Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-03-15
PROHIBITION IN WHITE RIVER
JUNCTION.

~ i iCA~.
In a recent issue the White River juno
ton Landmark said:
1T is asserted on the street by men who
are not even moderate drinkers that the
suppression of the liquor traffic In this
village has injured its business to an APP
probable extent. druggist cannot fiji a
physicians prescription for liquor, 10 lie
used in case of illness. without running
the risk Of prosecution. There Is hard
any family but what needs for med cinul
purposes more or less liquor in a year, ana
keeps a little on hand for some suCu
emergency. There are people in Hanover,
iartlnnd, and villages in this town who
used to do all their trading here. Finding
that they cannot get here liquor for in
ternal or external use in case of sickness.
they drive to West Lebanon, whore the
New Hampshire law is not enforced.
wtenelo. they need anything of that kind,
4 the home supply has been used up. Pc
ing in West Lebanon they make all their
purchases there rather than return here
to do the rest of their trading. In this
way. ii is contended the general business
of West Lebanon is increasing and that
of the junction is going down. We give
out any comments"
The above paragraph, it is true Is only
a plain staten ants f facts, with no COM
ment or argument. 1t is, neverthe'o -.
significant, and the friends of temperance
would do well not only to read but to
ponder II.
In the first place. we learn that there
is one place at least in Vermont where
the prohibitory law is enforced to the let
ter. And be it observed that this enforce
ment of the law is not reported from some
back town where such enforcement has
been believed to be a comparatively easy
matter but from a place where the con-
dtions are generally supposed to be such
as TO render the enforcement of pro-
h.bitory law peculiarly difficult, if not abb
sOlutoly Impossible. VIII has been done
at White River Junction can. presumably,
be done in sundry other towns in the
State.
In the second place, the friends of tenn
porance and the supporters OF the pres
ent law can, by little Investigation, get
valuable hints a. 10 some of the means by
which such an enforcement of the law
may he brought about. We are not famil-
lar with all the Influences which are re-
sponsibo for tho present happy condition
OF things in the railroad village on the
Connecticut, but We know that one Of the
chief agencies at work Is States at
torney who is literally supplied with
brains. conscience, back bone. a belief
that he was appointed to enforce the laws
of the State of Vermont and a determine
alton to do his duty without fear or IA
vor. The stoppaGc of the traflfr at White
River Junction the closing OF tn hotels
at Windsor threats to do like Sc at Lud-
low, ana similar occurrences all over
Windsor county show what a capable res
dilute and conscientious official can do even
when he has TO work ofttimes single
handed. II is safe TO say that the work
would have been much more effective than
il Is If those who believe In the Law; and
want TO see It enforced would show a lit
tie more courage in coming up to the help
of those who are charged with the respon-
sibility for the enforcement of the law,
and who are showing disposition to do
the work thoroughly.
The moral is that those who want tho
law enforced should exert themselves to
secure the choice of the right men for
States attorneys and 10 prevent the cleo
ton Of men professionally inccmpetert or
morally unfit. In cvory county probably
there are enough voters and mon Of in
funnce to make sure the selection Of a
man who could he counted unou to do
faithful and efficient work far the en- corce-
ment of the law. il they had ,uvthfnc > ke
an adequate realization Of the importance
of the step. and would lay aside partisan
and other Irrelevant considerations when
these interfere with the ACCOMPLISHMENT
of the end in view. Having nut tho ,t~bi
man in office the next stem obviously is
to rally to his support
In tho third Mace we learn from tho
above paragraph that strict nrohibition AZ
fccts inhirously The business OF the VII
lase Good neonIe from Eanover ava
Hartland seem to prefor 10 Inv their
groceries and rum at the same Mace No
figures are given and of course could
not be. very we'll.
II is difficult however 10 500 bou, tbo
loss can he very serio,,s Certojnly M,
every trader from Hanover and Harvard
wants to buy rum There must he some
who go to buy groceries cIothinq and
other things with no rum (even FOR "a rnuv
use in case OF sickness thrown IN ana
these would he attracted rather th.r 10
pelled bv present condittons And NAV
their number increase II 10 hard,y Ios,
sible that every thirstv or sickIv Trader