St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-03-05
Prohibition VS.. High License in st
JOhnsbury.


Rev. George W. Hunt delivered the first
of three addresses on the liquor question
at Grace Methodist church Sunday even
ing. The subject was: prohibition or
High License; which will best serve the
Commercial, Social and Religious inter
ests of St. Johnsbury." The speaker said
in part:
"The liquor evil is ever present and
will continue as long as evil IN any form
exists. The question is, how may 1t be
the most thoroughly restrained, so as to
do as little harm as possible. This IS Il
ouestion that is being agitated IN Yer
mont and much discussed in our com
munity. The speaker declared himself a
prohibitionist fIom principle, but as
ready to admit that many honest people
did not agree with him, and that Tor
such he had respect. But tor those who
only advocated license for selfish interests
he had no apology. He first called at
teution to the fact that to license the sale
OF liquor was to legalize it, give 1t legal
rights which would be protected by law
1T may be disreputable, ruinous, de-
grading, still it is legalized business
il NAV take bread from the table, cloth
ing from the body, fuel from the home,
still it has the protection OF the law
License it is claimed, will "regulate" it,
but the license law as a regulator has
been tried for scores of years and has
everywhere failed. The facts are not
CHANGED when made High License, y
with license fees running from $500 to
$1,000. and all called high license, it is
evident and it is not yet settled as to
what constitutes High License"
License in St. Johnsbury means about
$1,000 license fees for the town treasury,
and one hundred thousand dollars tor
the support of the saloons. From whom
will this money eventually come? From
our merchants in unpaid bills or de-
creased sales.
"If the Scale Works should shut down
for two months, would not the loss OF
two months pay be ielt by the mer-
chants? If an amount equal to two
months paw at the scale works should go
into the saloon keepers tllls would not
the merchants feel the loss! In touch
ing upon the local option" idea, the
speaker said.
is not st. Johnsbury interested in
those who live outside the town? We
are commercially. Would towns six to
ten miles from us having license, though
this town voted No, be a greater source
OF revenue to our merchants, through be-
ing licensed towns? Would they be more
safe for our Young men to visit p
Some people say, SALOONS would be a
drawing card for the place" Yes, l
have sci their drawing power, but may
God pity St. Johnsbury when it uses the
licensed saloon for drawing card"
Socially he spoke OF the effects
OF the saloon upon the women and chill
dren. The mothers would soon settlet the
question il they had chance to vote
upon it. THE saloon ever lovers the
moral tone of society. It's the great Toe
to all religious work.
He closed by saying: While prohibl.
ton may not wholly prohibit, yet If ever
called on to vote upon the question, hrst
draw two pictures, one OF a man selling
illegally, in feariulness and trembling, III
some dark corner, knowing that ii he is
detected, punishment will surely follow
and another picture OF an open, licensed
saloon with polished bar, window full
of varied colored liquors, smiling bar
tender to entice the weak and unwary
with sign in gilt letters over the bar
Opened for business by vote OF the vot
ers OF St. Johnsbury." Transfer the two
pictures to cards, and before you vote
decide which of the two you would pre-
Ter to send out as an advertisement o
the attractiveness of st. Iohnsbury as
place of residence, as AN invitation to
people to come here to reside.