The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-10-14

This argument is not fOrcefdl when applied
to the state school tax, as education is
necessary for the moral and religious well
fare OF a people, and when the weaker com
munities of state are unable to maintain
proper schools the stronger communities
should assist them. Is there not tendency
now to look to the state for assistance for
many things that the towns and counties
should do themselves2 All these questions
should be determined by the law of right
and not by the law of might. 1 have conf
dence in the fairness and good judgment of
the people of Vermont and believe that in
the end they will do what Is Just and right
state GeoIogist.
In inviting your attention to the report of
the state geologst 1 will say that while /
think that he has accomplished as much as
any other person could with the limited
means at his disposal, believe that the value
OF his work is not worth to the state
what it costs. / therefore recommend
that the office of state geologist and
curator Of the cabinet be abolished and the
sergeant alarms be given the custody of the
cabinet.
Thomas Chittenden.
On the 10Th of August last the monument
which was erected in Williston to the men,
DRY Of Thomas Chittenden, the first gov
ernor of Vermont, was dedicated with
proper and imposing ceremonies. The
monument is one of which the state and the
town where it is located may we'll be proud.
1t is fitting tribute to the memory Of one
Of our most illustrious men.
Australian Ballot.
1 continue in the belief that the mode Of
ballotng should be sinplifed. think that
the law ought to be changed so that a voter
may be furnished with such ballot inside
OF the railing or in the booth as he can use
without marking, or without the erasure OF
any names or insertion of others unless he
chooses to make them.
Prohibitory Law.
The past two years have witnessed vigor-
GUS attacks upon the so-called prohibtory
law. These attacks come largely FROM adj
vocates of high license system, but it
must be admitted that some friends of tenn
perance believe that unless the law can be
| better enforced in some of the larger towns,
it ought to be modified or displaced by
one that can be enforced. 1t is only just to
the friends OF the present law, who, I be-
lieve, comprise a very large portion of the
people of this state, that | state few Of the
objections that are raised against it in the be-
lief that in so doing you may De able to cor
rect the evils that now exist, and thus pro-
mote the cause of temperance.
1t is charged that the law is not impair.
TALLY enforced by the officers whose duty it
is to enforce it, 1t is said that certain iItiu-
entail parties in many towns are let alone
and only the weaker dealers in intoxicants
are disturbed, and that in few large towns
open saloons are run with the full knowl-
| edge of the states attorneys. i is charged
! that the Selling officers are satisfied to seize
only enough liquor to prove the guilt of re-
spOndents instead of selling all they might
easily find that the prosecuting officers do
not prosecute vigorously and constantly,
| that judges of the municipal courts and JUS
| tees OF the peace im pose onl y the minimum,
or nearly the minimum, fine, so that re-
| spOndents will not be so much discouraged
| as to 90 out of the business and thus cease
! N hl = N IA Of lai1
! officials by the payment of frequent bills of
! COSTS 1t is charged that the main business
of many of the druggists, licensed by the
| board of pharmacy, is the sale of liquors
unlawfnlly; These and many other things
are said. These are serious charges if they
are partially true, and the most vigorous
| measures should be taken to remove the
cause for such complaint.
| From my knowledge gained during the
last two years, | must say that the charges
are sufficiently true to demand the atten-
ton of every lover of law and order, and
believer in temperance. These things
should be corrected under the present law
as it is, If they can be, or the law be modi-
! fed, so it can be respected. Temperance
men must not blind themselves to the fact
that something needs to be done. The
enemies of temperance cannot contribute
anything toward the solution of the difficult
ties. They simply propose high license,
which would mean open saloons made re-
/ u
would be worse than the imperfect enforce
ment OF the present law. In most of the
smaller towns no such condition exists as is
claimed to exist in larger towns. In con-
sidering the faults of the present law it
must be borne in mind that all sumptuary
laws are unsatisfactory. All attempts to
control the sale of spirituous liquors have
| been attended with almost insuperable
| difficulties in states that have the license
system. These states have tried one kind
lofI nd o. in
vain endeavor to find one that is perfect.
| There is no license system in force in the
United States that would think, be pref
cradle to our present law. | am, therefore,
in favor of the present law with such
| changes or notifications as time and eXpe-
rience may prove necessary. That the law
has been of great value in restricting the
sale of liquors during the forty -four years
that it has been in force no reasonable per-
son will deny. There should be no hesita-
ton in modifying the present law if you be-
lieve it will lessen the drinking of intoxi-
eating liquor. The law given Moses on
Mount Sinai was modified when the new
dispensaton came. 1t is pertinent to in
quire why the law is not better enforced
| The TO are several reasons, among which
may be mentioned want of interest OF the
people, especially the business men, in its
enforcement, Not that they do not want
the law enforced and the liquor traffic
stopped, but they are busy with their own
affairs and think they have no duties in
connection with it. Although there are
many thoroughly competent and honest
sherffs, states attorneys, grand jurors,
judges and justices, it will be found, where
the law is fagrantly violated, that those
officers are either timid incompetent or dis
honest No one has any power to suspend
or remove any OF those officials. IL Is
claimed by some prosecuting officers, and
there is some ground for the claim, that they
enforce the law as rigidlv as public senti-
ment will sustain them. | think, however,
that in most cases they mistake the real
public sentiment, as / do not believe there
is any community in Vermont in which an
officer will not be sustained in enforcing the
law impartially and with trmness and good
Judgment. No community will sustain an
officer who allows an open saloon on main
street to run undisturbed and prosecutes