Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1896-01-23

ProhibitiOn--A Demurrer.

The argument of the licenseites, 10.
cal optionists, and all who oppose the
present prohibitory law is in effect
that the latter is failure as means
Of preventing the sale of liquor; that
| it restricts it no moro than license or
option law would do; and that under
| it no revenue of consequence is real
lied by the state or municipality.
When suit at law is brought and
the plaintiff has filed his declaration
the defendant sometimes enters what
is called a demuu1'ei'-a word which,
translated literally, means "What if2"
or "What then ?" II the defendant
thinks that the plaintiffs claims, even
if admitted, fall short of making the
defendant liable, by his demurrer he
in effect says, "Suppose all that the
plaintiff alleges is true, what then !?
Am | liable?" If the demurrer is not
sustained, he can then, by obtaining
the courts permission, deny the plain
tiffss allegations and fight the case on
the issue of facts.
Did it ever occur to our license
friends that to their sweeping charges
against the prohibitory law its sup
porters might successfully maintain a
demurrer ? The laws opponents do
not contend that it has no restrictive
value. They do not maintain that
more rum is sold under prohibition
than would be sold under license.
They admit that in the smaller towns
the law is we'll enforced and that there
is less liquor traffic than in similar
communities Of license or option
states. Everybody knows that.
But they say that in the cities and
larger towns rum is sold openly and
that no revenue results to the state or
town only the lawyers and officers
profit from it. Now suppose this is
SO, what would be gained by legaliz-
ing the traffic in these places ? II pro-
hibiting it has failed to stop it, will
permitting il be likely to lessen the
traffic? Even supposing that there is
just as much liquor sold in these places
now as there would be under license,
where will the advantage be to change?
The revenue from licenses ? Yes, for
a few thousand dollars the state or
town gives up its right to stop the
traffic, however extensive or democrat
izing it becomes, places it on par with
selling -four or dry goods and defends
it against the home, the church and
society. You cannot prevent IL
ccnscd saloon from selling liquor to
your son. Do you want to bargain
away the right that You now en-
JOY to do this, for money Even
though sentiment in some towns is la,
weak and officials culpably
lax, are these conditions sufficient to
condemn the law to such an extent
that the law should be transformed
from a sword hanging over the head
Of the liquor seller to shield behind
which no blade can reach him ? Few
sites or towns in Vermont are ready
to withdraw the sword and substitute
The shield.
We wish to state plainly that in
this demurrer we do not ac-
,cpt the allegations of the anti-prohi-
1itionists in regard to the laws ineffi-
,iency. They misrepresent it, as well
rs the sentiment behind it. There is
40 place in Vermont where rum is
sold as openly and extensively, and
where its sale and its seller are as pom
liar as in license states. There are
plenty Of towns where its sale is either
absolutely stopped or reduced to
,oint well-nigh invisible. II will be
lme enough to change the law when
t can be demonstrated that Vermont
a more Incorporate state than 9th
rs under a license system. Public
ointment is still, as for generation
'ast, strongly in favor of the prohibi-
Dry law.
Not few who read what Mr.. Robert ,
owls OF Hollands, Va, has to say below I
III remember their own experience un- 4
or like circumstances: "IIast winter | /
ad la grippe which left me in low state q
health. tried numerous remedies. Z
one OF which did me any good, until I | 4
as induced to try bottle Of Cham ber- 4
ms Cough remedy. The first bottle OF
SO relieved me that was enabled to at. q
no to my work, and the second bottle n