Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-12-19
Organization of the Opponents of
An Open Saloon.

An Open Saloon.
Several enthusiastic meetings were
held at Montpelier last week, attended
by prominent members of the legislat
ure and leading citizens from all parts of
the state. at which measures were taken
to organize state association, with
branches in every county, town and
school district, to defeat the license law
February 3, when it is submitted to the
people.
The following declaration of principles
was adopted:
ave, citizens of Vermont, deeply in
terested in all that pertains to the soori-
ETY. and prosperity of her inhabitants,
hereby associate ourselves in the en-
deavor to secure a popular vote against
the high license bill at the coming refer
endum, and declare our belief in the
following statement Of principles;
"1.-The evils of intemptrance today
are more than a question of religious
faith or personal morals; they menace
the integrity of the home, weaken the
effectiveness of the church, and attack
the industrial, commercial and civic life
of our land. We therefore regard it as
possible, and reckon 1t a duty, for all
who are interested in their fellow men
as individuals and as sharers of our So
clal order, to lay aside all prejudice of
religious or political partisanship; to
ignore differences of conscientious view ;
as to total abstinence; and to meet on
the common platform of an aroused and
unselfish citizenship for the defeat of the
license law, lately passed, at the refer
endum next February.
"2.-We understand the modern liquor
saloon to be any place where private
capital, in the hope of large returns,
seeks to carry on dram selling in cou-
necton with social resort and for the
conservation of political power Its
only endurable feature Is the satisfaction
of craving for social pleasure which
a long and varied experience with the
saloon, In our own and in other lands,
has demonstrated the truth of the follow
ing propositions: The saloon is PERM
cious in its essential character and in its
inevitable influence; it causes the de-
probation of surrounding property
withdraws money from legitimate ave
nues of trade, increases drunkenness and
crime, and is the parent of pauperism
1t fails to suppress illegal sales or bottle
drinking; and by reason of its intrench
ment under legal protection it partially
wells its viciousness by a garb of respec
liability, finds ample means for resisting
wholesome restrictions, deties the laws
and debauches officials and defeats :al
efforts to remedy the abuses discovered
in its practical operations.
"3.-In the license law enacted by the
present legislature to 60 into effect al
such date as the people may determine
we recognize the result Of patient and
conscientious labor on the part of able
men who have done their utmost tC
accomplish the impossible task of legal
iZing the saloon and at the same time
protecting the state from its ravages.
We therefore declare that this new law
is a perlous and needless remedy for
whatever unwise legislation has hitherto
existed; sure to bring ills far greater
than any we now suffer. and giving nc
assurance of relief from those which We
now feel We affirm that it is the duty
of the present hour to thoroughly organ.
ize all voters who thus believe, and tC
ceaselessly agtate from now until Feb
ruary 3 next, in every town and city OF
Vermont, in order TO thoroughly expose
the essential error and many unfortunate
details of this license law. TO thi,
united work we invite all believers in the
prohibitory system, whether In its pres
ent or in some modified form, and al
who desire to see the Norwegian or dis
pensary system. Or any similar alterna
tive, receive more careful thought
and all who may discover in the pro
posed law features which make it,
rejection desirable. We utter an urgen
warning against experimenting witt
that which, when once afforded lega
protection, Is sure to find coTrup
and corrupting agencies for maintaining
itself, even against the desire of a ma
iority of our citizens. In urging tho
defeat of the submitted law we do not
commit ourselves to the unqualified
approval of every provision of the pro
hibitOry law, nor contemplate the indie