Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-12-25
An Open Letter.

To Town Of1clals and ReDnblio
Voters of Orange County. S''DAn
GENTLEMEN The recently enao..,
high license-local option law CALI -
a special town meeting 10 be NJ
Tuesday, February Sd, to register ro ~
approval or disapproval Of the law ~
voting Yes or "No.n y
This special town meeting is 10 h.
called md governed under the rnlo.
and regulations governing a Free
mans meeting. This means ~,
selectmen must post a checklist y
least 80 days before such meeting
that the board of civil authority mgs,
revise and correct same, ballot clerss
must be appointed and the Australia
ballot system used.
COnstables must warn the meeiines
have warning recorded, and preside !,
such meetings in short, observe an
the details OF a Freemans meeting
Ballots are to be furnished by the seS
eral county clerks. The warnlng
should state the hour when the ballol
box will be turned. Officials sho1a
safeguard this meeting so that not
single voter in Orange county shall he
barred from approving or disapproy.
inc this new high license law.
A vigorous attempt was made dur.
ing the recent session TO amend the
present prohibitory law by eliminating
some Of its Objectionable features III
attempt was followed by failure.
An attempt was made to enact
state dispensary system. with liberal
local option and restricted license
features; this system met its defeat.
An attempt was also made 10 substi.
tute a straight referendum; another
failure.
In all these measures the Democrats
and Clement high-license members
were found voting almost solidly for
this high license measure and against
the Ross amendments to the prohibi.
tory law and the straight referendum.
In our recent election, Orange
county cast $500 votes. Clement had
1871, McGettrick had 53s. both had
1863 these were presumably nearly
all in favor Of high license. McCni.
Tough had 1915 votes, Sherburne had
276 votes. both had 2l91; presumably
nearly all opposed TO high license.
Surprising the above estimate Is ap-
proximately correct, then Orange
county, on the basis OF the last Sep
TENDER vote. had a majority Of about
800 opposed to high license.
In the recent legislative contest
over liquor measures, all the Republl-
can senators and members from
Orange county, save one, supported
the state dispensary system (Battell
bill) as against the high license sys
TEN, believing that both the measure
and its straight referendum fulfilled
the pledge of the Republican party
And answering only for myself, the
more | study the state dispensary sys-
TEN. the better | like IL, and the more
am | convinced that it is best suited to
Vermont conditions.
Should a majority of the voters vote
mo- on Tuesday, February Sd, then
We have the prohibitory law M
changed. in which event | hope the
legislature of 1904 viii enact, TO take
effect from its passages clean, straight
state control nquOr law, WhlCh VIII
have no provision in il for an "Open
saloon
Ii you favor a law which permits
seven classes OF licenses. ranging
from $40 for a druggist TO $1,000 for 3
wide-open saloon; II you think the
interests OF Vermont are better served
by such law vote Yes otherwise
vote mo
Voters Of Orange county, be either
bird or fish and 90 to the polls on
Tuesday, February Sd. and show your
colors. Good citizenship requires this
much of you.
Respectfully,
HORACE W. BAILEY,
Orange County member OF the State
Republican Committee.
W. nAa NO