Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-10-02
"Reminiscences No. 2.

nOIIllIISSOIISS NOs K
Editor Bennington Banner I'm a COM
munlcation published in your columns,
recently, 1 attempted to show that if our
prohibitory liquor law was not properly
enforced, the fact of itself is not a suf-
ticient reason for its repeal.
Now, sir, if you will allow me some
quiet corner in your paper, l will at
tempt to show something of the work
ings of the liquor traffic in Vermont un-
der license system, taking it for grant
ed that the people of Vermont, general
ly, understand how it works under our
present prohibitory law; leaving wholly
with your numerous readers, after n
careful comparison, to determine which
of the two systems contributes most to
the happiness and well-being of the peo-
pie at large.
From the earliest existence of YER
mont as an independent State, the traffic
in Foreign and Domestic Distilled Spir-
ituous Liquors." has been carried on in
our State under some form of a license
system, down to 1852, when the license
system was changed to prohibitory
system.
The laws of our State as we find them
in the old compilations and more recent
ones, appear to have been carefully
framed, with heavy penalties attached
in case of violation.
We also find that the laws licensing
the sale of liquors were as unstable as
the laws prohibiting it's sale. Benning-
ton is, and has been, unfortunate in that
it had comparatively free rum down to
1852, under form of license; and much
of the time, comparatively, free rum I'M
der a prohibitory LAWN the one case,
bear in mind, the liquor dealer was pro-
tected by law, and in the other case, by
SuferGnce, because the people who be-
lieved in temperance, law and good gov
eminent, did not see to it that the Off
GERS who were elected or appointed to
execute the laws, did their whole duty
as the laws required.
do not propose to lay all the respon-
slbility of the non-enforcement of the
prohibitory law upon those appointed or
elected to enforce it. If the people are
Indifferent, the officials will be apt to en-
force it as far as it is for their indi-
vidual interest to do so, and no further.
We hear in these days much said about
the purity of elections" and we have
great reason to rejoice that change has
been brought about in the last few years.
has much improved the method of vot-
ing, and claim the prohibitory law in
Vermont has been great factor in
bringing about so desirable change.
Before 1852 it was not an uncommon
thing for both of the great political par
ties to commence about week before
the annual September election to corral
voters. The plan of operation was
much the same with both parties They
would, first, secure place they could
control, usually barn or some building
in a secluded place, and then commence
to hunt for such voters as they could
handle with safety. When such as were
as likely to vote one way as the other
was found, they took him to the place
prepared, and continued the hunt until
the corral was full, it being all the time
under the watchful eye of some trusted
keeper, then fed them we'll and gave
them just rum enough to keep them in a
condition to have no desire for change,
until the night before election; then be-
gan to sober them off so as to have
them in condition to vote. On cleo
ton day these men would appear at the
polls, and, under the eye of their keeper,
deposit such ballots as were provided
for them, and thus demonstrate the glor-
ious privilege of an American freemen.
But they had another way. One party
would steal from the other party such
men as they could not handle at the
polls, fill them with rum to condition
of insensibility, and the night before
election transport them to some place of
safety, usually across the line into tho
State Of New York, leave them in the
hands of parties in sympathy with the
kidnappers, who would keep them full
until election was over, and then allow
them to sober off and get home as best
they could.
This plan, however, was not always
successful. 1 once knew Wing who
was kidnapped by Democrat, and in
drunken condition taken across the
line. The kidnapper was directed to
leave his man with certain Democrat,
and it so happen there was living in the
same town Wing by the same name,
and the kidnapper not being acquainted
with either, took his man to the Wing,
who, on learning the facts, received
them kindly, and treated them literally,
until both were in a condition to be laid
away; then giving the kidnapper into
the hands of trusty hostler, with the
direction to keep him safely until his
return, he took the kidnapped into his
wagon and started for Bennington, ar
irving here in time to vote the Wing
ticket, while the kidnapper did not
reach Bennington until the election was
over.
There are few men now living in
Bennington who can tell us something
about the liquor traffic in our town un-
der the old license system. l have be-
fore me a statement in writing, of one
of these men of unquestionable veracity,
in which he says: 81 was clerk in gen.
eral dry goods and grocery store in Ben
nington from 1888 to long after the pro-
hibitory law was passed in 1852. Up to
that date the proprietor held retail Ii
cense and sold under it liquors of vari
GUS kinds, in large quantities and small
quantities, by measure, but not by the
single glass or drink. Inn-keepers had
license to sell by the glass or drink,
but not by measure.
81 we'll remember the stock of liquors
kept on hand. They were kept in the
cellar under, the store, a room some
twenty-five by forty feet. The casks of
wine, alone, occupied one entire end of
the cellar, then along one side there
were two kinds of brandy, then two
kinds of gin, and two kinds of rum.
Many of these liquors were in original
packages, as they were imported. st.
Croix rum was the popular drink of the
day. These liquors were in hogsheads,
Tunobanno opd horralS I bava mVsalf