The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-29
PROHIBITION IN VERMONT.
FxRcTCxL ENFORCEMENT or LI0UoR
LAWS IN GREEN MOUNTAIN TOWNh

com. mt the Expense OF the Liquor Seller.
The picture Of q Temperance Town" now
being shown on the stage may seem an exc
travagant burlesaue to many New Workers.
But Il is fact that Mr.. Hoyt has neither over
drawn his situations nor exaggerated the ne
culiarities OF his characters. In word. In
this case Mr.. Hoyts picture falls short OF the
extravaganza Of the reality.
1t Il difficult for n thoroughbred New Yorker
to realize that such state OF affairs that Mr..
Hoyt portrays can actually exist. but there are
thousands OF people now making their homes
In New York who were born and brought up In
New England amid Just such scenes as Mr..
lloyt portrays
Vermont has had prohibition for over forty
years and from year to year the law has been
tinkered aud amended and made more strin-
gent. until now. as the law reads and ne facts
show. 1t is really bigger crime to sell rum In
| Vermont than to do murder.
There may. however. be a special fitness In
this and realization OF legislative effort to
make tho punishment fit the ctimo. This
thought was aptly expressed one day In Rut-
| land by a thirsty stranger who had been pilot
| ed to drink dispensary. Hls guide had made
| the above remark about the relative risk run
In selling man drink and killing him. and
the thirsty stranger. as he swallowed the fiery
liquid set before him. remarked with hearty
| emphasis: "A man who sells stun like that at
twenty cents q drink ought to be hanged"
tits afact that there Is moro vile liquor sold In
Vermont than anywhere else on earth. Prohibi-
ton is responsible for this. The men in tho
business OF selling liauor are In 1t for money
| and not for fun. and with the risks they run it
is practically impossible for them to sell
decent liquor and live There are few places
In the State where 1t 10 possible to get drink
without rsking involuntary suicide but the
stun generally set out ia OF the cheapest sort.
| Alcohol moro or less diluted with water. is Q
very common drink because 1t lie the most con-
venient to get. Alcohol and water colored with
burnt sugar makes o compound known as
"Whitehall whiskey." which is very popular In
Rutland and that neigh borhood In the western
part Of the State near the New York line.
Whitehall Is on the border about sixteen miles
from Rutland and Just across the line Ia New
York. and it is tho Mecca OF the thirsty for
many miles around. .....
The railroad from Whitehall to Rutland does
big business, and any railroad man will tell
you that the bulk Of the travel 10 made up Of
Vermonters who go to Whitehall for booze"
They do not 90 because It is impossbls for
them to get liquor in Vermont. but because
they con get 1t good deal cheaper In White.
hall. The prices on the New York side Of tho
line are not over half those charged In YER
mont and the saving effected is considerable.
so tho thrifty Nermonter. who is nothing II
not economical. takes an empty Jug to White
hall and brings 1t back filed, and the railroad
pays big dividends to its ockholders. good
many OF whom are prohibitionists.
In tho hill towns OF Vermont the prohibition
law is pretty we'll enforced. and there are many
towns and villages in the State where It Is an
impossibility to buy a drink at any price or to
beg or borrow one even. This is because the
public sentiment OF these hill towns is against
liquor selling and liquor drinking. There may
L. l.
who have liquor in their homes under lock and
key. and who take drink now and then after
carefully locking oil the doors. but the public
sentiment in these little hnmlets is SO strongly
set In favor Of prohibition that neither LIQUOR
selling nor liquor drinking Is countenanced.
These little hamets rule the State. because q
hill town with. perhaps. twenty voters. has
one Repr esentative in the Vermont Legisla-
ture. and Rutland. with q population OF $4,000
has no more than one
In Rutland, Burlington. st. Adams. and other
largo towns where the sentiment Of the com.
munity is not SO strong In favor OF prohibition.
liquor is almost openly sold. Almost" be-
cause. II you know the ropes. It Is as easy to
get drink as It Is in New York: but II you are
q stranger you might carry a thirst all dayand
not be able to quench 1t.
The ordinary Vermont bar is in the back
room Of q drug store. II you did not know
this. and landed in Vermont town of any con-
siderable size for the first time. you would be
surprised at the large number OF druggists In
, State where the majority OF the natives die
OF old age. The front part Of these stores 10
fitted up as drug store. but an examination
would show that the greater number Of the
bottles and boxes are dummies" and you
will find that the prescription trade is not very
brisk. At the far end Of the store Is a door
which communicates with the back room. II
Tou can pass this door you will find the pur-
pose for which the drug store exists. But this
iooE Is securely locked. and only the favored
ew can pass It At the front OF the store. by
he outer door. and In full view OF the street, q
Jerk is always busy. Close at hand. beneath
he counter. Is an arrangement OF buttons and
bell pulls communicating with the hack room
Ind with the door which opens into it.
freouenter Of the place walks in. mods to
he clerk. and passes on to the door in tho
ear The clerk pulls a wire that releases Q
pring lock on tho door. and the customer
passes through without difficulty. the door
losing and locking behind him. When tho
DOM. notifying the attendant there that a
Hh the ca saa aha wa BE s Il all
.er or resident whom it was not safe to
he CLERK would politely tell him that there ' was
neea The ths t tssle w Tss
Inspect outside, In case OF an attempted
eizuIe the clerk on watch can give annie
NJ ~ which the sale Of liquor Is surrounded.
VI course. the authorities charged with en-
hey know where it 10 sold. They cannot pre-
fn the sale OF liquor entirely but they could
II they SO desired. because the law is abso-
ltely prohibitory But the places whore liquor
~ % that Is where the corruption comes IN.
ne law provides a punishment for keep
,ncer Is punished by fine OF imprlsopment,
: both at discretion. while second offence"
lust be punished BY I'm prl sonment. The prose-
uting officers are state Attorney In each
ounty. who Is about the same as a District
ttorney In New York. and grand JUROR
hose jurisdiction Is confined to the town.
hen there arc the sheriff Of the county and
lnnal r.clI Lea. 49, u