The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-11-21
Prohibition That viii Not Prohibit,

prohibition That VIII Not Prohibit,
Stripped of its pretensions, its great
array of delusive safeguards, its local
option and referendum subterfuges, the
bill for the regulation of the liquor
traffic now before the Legislature is
measure for the free sale of liquors of
all kinds to be used as a beverage, a
bill for the public provision of liquors
to iced an appetite. Its purpose is to
make liquor eAsier to obtain and to give
the distillers, the wholesale dealers and
the retailers larger opportunity to en-
rich themselves by debauching their
fellow men. Excluding conscientious
men whose purpose would be right if
their minds were fully Informed and
their judgment clear, the bill can be
favored only by the interested classes
in question.
The restraints it is proposed to place
upon the traffic, the fines and penalties
provided for disregarding the prohibit
ions of the bill, utterly condemn trade
in Intoxicating liquors to feed an appe-
tite. Ii it were proposed to permit the
sale or exhibition of rattlesnakes, ad-
ders, scorpions and all venomous rep
tiles, the safeguards planned for the
protection of the community round
about the locality of the loathesome
traffic could hardly be more rigid. The
judgment of all well regulated minds
would be that the commerce which re-
quirs such elaborate provision for the
protection of community would best
be utterly prohibited.
Who would be the men who would
apply for the privilege of embarking in
the business this bill proposes to legal.
izeP Would they be the men who
would be chosen as the guardians or
councillors of youth, the administra-
tors OF estates or trustees of funds, the
executors of wills, school directors or
superintendent, managers of business
affairs7 Would they be the men in
any community Of recognized charac-
ter and high standing as citizens? The
dangerous nature of the traffic and its
imminent perils to society, which the bill
in question fully recognizes, would seem
to indicate that if any one were to be
licensed to deal in the stuff he should
be man of the highest integrity, the
wisest discrimination and unquestioued
moral responsibility. Is the typical
rumseller, licensed or unlicensed, in
any place, here or elsewhere, in the
city or country, man of this stamp?
Or is he quite another being? Is not
the trade it is proposed to legalize of
such an odious and abhorrent character
that good men shun it as they would
the devil? Why should the State con-
slider for an instant proposal to legal
ize business of this kind and license
the men it naturally attracts to engage
in it? Every consideration of morality
and wise public policy cries out against
the proposition.
1t is true that the bill makes show
of protecting society against the injuri-
GUS consequences of the indiscriminate
sale of liquor. For example, licensees
must not sell to minors or common
drunkards. They may make common
drunkards by the wholesale, but after
this they must have no further dealings
with the alumni Of their saloons. Will
the minor or the common drunkard
therefore go thirsty? The bill,i II it
becomes law, would allow licensees
to sell liquors Of all kinds in quantities
of less than five gallons at one sale.
They could sell liquor by the pailfull, in
bottles, little brown jugs or demijohns,
to be taken away from the saloon. The
minor with sprouting appetite for
drink, the common drunkard, the for
hidden of any other class, has COM
rades not within the prescribed circle.
They could buy the liquor, even if the
saloon keeper had qualm of con-
science and refused to sell direct; the
minors developing taste would be nour-
ished and the inebriate's burning
thirst would still be quenched. The