Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-09-13
Randolph Continued.
(Continued trom last pace
Mud or Macadam /!

Mud or Maeadam!
Mr.. EDIToR:-I would like to bring
before the readers of your valuable paper
few simple thoughts that have been
pressing themselves upon me OF late; but
more deeply since our Freemaris meeting
last Tuesday. One would think that an
epidemic of feeble mindedness had struck
the town OF Randolph, when we consider
the precedence and preference that the idea
OF high license seemed to take in the
minds OF the people, as seen by the infor-
NAL action taken upon that question by
the voters OF the town. II is plain to any
man who has eyes that see, that the leaders
OF high license have been rallying their
forces in pantomime for the last few weeks
in anticipation Of a chimerical victory
I that could be used to instruct our repre-
sentative to vote for a license measure at
the legislature this fall.
The vote was not fairly taken, especially
I II considered from moral point Of view
i You, that have nothing at stake in the
matter, have no moral right to vote in a
rum shop to tempt my boys into drinking
habits that make the one fatal flaw in
their nature that leads to their ruin.
/ hope il there is an advocate OF high license
who is the father OF a family OF growing
boys, that be will reply to this article, as
] have never happened to see him.
One reason why the vote went as It did
was the inaction on the part Of the tenn
perance people. They think the world is
in perverse ana hopeless condition, and
they fall back and let things drift. A
little more sleep, a little more slumber, a
little more folding Of the hands to sleep,
and when they wake and find things have
gone wrong, they will hold few lamen-
tation caucuses on the corner OF the street,
and then fall to the rear without life
enough to hope. The reason political and
social conditions are what they are, is
a L.
prefer to put them into lamentations, and
those who have the low ideals put them
into action, and elect their men to office.
There are eight words that form a sem
tence in an old book that used to be called
the wisdom OF Solomon; but in later times
seems to have become obsolete ana for
gotten, which describe in a very concise
and mastery manner, the class OF men
who support open bars in the state OF
Vermont. They are these: "a wicked
doer giveth heed to false ipsn
That means you, who for your own
convenience, want to license free rum and
open bars, and who are so easily per-
suaded by such arguments as are found in
the Montpelier Argus and Rutland Herald.
have never seen a just and honest criti-
eism OF the prohibitory law. Those who
attempt it are out of their reckonings
and instead OF the law they are censuring
their own weak and selfish Interpretation
OF il.
No, | am not satisfied with the result |
OF the vote last week Tuesday. The
voters OF Randolph were in an excited |
mood. They were not under any settled /
conviction. Their mind was in a tumble /
They had not reached the perspective. 7
You remember the story OF the poor /
woman who importuned King Philip to |
grant her justice, which Philip refused.
The woman exclaimed, 81 appeal The /
king asked to whom she appealed. She
replied, "From Philip drunk to Philip |
sober" And so | appeal from Randolph |
false to Randolph true, and II IL were /
possible to have another trial by vote,
think Mr.. Mcintyre would go to Mont
pelier and not feel that he was represent
ing high license town.
LYMAN F. FARRAR.
This is the first criticism we have heard
of the fairness OF the test ballot and II Mr..
Farrar is serious about it he will not find
many to support his judgment on this
point.
As to his quarrel with the verdict, we
have nothing to say except that motives
ought not to be questioned without good
reason, and it is as fair to those who voted
for license to ascribe their action to honest
conviction as il is to take the same view
about those who voted for prohibition.
Randolph is not a "rum town." and not
q large number voted in response TO
appetite, rather than Judgment, especially
as the test meant nothing.
The result passes for what II is worth,
we presume, with Representative Nc
Intyre. Ii does not obligate him in any
way. II Mr.. Farrar wishes to make sure
Of his vote for prohibi,ion-Mr Mcintyre
has already stated his preference for the
present law over license he should get up
petition for a special town meeting to
Instruct him on the meter, as the town
has right to do That would settle Il
definitely. and the HERALD knows that
Mr. Mcintyre would welcome such