Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-05-29
BRATTLEBoRo, THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1902,
THE Days of Prohibition Are Numbered.

peared in the Reformer. What was
then barely treated as "blutf' is now
recognized to be disappointing fact.
Out of the 16 states that adopted pro
hibition when the idea was new and
attractive, Vermont is surely headed
to follow the eleven others who have,
in the light of experience, discarded
it as erroneous, even vicious, in princl-
pie and impracticabe of execution.
There was no remarkable wisdom IN
the Reformer's prediction, when made,
though it happened to be alone in 1t.
All that was needed was an interpre-
tation of the plain figures in dozen
different towns, large and small, where
test votes had been taken with one
uniform result. Our only error was in
conceding too much strength to prohl-
bition, which accommodating evidence
indicates to embrace but small frac-
ton of the people, and fraction that
constantly dwindles under thought
and discussion. What happened in
Brattleboro Saturday is only what will
happen, is happening, everywhere the
subject is stirred up The majority
against prohibition has existed for
years; simply here, as elsewhere, in
the stagnation of our one-sided poll
tics, it has not had expression. The
dwindling of prohibitions strength is
shown by comparison with the test
vote of November, 1890, when it had
43 per cent of all cast. Adding 400
Democrats to the Clement vote of Sat
urday, Mccullough and Proctor to-
gether had little less than 411a per
cent of the whole vote and it is to be
remembered also that a good many
al-optionists voted for these candi
dates because before pledged or for
other reasons. In fact, it is doubtful,
considering everything, if more than
half the Republicans, or much more
than third of all the voters are on
the prohibitory side-and Brattleboro, 1
next to St. Johnsbury, has always
been regarded as the stronghold of the |
idea among the large towns of the !
state. when in fact it has no strong !
hold anywhere, in large towns or
small
OF Democrats 90 out of 100 may be
counted for local option as a necessity !
of their philosophy so we'll summarized |
by Gov. Seymour when he said it |
meant nothing to be done by the fed |
eral government that could with safety |
and justice be left to the states, moth |
ing by states that could similarly be left |
to the towns, or by any power on earth
that could be left to the individual |
without wronging other individuals, |
AS the great Tilden expressed it, con
cretely:
''It is no part of the duty of the state
to coerce the individual man except so
far as his conduct may effect others,
not remotely and consequentially, but by
violating rights which legislation can
recognize and undertake to protect"
Democracy, therefore, believes that
prohibition cannot rightfully go fur
ther as regards the sale of liquor than
to stop such sales, as to minors, con
frmed druDkards, etc, as do mani
testify and directly involve violations
of the rights of others, and that sweep
ing prohibition can only be justified
when experience has shown it to be
impossible otherwise to prevent such
abuses, and of this each community is
the only rightful and competent Judge. 1
To quote Tilden again; while the De I
mocracy
els in favor of sobriety and good
morals it disayowS a system of coercive
Legislation which cannot produce them, t
but must create many serious evils, I
which violates constitutional guaran-
tees and sound principles of legislation,
invades the rightful domain of indi- L
vidual judgment and conscience and /
takes a step toward that barbarian age :
when the wages of labor, the prices of !;
commodities, a mans food and cloth ,
ing were dictated to him by govern l
ment calling itself paternal." t
The opposing theory of government, a
Wing and Republican, con
cedes that the people have right to il,
rule, but believes that the farther :
the power is removed from their di-
rect control, the more power is :,
centralized in nation and state, the
more efficient it will be, the wiser :,
and freer from ignorant passion; while :,
maiorities must rule, the major :.
ity of nation or state is safer, and :,
rather to be sought asa rule of action
than of towns. Many men believe y
and they are the ones that are direct
ing this question, evidently - that g.,
neither theory is one to hold fast by. :,
but as Lord Salisbury says, the policy ;,
to be adopted should depend on the :,
acts and circumstances surrounding :.
Zach question.
''We are all Democrats-we are all Re-
Dublicans" changing names to fit the ii
PRESENT. said the profoundly philo- a
sophie and just-minded Jefferson in ev
lis first inaugural, after perhaps the q
most venomous political campaign the
country ever saw. And so we are as
egards this prohibition question: we pl
liffer only as to the best means of le
eachinp the most of good to society. u