Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-25
WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS SAY.
Various Suggestions for q License Law
Some OF the Chief Considerations
to Be Taken into Account.
O'rom the vergennes Enterprisc)

in framing high license law, with local
option provisions, is practicability. No law
loaded down with manifold PROVISIONS
amendments and penalties will ever prove
of useful and effective service to the state
Simplicity is a prime necessity in such 4
law. Let us therefore look over some OF
its prime necessities.
In the first place. the amount of the IL
cense will be determined upon by the COM
mittce. 1t Is probably mpractcable to adopt
one unvarying scale OF license fees. What
would be a high license in st. George would
constitute free rum in Burlington, with its
larger population and more extended bust
ness. Some system of computing the rate
of license upon unit of population will un-
doubtedly be adopted and incorporated in
the law in n practical fashion.
Druggists license will he another prob
lem. 1t would he the height of injustice
to Charge druggist as big license as a
hotel keeper, and yet a merely nominal fec
might result in host of fake drug stores
springing up about the State. Some happy
medium with sensible provisions must be
secured for tho case of the retail druggist
who Is compelled to use and sell certain
amount of liquor in his prescription bust
ness.
The local option feature will require some
care and study 1t is. We believe the general
wish of everyone that this matter be left
in the control cf the town or municipality.
According To the understanding we have
of local option. this principle must be vot
ed upon at every March meeting at which
time each town shall vote for or against
granting license during the coming year.
This will be Incorporated in "A properly
framed license law
The number of licenses in n community
ought to be regulated absolutely by the Sc
lectmen or city council. In fact. in some
of the best regulated license communities
in Ontario, the city councils have the risht
TO say that no licenses shall be granted. or
vice versa. This, however, would hardly
coincide with American ideas of popular
government The general oversight of the
traffic ought unquestionably to be vested
with tho municipal government Com
plants should come before them, they
must have the power to revoke licenses.
etc. In short, in all except the one partcu-
lar of voting license or no license, the rule
of the city council should be supreme.
Penalties will be comparatively unknown
under properly regulated license law.
mat is to say tho rcvoking of license
for which a man has paid large sum of
money. Will operate, in most cases, to pre-
vent infraction of the law. Provisions will
be made undoubtedly. for the protection
of minors. hahitual drunkards and incapa-
blcs with the cancellatin of a license as
a penalty. Sunday regulations and tho
placing Of Narrooms next the street will
undoubtedly come into the practical rh lses
OF the law both Of which are prvsons
sadly needed in any community.
\ still further suggestion. which, how
ever is not likely to meet with much SCI
rious consideration. is the purity Of liquors
me state board Of health might be cmpow-
cred to inspect all liquors sold in tho
state and penalties might he exactad for
the ourNeNance of poisonous or adulterat-
ed goods. If the wholesale liuuor de II RS
were to cooperate in this respect, both the
Of ,ieyl,
ne Drought under a practical surveillance
Altogether, the framing of practical
Incense law is matter of considerable mo-
rent and ought not to be entrusted 10 ;r-
responsible" or reckless legislators The
best brains and most level heads of the
General Assembly may be well occupied
with study and production of a proper and
practical measure
The Vote for the Referendum Quar-
whelming-The Bill to Be Submitted
to the People.
Grom the Randolph Herald1
II is realized on all sides that the one Sc
rlous task confronting the LEGISLATURE
ABOUT 10 assemble Is the framing and pass
age of a high license-local option act. to
De submitted to the voters of the State of
vermont for their acceptance or rejection
Both the regular republican and Clement
conventions declared in favor of such an
act and almost $1,000 of the nearly 20 0O
votes cast in the recent convention second
ed the request in a way that no Legisla-
ture or legislator would be justified in dis
regarding.
But neither the conventions nor the vot
ers undertook to prescribe the exact ma
| turc OF the local option act to be submitted
| Ihat task Is left to the constitutional.
iaw-making body. The general assembly
VIII take 1t up and doubtless will give it
! l1l fall