Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-09-22

come when it would be best for all to
have the voters at large say whether
they desire any change. A PROPOSE
+ ton to refer the question to the people
failed in the last legislature, receiving
| the support of barely a corporars
guard. If such a proposition should
be renewed in the coming legislature
the Free Press certainly will not OPP
pose IL; and if it is presented in well
considered measure will be inclined to
favor its passage"
The Woodstock Standard is another
paper that cannot be suspected OF
treachery to the cause it has always
sustained. Read what it says about
the referendum -
1T is claimed that republican rep
resentatives are also high license men.
The case OF Reading, this county, is in
point Z. X. Buck was nominated by
the republicans as a high license re-
publican, whereupon nomination pa
pers were filed for that popular citizen
and immortal Snowman, Hank White,
who has once hOnored his town in the
Legislature, and he ran as temperance
candidate, but was defeated.
"One Of the lessons to be learned
from the election is that the high IL
cense movement has some force-more
force than ii has exhibited heretofore.
II is aggressive now in quarters where
il had been dormant. Bethel republic
cans helped elect a democrat on this
issue. II is generally understood that
the same thing is true in Norwich.
These towns are in our own county and
near neighbors ofWoodstock, the home
of Thomas +. Powers, the father Of
prohibition in Vermont. And Wind
sor county has hitherto stood solidly
for this principle. 1t is noteworthy
that the vote OF the prohibition party
fell off so per cent this year. The be-
levers in prohibitory law can no long
er rest in serene confidence that the
Vermont law stands above the danger
OF repeal. The law is safe for this
year, but not forever at this rate. What
is to be done?
1.-The Standard firmly believes that
nothing else within the past four years
has done so much TO aid the high IL
cense movement as the fact that the
believers in prohibition have been dead
set against allowinga popular vote up
on the question. From their point of
view the position is correct. as they say
il is absurd TO think that the majority
OF the citizens of Vermont want high
license; that ii would be a foolish
waste of time, trouble and expense to
90 through the formality of vote. etc.
Nevertheless the malcontents will not
believe it, and they are working tooth
and nail to secure referendum. They
will have ii, too, in time. Further
more, while the high license advocates
are working for the referendum and
the prohibitionists are sleeping under
blankets of fancied security. converts
are being won to the high license idea.
Ii. rs prohibtionists believe, an over
whelming majority OF Vermonters fav-
or the present law, the time for the in
cvitable popular vote upon the ques-
ton is now. A big majority for pro-
hibition would knock out the high Ii
cense movement for years TO come ;and
big majority is more certain now
than it will be later If matters continue
in their present course"
The Vermont press, so far as 1t has
expressed itself. is very strongly of the
opinion that the time is ripe for such a
step as is proposed. Prominent pub
lie men hold the same view. In the
present state of sentiment, stalwart
prohibitionists recognize that some
thing must be done TO strengthen the
law or it is doomed. They believe the
result of popular vote would entrench
the law so strongly that it would be
far more easy of execution and would
Danish it as a political issue.
In addition to the reason we gave
last week why the people at the polls |
form a better tribunal for the settle
ment OF this question than the legisla-
ture is the irrefutable one that the
legislature of Vermont is not popular |
body, inasmuch as the members of the |
House are chosen by towns and cities
instead of on q representative basis.
and the result is a preponderance of
voting strength by little towns. The
open ballot would make the citizen of
Burlington or st. Johnsbury as much
factor as the voter in Baltimore or
Somerset. When it comes to the pub
lie sentiment that must sustain any
law, all citizens stand alike and there
is no reason why they Should not when
the law is made, especially a law so
important as that regulating the liquor
traffic.
Let all those who believe the people
Of Vermont should have chance to
say what kind of a liquor law they
want raise their hands and let us see
who they are that would deny them
his manifest right.
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