Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-07-04
A Fair Test Wanted,

Inc RepuDllcan party OF NeTHlout IL
its state convention adopted and en-
bodied in its platform a plank for a
referendum on the question of high
license and local option law, and agreed
that the sentiment of the public de-
manded such a test. Everybody, eX-
cept portion of Mr.. Clements most
radical followers, seemed satisfied with
this and took the promise of referen-
dunn in good faith, and supposed that
it would be fair test. 1t now looks as
though the promise and the plank were
simply sop, and that the intent lions
of the prohibitionists are to defeat the
bill "by fair means or foul, " as the
story writers say. The Rev. G. w
Morrow, head of the Anti-Saloon
League, has been interviewed and says /;
ut is the plan to have sent to the
legislature just as many men who are
against high-license as possible. There
are many men who, while favoring a
referendum, do not favor high-license.
The high license men will have to APP
pear before three tribunals: the first
will be with themselves in forming a
law suitable alike to the radicals and
conservatives in committee: the sec
ond will be the legislative body, and
the third will be the people. 1t seems
to me that to formulate satisfactory
law for the majority will be the hard
est proposition the adherents of high
license have ever COPIED with. The re-
cent campaign put up by the Antl-Sa-
loon League in Vermont was the most
enthusiastic and widespread of any or
ganized temperance agitation in years.
Its result will be seen at the polls in
September. The League would rather
have Mr.. Clement run. His prestige.
if he ever had any, is weakening and
his own delegates are not standing by
him. -
If what the Rutland News intimates
is true, the situation grows serious.
The News says:
Already it is charged that the mem
bers of the next Legislature will see to
it that most obnoxious license law
one ridiculously low license in its pro-
visions and utterly weak-will be
passed; thus to doubly insure its de-
feat at the polls, This is gratuitous
insult to the character of Vermont Re
publcans and especially to those who
as members of the next state legisla
ture will be under party compact to
carry out the will of the Republicans
in state convention assembled
Rumors like the above will speedily
produce a riot in the ranks and if they
be not true they should be denied at
once The will of the people should
and will rule The people of Vermont
will not stand for chicanery or trick
cry. They have expressed desire for
a referendum and if it is not given
them they will see that high license |
ocal-option law is brought about in
another way. The Rutland News fur
ther says:
"We wish to see the next legislature
pass to the people for their approval or
disapproval the most perfect high Ii |
cense law that can be constructed. 1t T
should be provided that the licenses
be the very highest that are practic-
able. All provisions of the law should |
be modelled after the least objection
able law now in force anywhere. We
want to see fair, square test between
the prohibitory law and the most ac-
ceptable license law that the ingenuity
of lawmakers can produce. 1t is be-
lieved that this is the spirit of the res
olution passed by the state convention.
People want a fair fight between pro
hibition and license. They do not
want sharp practice or trickery to have
any part in the proceedings. There
seems to be no doubt that such stat
ute as is indicated above will be re-
ferred by the legislature to the people
the coming fall. The friends of the
law have, or should have,
to fear as to the result. The
true friends of the present law will
seek to have fair fight on the issue.
The present law, there is no doubt,
can prevail over the best high license I
law that can be brought forward. To
have the fight on the plane suggested
would be of very great advantage to
the prohibitory law. a victory for the
law over the best kind of a high IL
cense law would tend to anchor the
present law. Any chicanery and sharp ,
practice resulting in the passage of an
most weak law would re- t
sum W tlc advantage VI tHe llCeHSe
forces and give them more strength for +
he next battle. The cause of prohibi +
ion has already been injured some {
What by it's friends who have feared I
and worked against the submission of !,
5he law to the people for vote. Let it !
lot be injured more by any attempt to :
void the drawing of lines in fair !
contest now. F"
A fair and square test of an honest 1
ill is all the local-option element =
sks, and if it is not Forthcoming there +
will be the biggest kind of row in n
he Republican ranks. A big fight is |
o be made on both sides for the cap ,
ure of the legislature and it is not at V
II unlikely that the local-option men t