News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-04-17
LOCAL OPTION.

formation upon any topic OF speclal
Importance and therefore we give
herewith an article in which the evils
of local option ale set forth:
Some of our fello w-citizens want to
change the existing statute OF Yer,
mont and substitute for it Local
Option License Law. The Local
Option " is, to some minds, an entlc-
ing caption. 1t implies that the
people may have, want'to have and
ought to have, a chance to decide
whether they would like to have
places in their midst open for all
who would to satiate their appetltes
for drink. Some of them think that
it is hardship that the "selt-respeet'
ing" as they think themselves to be,
cannot have the privilege to drink II
they want to. They do not think OF
those whose appetite is already a
cultivated power and to whom there
ought not to be an open temptation
in the community; nor do they think
of that other class, the young and
uninitiated, to whom surely there
ought not to be allowed any alluring
temptations. Nor do they think,
Christians tho they be, even of a
high official sort, to whom it is be-
coming that they should give an ex-
ample of the Christ virtue of self-de-
NAL, even unto death, if need be, as
their Master and Lord did, in things
pertaining to the flesh and to the
spirit. Furthermore | say they do
not seem to regard it OF any special
Importance that, in the interest Of
morals in the community or state,
there should be no legal approval of
institutions out of which it Is admit
ted evil in large Proportions come.
The question of local option should
be considered from the broadcast and
deepest Christian principles by Chris
tian people and Christian representa-
tives and leaders. AS for those
who are outside of that category,
they may consider the question from
the basis of natural laws and natural
morality, if they desire, and we would
join them there in issue orr in harmony
as the case might be. But for Chris
tan men it would seem that they
might consider the question from the
principles of Christ, whom they pro-
TESS to follow and whom they &C.
knowledge as absolute authority in
all realms of principles and conduct.
The question indeed, admits of dis
cussion on the rock principle ofright.
If there be such a principle it is al
most folly to dabble with mere ex-
pediences. Is it right for Christian
people, or for citizens outside of all
Christian consideration, to license
liquor traffic? The question will
never be settled as permanent fact
of CIVILIZATION until that question Of
right is settled. am oldxSgalgkA,
remember when some men ~ VEd a. j
slavery was right. We could not
readily find men who would so reason
to-day. Is it not possible that the
time will come when men will as uni.
versally see that it is not right to Ii.
cense the liquor traffic? l for one be.
lieve so.
The question may be stated in
form of logic, dangerous as it il
to put questions in that form. The
liquor traffic is benefit to the state
The state has a right to approve
whatever is of benefit. Therefore
the state has right to license the
liquor trafficl But suppose it bt
shown that great evils are always in
cident to the state in the liquor
traffic, has it then a right to license
it? Or, to take the matterin another
way. If the Liquor traffic is benefit
to the state why should the STATE
license it at all? If it is benefit why
put any restrictions upon it? Why
not foster it, give it bounties even tC
make it's benefits larger? Now. i,
the liquor traffic an educational, q
moral, a financial, religious benefit
to the state? Has anybody YET
written a book to prove it so? Mer
did write books and used the Bible
as support of their argument il
favor of the rightness, even the divine
right, of slavery. Why can't thu
liquor traffic get some Doctor of Di
vinity or some Bishop to do SINH
lar service for it? If the liquor traffi,
has a right to be it has right to b,
at least free and on equality with al
other sorts of business. If | believed
as some of my fellow citizens seem t.
do, would fight for the freedom O
the liquor traffic from all restraints
If on the other hand the lquo
traffic, in the form of licensed saloon
or licensed sale for any use othe
than medicinal, chemical or sacra
mental, is a source of evil, then i
ought not to be allowed and thestat
ought not to secure any profits from
, it by fees, by fines or otherwise
Surely all will assent to the PROPOSE
: ton that the state ought not to pu
} restriction on a beneficial traffic, no
, share in the profits of an evil traffic
lest in either case the state itself b
immoral. 1t must also in a Republi
: be assumed that the people will no
approve of a traffic which is, in an
measure, in the nature of the traffic
an injury to themselves.
1t may also be assumed that
state ought not to be divided in il
policies, some sections for and som