The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-03
Vermont's Prohibition Experience.

Springfield (Mass) Republican.
 It was just fifty years ago that that State, following the example of Maine, enacted a prohibition law. That was time of extreme reaction from the loose habits of liquor-using long prevailing. Drinking had been common among all classes of people in New England as without a supply of spirits-rum, gin and brandy. Rum was served to the work men in the field. It was plentiful at all social functions, no matter how genteel. The clergy drank about as freely as the laity. There was rum at church as- semblages as well as at barn-raisings. The traveller or the visitor was slighted when not rendered warming glass. And then this free and demoralizing use Of intoxicants eliminated Reaction came and a wave of temperance sentiment swept over the country. It at first found expression ilS the organization of societies and movements for voluntary abstinence of the ''teetotal' kind, the rum-seller be- ing regarded as product or ef1ect or SO cial conditions, and not cause. By lSoO the movement had entered upon the com pulSory stage, which aimed especially at the manufacture and sale of liquor. The Maine law was enacted in 1851, and Yer mont followed in 1852.
 Nowhere, not even in Maine, was pro- htbition made more effective than in Yer mont. The State was without any large
 towns the drift of population was against
 1t, and in non-growing rural section
 the policy naturally found It's most favorable field for enforcement. But even
 here it has long been recognized about as much protection as a reality. It be-
 gan by conceding to alcoholic spirits
 medicinal virtues which admitted of their sale through public agencies, and where
 this was the case the illicit use and sale
 of intoxicants were to be expected. Given
 a demand for liquor and the supply was
 sure to be forthcoming. Legal prohibition sought to strike at the supply without touching the matter of demand, expecting that the demand would disappear after long and close restriction upon supply. But this expectation has not been fulfilled.
 The situation has not improved as the years have passed. The town liquor agen- cies have in cases become mere public dispensaries Illicit selling has more and more abounded, particularly in the cities and larger towns. Not long ago GOV nor of the State figured more or less in- directly as a defendant in a case of prose-
 cution for illegal liquor selling. Thus while prohibition operated doubtless to restrict the traffic, it rendered the same more demoralizing; and no feature of the recent canvass for control of the State convention has been more prominent than the free use of intoxicants at the caucuSeS. even on behalf or the pronlDl- ton candidate.
 So when Percival w. Clement of Rut-
 land, believed that public sentiment had become about ripe for a reconsideration of this policy. and set out to put the mat ter to a test. the event proves that he
 reckoned accurately. He obtained more delegates on this issue than the prohibi-
 ton candidate, and made such further demonstration of strength to wiring from Republican convention, where prohibition has always heretofore lived in entire security. plank practically in- structing the next Republican Legislature
 to refer to popular vote the question of
 substituting high license and local op-
 ton law for the present policy. How the people of Vermont will vote on that question remains to be seen. But it is of no small significance that decision has
 been reached to refer the subject to them.