Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-04-22
FRIDAY, APRIL %, 1898.
LOCAL OPTION IN VERMONT.

The liquor question is the one that is uni
versal, omnipresent and difficult in every
state under all circumstance. No amount of
argument, entreaty or persuasion unites
people upon either side of it. No legislation
settles it. No experience satisfies concerning
it. Even in Vermont, which has been for
half century rs rock ribbed in its prohibi
ton as it has been in its Republicanisn, Is
disturbed by a widespread movement in
favor of Il local option law, which has taken
the shape of demand that such law shall
be submitted to popular vote, and, if ii be
approved substituted for the iron'clad
statutes which now absolutely prohibit the
sale of alcoholic liquors as beverage; and at
this distance it looks as though this was like
" to become a prominent and perhaps cen
trail issue i'm the state politics of the near
future. The Burlington Clipper has been
questioning some of the prominent men of
the state upon the subject and publishes a
long list of replies, of which the following are
samples. Governor Grout writes:
The representatives of the people have re
peatedly and whenever called upOni eX
pressed themselves in faver OF prohibition,
as shown in refusing license measures and
granting amendments TO the present law In
tended to secure its more thorough enforce
ment
If a reasonable doubt exists a to the de
sire of the people to continue the prohlhi
tory system, by all means submit the Ques-
ton to popular vote.
All right, friend Harris, this being govern
ment of maiOrities, stir the subject from the
bottom and let the people say Ow they will
have it, and then let the minority cheetfully
cooperate in securing full compliance with
and giving n cordial support TO the VIII OF
the people as thus made known.
Mayor Smith of st. Adams, who is the lead
ing candidate for the gubernatorial nomina
ton this year, says:
do not feel competent to vote intelllgently
upon the question of whether or not the
town OF st. George should have high license,
local option or prohibitions and am equally
certain that the legal voters of the town of
st George are wholly Incompetent to ju &c
of what should be the law regulating the
traffic in the city OF ST. Adams. Whether OF
not the people of the city of st. Adams want
high license or local option cannot say, but
/ speak by the card when say that they dc
not want prohibition. If the general assem-
bly, would give us an opportunity OF determin
ing just what kind of liquor law we would
have in ST Albans-wht ther prohibition
high licens or local option-then we might
conclude that we did not care to be longei
disgraced by an open traffic pursued in con
slant violation of the law of the state.
Conditions which obtain in s.. Adams, Bur
lington and Rutland, and other of our large
cities and villages, do not exist in our 1ura
communities, and, in my judgment, it is no
essential that both classe of towns SHOULD
have the same liqu law. In these larS'
centers of population we have abundan
proof that prohibition does not prohibit
whether or not high license or local option
would promote the interests ana welfare o
the inhabitants OF these large, towns we d'
not know. No serious disaster could com
from giving NJ W law "A fair trial.
MI. Mccullough of Bennington, who !
Smiths competitor in the race Is NOR
guarded, and says next TO nothing in thi
way
For half a century almost the prohibition
statute has bt en- on the statute book, an
during all these years many legislatures haN
met and adjourned. Apparently sentimen
for some modification thereof has recent
developed. How strong win he shown in tn
choice Of the representatives by the di1feren
towns in the state. These towns are reall
little republics, and in the coming local car
vases this question will be discussed an
their decision viii be indicated by the CON
pleXion of the legislature chosen. 1t seem
to me it Would be the duty of the eXecutiv
in such q case to bow to the desire of III
people thus clearly expire sed, and their d'
cision would be the controlling influence I
guide me in any action might be called o
to take, should eyer be called on to tax
any.
Mayors Clements of Rutland and Senter c
Montpelier are outspoken for local option
and others are strongly for referendum
is to be noted, however, that all these M
citizens of the larger places and with thi
fact in view the conclusion is reasonabl
that in the purely agricultural communitie
there is general satisfaction with the preser
law.
The above is taken from the Mirror an
Farmer, where itappeared as an editoria