square in
which the voter makes the cross The intelligent Repub-
can would understand before entering the booth that by
voting for the flag he voted for the nominees of his party
In like manner an eag might designate the nominees of
the Democratic party, and fountain those of the Prohi-
bition party With these precautions taken and the
number of booths doubled that the eector could DELHI
work of the election officers would be practically nothing
Vermont Justly boasts of the purity of her ballot the
absolute certainty that every citizen within her borders
may without fear intimidation cast one vote and have
that vote honestly counted What shall be said then if
having put our hands to the plough turn back
Should people who believe that the right of
suffrage is the Chief the sacred safeguard our
liberties, willingly submit any slight inconvenience
which the law may occasion
Vermont cannot afford to return the old ways our
State pride torbds love of justice orbds patri
otism torbids and believe the law will become more
and more popular as its ways better understood
with every lover of apay and unintmidated unbough
ballot May we ever be willing keep it pure though
the sacrifice be hundred times greater than that
demanded by present law
shall ever take pride in the fact that during my
administration Vermont placed herself squarely abreast
with that better element in American politics. which is
to-day everywhere demanding, reer puer ballot north
and south, and when that is assured believe in the Ian
guage OF the sained Lincoln that this nation under God
shall have birth of freedom, and that government
OF the people, by the people, and for the people, shall
perish from the earth.