Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-25
THE PRESENT CRISIS
Continued from 5th page.)

prOhibitOry' law. This is why the WHOLE
sale liquor dealers everywhere want 1t
enacted; why thcy--if what is creditaby
reported Is true-have contributed one
hundred thousand dollars to the high Ii
censc campaign in this State; why they
are trying to have repealed the prollioi-
tory law in the three northern New Eng
land States. Under the proposed high IL
cense law the State by receiving the IL
censc becomes a partner in the sale of
the dcbasing drink. This is very objec-
tionable. Pauperism insanity and crime
are not the only burdens intemperance
brings upon community. Any one VINO
examines into the primary cause of di-
vorces will find that intempcrance Is such
cause Of more than one-haif the divorces.
Parents divorced where intemporance is
the primary cause. usually have children,
and are without property. The children
are deprived of steady home, lose the
care and control of one parent, drift and
float in community, supply the poor houses
the reform school, and become recruits
to the criminal class. They come to feel
that every mans hand is against every
man. Then. too. intemperance shortens
the lives of those who become slaves of
the drink habit How many bright, gen.
erous and otherwise useful persons. who
would he helpful to society, can every
ono count up. who have by the drink habit
cut short their lives. when otherwise they
would be at the height of usefulness. Half
or moro of the murders are committed by
persons who have no malice against the
murdered person. and who commit the
murderous act while intoxicated. The his
tory of murder trials in this State for the
last go years will more than establish this
statement
Tho worst feature OF the drink habit is
that 1t destroys the power of the will.
The man cannot resist the temptation
to drink He will give you his solemn
bat n tp1f
promise would he sacred and kept. If
given on any other subject. He intends
to keep It when he gives 1t. but will be
drunk in an hour II temptation offers.
What can more belittlc man in his own
estimation than to realize that he is not
bigger than q glass of whiskey? This Ia
one OF the saddest results of the habit.
The proposed high license law would en-
courage it's formation. True II forbids
the sale of intoxicating liquor to minor
and the convicted drunkard, but it may
he sold to him until the habit has become
Irresistible. What n mockery. Better
not start the fire. than to kindle it, and
commence to auench it after the house Is
burned up; after the mans power Of self
control is gone. his physical. intellectual
and moral nature paralyzed, and he Is
out of normal conditions. Man under
the influence Of intoxicating liquor is a
man out of gear! The human system is
| usted piece of mechanism known to man.
| Intoxicating liquor surely throws it out
of rear. and renders its action abnormal.
| II is shown in the staggering walk, silly
| tongue, uncertain action of the brain, in
| the exercise of judgment, of will rover: in
determining what is right or wrong. No
deicately adjusted machine can be run
| out of gear without receiving permanent
| injury. He can survive on the average,
| only certain number of DRINKS Every
| drunk diminishes his life force. Softening
| OF the brain, insanity, epilepsy. idioCy
| follows and is transmitted from parent
to child to the third and fourth gener-
| alton
| When stranger presents himself to a
skilled surgeon demanding a critical, dan
eerous surgical operation. the surgeon at
once inquiries whether the applicant has
been in the habit of using Intoxicating
| liquor. If so. he knows and will tell him,
If he tells him anything that the danger
is increased. because the mans vital
forces have been thereby diminished.
Why should the State of Vermont become
partner in the sale of Intoxicating liquor
to its citizens, and thereby diminish their
vital forces, and shorten their lives? The
control of its sale by the State arises from
an exercise through the Legislature of
the police power That power should
always be exercised by the legislative
branch to secure the greatest good to
the greatest number. Can this be done
by substituting the proposed high license
| local option law for the prohibitory law?
The women of Notable age would nearly
| unanimously vote against such substitu-
| ton. What answer will the male voters
return to the question propoundcd by
the Legislature? It is urged that each
municipality should be allowed to deter
mine for itself annually by vote whether
| intoxicating liquor shall be sold in it for
a beverage during the coming year. be-
cause its voters will enforce the law fav-
ored by their votes. There was some
| force in this contention 20 years ago Then
each municipality was a kingdom within
Itself managed its own affairs. and had
| hut limited dealings with neighboring
municipalities. This is wholly changed
the business OF the State is transacted II
a few of the larger municipalities along
the railroads. There they sell their pro-
duets and purchase their supplies. Fol
business purposes, town. city and county
lines are oblterated The local option
feature furnishes but slight protection t.
the Inhabitants of II municipality which
votes no license If the principal town al
which il transacts its business votes
license. 1t Is affirmed that the voters il
most of these large municipalities. the
centers of business, will vote license. Il
true what becomes of their boast OF
maintaining the highest civilization? Il
true it is a sad commentary on the fail
ure of large municipalities to govern
themselves wisely and well. In these the
young men and young women gather
for employment in places OF business. II
railroads, in manufactures, in hgf
schools and in colleges. II these all ar,
to vote annually for license, it will b,
practically license for the whole State
The whole community will be corrupted
by the open saloons, hotel bars and othel
bars. Under existing conditions local op
ton furnishes but slight protection to thu
inhabitants Of municipality which vote,
no license. The interests OF tho nhabi
tants of all the municipalities in the Stat,
will be affected deleteriously. II only
part of them vote license. One law should
prevail in them all The State has jus
undergone one high license campaign. TIL
! sober minded, intelligent voters are no
proud of it. Not every high license vote
is cursed with the drink habit but ever!
one who has the drink habit and every
one who wishes to engage in the uncon
scionable traffic for gain is a high licens
man, The temperance men of the Stat
could reason and plead with its own citi
zens of this class until they were turne,
| from the error of their ways. Shall tn,
temperance men OF the State annually b.
called upon to combat the money of tn
liquor dealers OF tho nation, who will pou
out money freely and work vigorousl.
, early and late for high license loca
option law or for votes for license unde
it because it will increase the traffic an,
. add to their uncomfortable gains?
they would not have to fight this battl
over each year with the high license ctti
} nf q IN nj nod hNrt l,n IL,