Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-05-08
w. C.T.U. COLUMN
JUDGE THOMPsON'S ADDRESS.

/ NOUN.
The session was opened with an in
vocation by Rev. G. w. Morrow, su-
perintendent of the Vermont anti
Saloon League. The meeting was
presided over by Rev. Edward Wilson
of Valley Falls, N. Y, who introduced
Judge Thompson. He spoke substan-
| TALLY as follows:
am not here to deliver a temper
ance lecture from moral standpoint
except as affected by the existing law.
There has been much misapprehen-
sion as to the prohibitory law of Yer
mont This law has been greatly null
lifted by rum papers outside and in
side the State. 1t is misnomer to
call the law of Vermont prohibitory
law 1t is aimed only at the saloon.
It provides for the election of COM
missioner, who should appoint liquor
| agent for each town and makes other
sale of the commodity illegal. 1t pro-
vides that the letting of buildings for
the sale of liquor should be criminal
offence. It makes every place where
liquor is sold Or kept for sale COM
mon nuisance which may be abated.
They may be enjoined and las well all
those connected with the building as
lessee, attorneys or assignees. 1t
makes intoxication a crime.
They say this is not good law and
that it infringes the personal rights.
It invades no individual rights. Ev-
cry man comes under the common law
in that he must so govern himself as
not to interfere with his neighbor. 1t
is fundamental principle of society.
| Vermont has said that it knows from
experience that the saloon is immoral
and demoralizing. wish those who
are doubling could have seen the
place of my early life in Canada and
view runs terrible effects. More
than 30 per cent of the men went to
drunkard's graves. Saloons give as
we'll the vulgar song and story to say
nothing of the treating system. 1t is
the duty of every State to so do as
will best provide for good citizen
ship. The beer drinkers of the Ger
man army cannot stand more than 80
per cent as much as their abstaining
fellows. We have right to protect
the home for that is the foundation of
society. I, as a judge, know that the
most fruitful source of divorce is rum
and hard cider. The State knows that
when the saloon strikes at men it is
no respecter of persons and that when
man begins to wrestle with the de-
mon he is sure to be thrown as light
is to follow darkness. 1t is the duty
of every State to lessen crime.
Some statistics of from CHOW High
License Works in Massachusetts, -
were read by the speaker at this point
in his address.
The records of the country show the
part taken by drink in crime. The
part of the law making intoxication a
crime is good. You may get drunk
alone and shut yourself up but you
must not inf1ict yourself upon others.
Wipe out the expense of criminal
courts caused by rum in Vermont and
you will reduce the total two thirds.
The most atrocious murders which
have been committed were caused by
rum. There is not a law which makes
it crime for man to go at large
when intoxicated.
If you want to know what the high
license people of Vermont would do,
read the bill presented at our last
Legislature. The high license desire
as represented there was, for fee,
to have the right to place grog shop
beside each church and school house
in the State. The saloon does not cut
any figure in Vermont politics. They
say the law makes liars and perjurers.
Every criminal law does that. Thore
are class of people who think pretty
decent people will lie in a liquor case
Such men would lie at any similar
time if for their own interest. There
isn't a county which has States at
torney who cannot close every saloon
in six weeks and make them do bust
ness in secret. Tho trouble is not with
the law but with the men who enforce
it. Some of our communities do moi
want the law enforced. The reason
why the law is not enforced is be.
cause you and as individuals do MOI
do our duty. Tt is just as much {
mans duty to be good citizen as te
be a good Christian. An officer elect
ed to enforce the law has only two
courses: to enforce the law or not tt
do his duty. The most pestilentia
class of rum sellers we have in Yer.