Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-07-18
Temperance and Politics.

temperance and Politics.
There are not a few temperance advo-
Gates who claim that so far as temperance
principles are concerned they would vote
for democrat just as readily as for a re-
publican and this is said in Vermont as
well as in New York and other States. 1t
is of course useless to argue with people
who persist in holding this position in the
Green Mountain State in spite of the fact
that the republican party is responsible
for the prohibition law at present in force
in Vermont, but possibly they will accept
the evidence of man who is reputed to be
a good democrat.
Senator David b. Hill of New York was
asked for his opinion with reference to the
enforcement of the excise law in closing
saloons in the metropolis on Sundays and
the ACCESSIBILITY on the part of the friends
of more liberal excise law of requesting
Gov. Morton to call a special session of the
New York Legislature for the purpose of
securing the enactment of more liberal
measure.
Senator Hill replied that he would GER
tainly favor such a suggestion if he be-
leved that it would result in any practical
belief Senator Hill did not hesitate to
state that he realizes "the arbitrary, harsh
and technical manner in which the law is
now being enforced by the busy body and
notwithstanding police commissioners
of our city, and appreciates the annoyances
and hardships which the people must suf-
fer under such a narrow and strained con-
struction as the commissioners are invok-
ing at this time" but he said he failed to
discover any effectual remedy in the sug-
gestion of an appeal TO the governor and
the present Legislature.
Members OF the third prohibitionst
party 500 allied viii DO well to remember
That this is the opinion Of the leading
democratic politician Of the Empire state.
not with reference TO the merits of the
liquor question alone but that i, deals par
ucularly with the question of the sale of
liquor Oh Sundays, and the hardships
which the people must suffer so long as
saloons and bars are not allowed to carry
on their traffic on Sunday.
Those who believe there is no choice be-
tween the republican and democratic par
ties on the temperance issue should pay
particular attention to Senator Hills testi-
mony on this point. Here is what he says:
In the first place, it is evident that Gov.
Morton would not grant the application.
and, in the second place, If granted, the
the present Legislature would not afford
the relief desired. Those " no are urging
a legislative session seem to overlook TN,
fact that the Puritans are in the saddle"
now both in Albany ana in New York city.
GOV. Morton was horn in Vermont. and
apparently inherts the illiberal tendencies;
and prejudices on the excise question
which characterize the rabid republicans
OF that State. An executive who approved
and the Legislature which enacted this
very year a law requiring teachers i'm our
schools specially to instruct children on
the alleged injurious effects of all alcoholic
drinks, and did so in the face of the pro-
test of the intelligent and broad minded
educational sentiment of the State in or
der to crafty the whims of a few mis-
guided temperance cranks, whose votes
they desired hereafter to secure, canot be
relied upon to enact more liberal excise
law, and it is folly to expect it. We shall
probably next have a law requiring special
instruction as to the bad results of the use
of corsets and bicycles and the playing of
football.
In my judgment the present reform
Legislature, If convened, would be more
likely, if it dared to enact the old Blue
i@"" Vi >'oiiiieN'iS"'' VI iH"he Jul ~
excise law more Oppressive, than to modify
its existing restrictions
We suppose there are people in New
York and in Vermont as well who will
continue in spite Of such frank declara-
tons as this of Senator Hill to vote the
third party ticket a means of stabbing
the republican party in the back and seek
to justify their course by the claim that
zone great party is just as much a temper
ance party as the other;' but We imagine
the saloon keepers will side with Senator
Hill rather than with the police commits
sioners and Gov. Morton.