The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-26

NORTHFIEID Vt. March 25.-N, mont
has O prohbitory law, but with a proviso
shat every city and town within the Com
muuwealth may decide annually by vote
whether there shall be established a town
liquor agency. where liquor shall be dis
pengcd on account Of the town. and at the
discretion Of an official. to be known as the
town LIQUOR agent. but for purposes. as
the law puts il. of medicine and for use
in the arts and sciences. and for no other
purpose whatsoever.
Las, year Mortified, a town Of 5000 peo-
Die. voted for liquor agency. and one was
established. The report OF the liquor agent
al the end u the wear showed that the @.ooo
residents OF the town had speu, more than
s. per capita for liquor or S3.i46. TO be
exact There was a net profit TO the town
" S65O. The report was posted at the town
hall just before the spring town meeting.
March /. and it caused good deal of a
sensation. Likewise IL caused great deal
of gossip and conjecture concerning the
identity Of those who had been the largest
patrons Of the agency.
The farmers declared that it was scan
dalous that so much money should have
been spent for liquor. but as a rule they are
an pretty "furehanded" and the prolt OF
$3.50 was a great comfort 90 them. This
kent Them from voting down the liquor
agency AZ this spring town meeting.
The earnest temperance workers set out
10 defeat the agency and made stlFiHhs
campaign from house 90 house. but ihtIe
were others who harbored a suspicion mat
they might take up with the arts OF
sciences Of some sort who thought the
agency ought TO be maintained. So they
turned out al the town meeting and rallied
with them the llose-fsted farmers. who
were looking for a reduction IN the TAX
rate. 10 vote for UNFOLDING the agency
The leaders OF the absolute prohibition
movement realized the day before the e-ec-
lion that they would be beaten. and 50
they drew up a new article Tor the voter
10 pass upon. and did it so shl fully tAai
the advocates Of the agency played into
their hands and voted for what the
straight-out reformers considered TO be a
compromise The substance Of the new
question was that the liquor agency should
he continued and il added that on e each
month the liquor agent should publish ia
the town weekly the name Of each per-
son who had purchases liquor. and the par
pose Eor which 10 was sold.
Some way. and those advocates VINO
favored the perpetaatiol Of the agency
canno; understand Vet how it happened, il
never occurred 10 them that Ii re might
be unpleasant features connected with the
publication OF the lists. They simply read.
IN many instances the first part Of the
question. saw that il declared for the
agency and voted the whole thing.
The FIRST publication was made last
Tuesday and before night half he town
was talking about the other half. The list
showed that one OF the oldest deacons
had bought three quarts of whisky during
the month. and the agent had simply en-
dorsed his purchase in the official report
as having been made on account OF sick
ness"
The ministers. the ladies OF he W. q.
T. T. ami the other sure enough retormers
who would not touch 4 drop Of liquor even
in sickness regard the publicity features
a. a great triumph for the temperance
cause The Boston liquor agents who
circulate through this state are also elaied.
They saw their sales in NorthHeld have
doubled and even trebled in she month
that the new rule has been in effect, and
il is . fact that more boxes. devoid Of
any inscription giving an inkling % their
contents have been received al tna local
freight Office mostly from Boston since
the town voted for publicity than were
ever handled there in a similar length Of
time.