Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-10-10
GOV McCULLOUGHs ADDRESS
Delivered at His Inauguration in the Joint
Session OF the Legislature at Montpelier
Friday Morning His Views on Temperance
Legislation, Primary Elections Good Roads
and Revenues

In opening his inaugural address be-
fore the joint session of the Legisla
ture Friday morning, Gen John G,
Mccullough dealt at some length on
the growth Of Vermont from its first
settlement, its first Constitution and
upon other matters of historical inter
est to the state. Passing TO practical
matters, he made recommendation as
follows:
While keeping your appropriations
safely within your revenues. | bespeak
for all the state institutions, for your
whole educational system, your com
mon schools, your normal schools, your
colleges and universities, your libra
ries, for your soldiers home, your
boards Of agriculture and health, for
your insane asylum, your industrial
school, your house of correction, your
state prison. just and liberal treatment
Wisely and generously administered,
such institutions are the best evidences
of an advanced and advancing ciy,liz-
alton.
Temperance Legislation.
The verdict Of the freemen of the
state on September , last was in favor
of the General Assembly claiming a
local option and high license law and
submitting the same to the people for
their adoption or rejection. This duty
will require the very best effort and
the most intelligent consideration of
the members of the assembly. For 30
years prohibition has been the policy
of the state.
The mandate comes up now from the
people to their Legislators commanding
them to formulate and to submit to
them for their decision some other
system. This is the Anglo Saxon. the .
American method. II is the rule of
the majority. And primarily on this .
subject it must be borne in mind that
all sumptuary legislation must be sup
ported by public sentiment to be effect
ual. In framing a statute the General
Assembly will have the benefit of the
legislation on the subject of eight or
ten of the other states. Experience is
-he very best guide.
In every state the difficulties arising
rom the United States internal reve-
lue laws, from the freedom of inter
state commerce. guaranteed by the in
7ernatIonal constitution, and from the
medicinal and industrial demand for
alcohol, will always embarrass the en-
orcement of any law. Different states
md different parts of the same state
nay require different treatment. I'm /
ike most of the states. Vermont has
ew manufacturing or large municipal
ties; the great majority of her towns
ire rural and agricultural.
Massachusetts is more nearly similar
o Vermont than any other state and
rom her legislation, probably more
aluable suggestions will be derived
han from any other source. But in
he legislation of no one state only. '
hould we look for the wisest and best i
and those most suitable to ;
he circumstances of those of our peo-
lie.
In any local option or license system, :
{ is worthy of consideration whether ,
he vote on license or no license should ,
Re taken in any town or municipality
ftener than once in three or five {
ears: whether it should not be taken !
t elections specially called for that +
purpose and not at any regular cleo I
ion, state or local: whether if license 6
re voted. it would not be wise to re- I
uire the petition of majority of the
holders in any block or square a
f a municipality before issuing a Ii j
ense: whether ma jority of the legal t
oters of any town or subdivision of Q
ity should not be allowed to remon- t
trate against licensing or continuing C
be license of specified person: a
'hether any license should be granted e
Or more than a year: whether the k
lumber of licenses where authorized n
hould not be limited to one for every i
900 inhabitants and prohibited with t
4 limited distance of any church, i:
,hool house, theater, opera house, fl
ublic building, park or other public n
lace: whether all licenses should not E
e required to give ample bonds and il