The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-11-16

Again the Legislative farce, License
VS. Prohibition, has been played in the
House OF R9pres entatives, with the
customary result. The enactment of
the license system, in any of its forms,
of regulating the sale of Intoxicating
liquors is no nearer success than it was
ten years ago, no nearer than twenty
years, or forty years ago. Throughout
this time the question has been more
constantly before the public, more
actively canvassed, the subject of moe
intense and persisten mt efforts al pros
elytng, than almost any other that has
been before the people during the pc
Rod in question. The agitation of the
matter in the Legislature has bienui-
ally cost the State a large sum of money
and occupied the Tins imperatively de-
manded by public business of pressing
importance.
The sentiment of the people OF Yer
mont on the subject of any form of Ii
cense of the liquor traffic has unques-
tionably been accurately expressed by
their representatives.. The result of
generation of sgitation-or the failure
to produce any results, to make any
appreciate progress-would discourage
the supporters of almost any other
cause. But the liquor traffic appeals to
appetite, and to greed, for by this craft
its followers have great wealth. No
other traffic appeals so powerfully to
n-human cupidty.
When the fnger of public reprobation
is pointed to the history of the ever
recurring failure of license bills in the
Legislature, and to the evidence the
vote, ike that of Wednesday, presents
that the license system has in a genera
ton of agitation made no progress
whatever, the answer has been that the
representatives do not represent pub
lie opinion. tits mighty poor answer,
but this claim is the most plausible ex-
cuse that can be given for this con.
slant, senseless and expensive agitation
in the Legislature.
The prohibtory system OF managing
the traffic in liquor for recognized legit-
innate uses has been in force in this
State about half century. 1t was
originally enacted in 1852. In the
judgment of many of the best friends
of temperance in the State, believing
implicitly in the wisdom of the prohi-
hitive system, that system would be
given fresh vrility by referring direct
ly to the people, for the expression of
their opinion thereon, the question
whether the license or the prohibtive
principle should be the basis of the
States continued regulation of the sales
of liquors. A popular judgment on this
question ought-and uquestionably
woud-seltle This whole matter for a
generation to come, and settle it
right. 1t would end this biennial
wrangle in the Legislature. 1t would
be instruction, straight from their SOW
ereigns, to States attorneys, the judges
of the courts and every officer of the
law, that no laxity in the enforcement
of the liquor code would be tolerated.
1t would make an end OF this everlast-
ing "gabble on knoll" by certain of
the press and the small but noisy clique
of shouters for license. 1t would be a
Supreme Court decision on much
mooted question, and peace and SET
Ting down to the duties of law abiding
citizens ought to be the result OF the
referendum.
AO0D'S PILLS cure Liver Ills Bill