Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-11-02
Hoyt's "a Temperance Town.

Vermonters have special interest In
this play. 1t was written by Charley
Hoyt, native OF Charlestown, N. H., just
across the Connecticut from Springfield,
Vt, and its purpose was to cast into rid
icule and contempt the prohibitory law OF
Vermont and the mode OF its enforcement.
The plot is founded on fact. the. case of
the Norwich liquor dealer, KILLING, who
was convicted OF over 700 offences and
sentenced to nearly so years at the house
of correction being the text. This was an
unprecedented case and the prisoner, after
two or three years Incarceration, was par
doned. The law has been so amended
since that such excessive penalties are no
longer possible, the limit for cumulative
offences now being three years, we believe.
In "A Temperance Town" the plot
handles the efforts put forth by a drug
gist, physician and a clergyman TO close
the only "rum hole" in the place. The
druggist sells liquor at bis store and bis
sanctimonious role is governed by the
selfish desire to divert the trade to him.
self. The doctor is in league with the
druggist to secure prescription stipends,
while the clergyman is a cold type OF the
Puritan. whose enmity to the liquor
traffic arises from the supposed wrecking
OF bis sons career. who ran away to war
and Is accounted dead. The saloon that
they propose to close is run by a one
armed veteran whose little daughter is
dangerously i'll. The temperance zealots
hire "Bingo" to buy liquor at the saloon,
but he makes an embarrassing blunder by
getting ii at the druggists and returns
with what the sports describe as ian ele-
CANT edge" Another spy Is engaged. but
to make sure the druggist himself goes to
the saloon and begs for pint OF whiskey
for bis wife, who is lila fairy tale. He
gets II and the saloon is raided and
quantity OF wet goods secured. A Boston
lawyer is engaged to prosecute and the
result OF the trial is the rumselleris con-
victioD. He Is sentenced 10 pay fine OF
over 5000, in default OF which the long
alternative sentence is imposed. Just
then the clergyman's son, who Ia not /
dead, returns and pays the fine and the
ending is happy for the respondent and /
his convivisl patrons. There are side |
lights introducing love and plenty OF fun,
but this is the story.
the weakness OF the play Is It's untruth- /
fulness. II is wild exaggeration. II is |
an attempt to glorify the rumseller and to
castiRate the temperance element. IL /
makes heroes OF heavy drinkers and vii
lains OF those who wear the clerical garb.
II exalts vice and reproaches piety. With \
the comical turns that Hoyt's genius has
given il, the situations and the jokes /
move hearty laugh, but that Is all. IL /
ANS1PAr tAnPt11lhAc 90 ouNtiNs hc II
one. armed rnmsellers who are carrying on
their business to support invalid children
are not numerous enough to make the
anything but absurd.
Nor does prohibition depend for its en-
Tor eement on cranks and those who have
selfish aims. We think that II Hoyt bad
brought out In strong relief the many in
and injustices OF prohibition
Ind stopped there be would have created
! better satire. Perhaps, though, Ii needs
10 pillory prohibition before
he public. Some clever playwright
sould do equally well In picturing "a
u ense Town" with Its system OF police
its political corruption and its
iebauching influences. This would be
ragedy, not comedy.
A sufficient answer to the reproach OF
"A Temperance Town. is that Hoyt, its
reator, is mental and physical wreck,
a keeper to ward him from
violence, and his condition is
n large part due to q pursuit of those
deals that he has tried to exalt In "a ,
Town" and other OF bis plays.