St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-06-04

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fight it out maufully and fraternalIy,
and ultimately solve these problems all
right, there is no doubt.
Mr.. Frost then spoke Of this war OF
ideas being necessary from the presence
oftwo classes. First, the apathetlc who
thought the whole matter was settled as
far as they were concerned in 1852, and
did not realize that in the Slocum law OF
Nebraska in 1881, the first high license
law ever enacted, that new element
had been introduced to the minds OF
thinking men and women. And these
apathctic ones were not prepared to
cone with the new ideas. The second
class was formed of the restless, dlscon-
tented elements who had become dis
gusted bv the abuses connected with the
probibit0rv law. And here, if we do not
mistake, is the danger point of the whole
situation. People are stirred. If at
this iuncture a new champion appears
who appeals to the popular taste by
popular methods he may magnetic and
| hvpnotize them at will. The sense point
| is reached however when the little paper
! ballot comesinto the man hand. There
be pauses. Is this change going to be
for the better? Can l put this which
represents my whole manhood into this
vote? All, we are quick to discern abuses,
but we are slow to change without max
ing sure of our position. There are lots
OF needed changes in our civilization, but
can we improve on that, the seeds OF
which came over in the Maytlower? We
NAV discuss our national constitution,
our social system and our political prin-
cipleS such as protection as against tree
trade. and we get wrought up over de-
fects in these matters, but radically al
tering them is altogether another mat
ter, and is of rare occurrence. Ii | cast
this ballot in my hand for high license,
what does it mean? pause. l must
study, investigate, make sure of my
proofs before | am ready to change.
AS has been said, l am from Maine
If anybody has a right to be disconnected
with the prohibitory law it is a man
from Bangor, Me-, where to a popula-
ton OF twenty-five thousand there are
nearly two hundred places where liquor
If openly sold. But after having lived
eighteen years elsewhere under a license
system, want to say that as citizen
the condition under the prohbitory law
even poorly enforced like that is far pre-
ferable to any low or high license system
that ever has been operated. Mr.. Frost
showed that local conditions cannot
upset great principles. When a man
votes for the prohibition Of the liquor
traffic, in the same way as other evils
are prohibited, something says within
him, that he has done right. But when
a man votes to license the sale of liquors,
and opens the door of destruction to his
neighbors, and becomes rumseller him
self by implication, he does not, cannot
feel satisfied. The man who likes his
glass of beer, pauses often long time
before he will ever actually vote to legis-
late the saloon on his place OF residence.
You do not want me as a young man to
vote Tor what is wrong in principle and
wrong in practice. For license does not
lesson the quantity of liquor sold, and it
is the quantity that does the damage.
1t gives legality to crime and anarchy,
which is confusion. 1t hands our state
over to ring of monopolists and dis
eliminates in favor of a class. 1t cor
rupts our courts and poisons justice
at it's fountain head. And it is no better
enforced than prohibitory laws. We
admit that we want a change, but not a
system like that. What we want is to
direct these restless forces toward better
enforcement of the laws we have. We
are met here by, ut cannot be done"
We must invariably meet this with, 1T
can, it must, it will be done"
A brief review was here given of the
work that has been going on in Maine
steadily preparing the way by the educa'
ton OF public sentiment up to where it
had deeply buried the movement in the
legislature, year ago last winter, to re
peal the present law, and had enforced
the law in Washington county; anc
Cumberland county; and how Andres
coggin county was calling the Rev. c. S
Cummings to be it's sheriff. and Kennebet
county was seeking a clergyman for thu
same office, and the eminently satisiact
ory results to trade and general pros
perity in these parts where the law is be
ing strictly enforced were quoted as prov
ing the sort oil a change we want teai
lessly to advocate. In closing Mr.. Eros
appealed to the people Of st. Johnsbur
to enter into this work that was s
worthy of our united efforts and OF til
results of which we should all be S
proud. We must not bring our chile
r rem up under such inspiring watchword
+ as mo steps backward" and mail you
= colots to the masthead" and Excelsior
t aud then do exactly the opposite, Whe
u we do change it must be for the bette
A and not tor the worse.