Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-10-05

From the St. Adams Messenger. ]

u rom the 81. AiuhnA messenger
II the people OF the state Of Vermont are afraid
to face the issue involved In the submission OF
the prohibltory law to popular vote, IL IL time
that fact was known. let us settle this
question and settle Il emphatlcally. Let us find
mont are in favor OF prohibition or whether they
are not, aud, when we have agcertalned the Will
OF the people, let us make the law they want
and enforce II.
"And enforce III" There is the essen
tiSl point of the whole matter. We do
not doubt the sincere wish Of the editor
of the Messenger to see practical and
efficient liquor law In effect in Vermont,
and TO see IL enforced. But did he read
carefully the sermon which the Rev. j.
Edward Wright of Montpelier preached on
this subject a month ago, in which Mr..
Wright, who is by no means fanatic or
an extremist, gave facts, evidently care
fully gathered, to show that in high license
states the law is no more stringently en-
forced than is prohibition in Vermont.
After giving facts drawn from the expe-
rience Of several Of the high license states,
showing how evasions Of the law are open
ly perpetrated by liquor dealers and are
winked at by the officials, Mr.. Wright
made these pertinent queries:
''Is there exemption from these evils
under license? Is there, under license,
no deception, no hypocrisy, no adulter-
alton Of liquor, no sharp vancouver
ing to get the better of the law and the
officers of the law, no collision be-
tween officials and those whom they
should indict and arrest, no bribery
and corruption, no slip Of justice be-
tween the cup of indictment and the
lip of conviction, sentence, and pay
ment of penalty? Do people never
vote for license laws, and then incon-
sistently invite and share in violations
of the restrictive provisions Of those
laws?n
These are the questions which have to
be looked candidly in the face in all the
discussion Of our liquor legislation. We
takes which the advocates of high license
make is in taking for granted that a high
license law would enforce itself, or that
| the officers OF the law would honestly and
vigorously enforce 1t. The fact is that un-
| der high license we should have the came
human nature to deal with as under prohi-
bition, and there would be the same temp
tation for liquor sellers TO violate the law
and for the officers Of the law to overlook
| the violation.
In thus stating the case, we are raising
no opposition to the proposed referendum,
and we are not "afraid to ask the people. ="
We suppose 1t would be a good tonic for
the moral sentiment of the state to have
the question brought up and discussed and
looked squarely in the face. We doubt
very much whether there is a majority OF
the people Of the state who, however they
may theorize and however they may feel
that the present operation of our prohibit
tory law is a farce and a reproach, would
wish TO make it possible for every COM
munity In the state 10 have a moral pest
hole in the shape Of an open and legalized
liquor shop in operation within its limits.
We suspect that better method Of pub
lie education would be for everybody TO
take hold in earnest and have our present
law enforced vigorously and without fear OF
favor for two years, and then let legislation
be enacted one way or the other as public
sentiment might then direct. We should
be perfectly willing TO abide by this test.