The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-10-19

Some acute legal mind which considers
itself equal to the task might well devote
the necessary time to the preparation OF
bill regulating and restricting sales by town
liquor agencies. In very many cases these
official rum shops are plainly the cause OF
much crime and trouble, hot. bed of mis-
chief. The legal and proper reasons for
the sale of LIQUOR are disregarded in many
object of ridicule, derision and shame.
There are rare and shining exceptions, but
in an unreasonable number of instan-
ces liquor agencies are dishonesty conduct
ed, aside from the matter of sales in viola
ton of law.
The opportunity for illegal profit by the
selectmen and their creation, the agent, Is
amazing. Liquors are bought for from
S1.50 to 1925 a gallon, sold at fifty cents
pint, and profit returned only sufficient
to cover running expense. 1t is unneces-
sary to enlarge upon the endless opportuni-
ties for fraud in this business.
In nearly every town which supports an
agency the figures of its transactions pub
lished in the annual town report are too
ridiculous to he laughable, and so plainly
erroneous e to be a matter of righteous in
dignation. / have no doubt but that the
Apostle Paul himself, If on earth and in
stalled as town liquor agent, would re-
sign his halo and go in for all there was in
it. The temptation would be too great.
If there is anyway under heaven by which
this scandal and fraud can be remedied or
corrected the Legislature should provide it.
An exchange remarks that 1T is tough on
the churches to see a member that never
attends church when at home give his re-
liGious preference for the directory. You
can tell the most popular church in that
members town" Pckwick's advice was
to cheer with the crowd, and If there were
two crowds to cheer with the largest one.
From several years careful observation,
much of it personal, / am constrained to
say that the largest humbug directly or re-
motely connected with legislation is an Of
fetal committee visit to State institution
The town liquor agency system swindle
may run it pretty hard, but for patent and
Out.and-out nonsense the committee visit
stands prominent and unapproachable
The committee allows several days notice
of it's intended visit to be widely heralded,
and on its arrival at the objective institu-
ton they are met by barouches and out.
riders, and escorted to the rendezvous.
Here they are CALAMITY escorted through
the scrubbed and swept and FURNISHED halls,
find everybody on their best behavior and
everything as neat and carefully kept as
the ingenuity of man can devise. They are
carefully and closely escorted by the Off
cal in charge, and after an hours inspec-
ton are taken out and banqueted. Then
they are as impressively escorted to their
train and the farce is played to the end. l
submit that such an examination is a hum
bug. / have not the slightest intention or
reason for casting suspicion on any State
institution in stating the plain facts, only
to call attention to the nonsense of the
whole thing. Why don't committee call
entirely unexpectedly in the line Of its du-
ties some day? Why not?
Gov. CIRCUITS earnest advocacy of more
stringent law governing caucuses appeared
to meet with the widest approval, and q
bill will soon be launched intended to cor
rect the evils referred to by the Governor.
Grown men sometimes eat candy sub rosa
and not for publication, and very likely the
ladies' confectionery stand in the Capitol :
vestibule will be we'll patronized. 1t is Ger
tainly worthy oft.
A News despatch from Portland Oregon,
"Gov. Lord has appointed committee Of
well-known citizens Of Portland to collect
funds for the purchase of O sword to be
presented to Capt. Clark Of the battleship
Oregon"
In the meantime, what is Montpelier or
Vermont doing or going to do for this, one
Of the most conspicuous OF her many dis
tinguished sons? On the "Rialto" build
journal Bindery," which after the years
that have interviewed, yet marks the spot
where Capt. Clark's father 30 long carried
on his business, and the boy who is now
one OF the worlds great captains is well
remembered by our older citizens. Will
Vermont and Montpelier leave it to Oregon
to do him all the honor?
surprising, coming from such source 1t Is
simply and solely funny. Burlington is a
| prosperous business town, with large and
| growing interests. In rare cases there Is
not an open bar within twenty rods OF any
of its manufacturing or business industries,
| h..N In Il
saloons within easy reaching distance OF
any one OF them. In some cases the sa-
| looms are opposite the entrances" and
yet am told that Burlington Is thriving
The above extract is given solely as char.
| acteristic instance of the 90 9-10 per cent
pure hypocricy Of the Free Press, which
would make point by the insinuation of a
glazing falsehood. Manufacturing plants
continue to locate in Burlington, notwith.
standing the fact which the Free Press well
knows but habituslly ignores that there are
tens OF dozens OF saloons in unlimited oper.
alton in that city, very often Opposite the
entrance" Once more, why not tell the
truth !?
Next Tuesday is the date fixed for the
visit OF the Joint committee on game and
fisheries, and the entire Legislature will bt
invited to attend as guests of the commits
sioners. After their return in the evening
Commissioner Titcomb will give an illus
trated lecture on the work of the commits
sion, which will be most instructive and in
teresting.
The expected bill creating the office %
attorney general was introduced by Gen
eral Butterfeld Of Derby yesterday NJ
salary is stated in the bill. The official il
question Is to be appointed by the Suprem,
Court, and to be commissioned by the gov
ernor. By the terms Of the bill, the attor
ney general has control of and authorit,
over all States attorneys who are supposed
to act for him in his absence.
Representative Mattocks of Danvill
would have mileage books on sale at ever,
railroad ticket Office for not more than tw,
cents per mile and good for bearer. Thi
will come in time, II not at this session.
Somebody through the gentleman from
Woodstock asks for law compelling sc
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