Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-12-19
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1902.
The Referendum.

ne rNeIeTeHuuHf'
Every voter in Vermont so far as pos
sible should be at the polls on the first ,
Tuesday in February, to vote on the
high license bill submitted to them at
the recent session of the Legislature.
1t is unnecessary for the Register to
say that in its opinion every voter should
vote against this bill. None recognizes
better than this paper the very unsatls-
factory workings of the present prohibit
tory law. For years in the larger towns
the law has been but poorly and spas
medically enforced until the conditions
in this respect have become so bad that
we believe every sensible and right
minded man must see that the time has
come for radical change in our temper
ance legislation.
This does not in the least change the
duty of our voters to kill the high license
bill. which isn't what anyone wants and
would only make bad worse. a bill that
was only possible because from the
peculiar conditions in which the legisla-
ture was elected, many members were
tied up, and so unable to act in accordance
with their Judgment or wishes.
Nor do we think that there will be
any permanent loss in the delay that will
follow its rejection, but rather a decided
gain. For in the decision of a great
question like this, nothing is so desirable
as time for proper consultation and
deliberation, and if after fifty years Yer
mont is to make a change in her temper
ance legistion--and we believe she is
two years is none too long for careful
consideration of the subject. For the
enforcement of any law which legisla-
ture might pass depends upon the public
sentiment back of it, and public senti-
ment is only chrystalized after full dis
cussion. When such discussion has been
had we can depend upon the people to
decide any question about right.
Another thing should be borne In
mnd-thls is not in ANY scLse a party
question. It's great moral question in
which every party is equally interested.
1t is true that hitherto this prohibtory
law has been largely sustained by the re-
publican party, while the democratic party
has ADVOCATED a less restrictive policy in
the sale of liquor; but as all now are
inclined to advocate a less restrictive
policy, they stand in this resi- ect substan-
TALLY alike. Several prominent demo-
Gratis supported the Battell Bill in the
legislature, and more would, only before
their attention was called to such a bill
they were committed to another measure.
In this larger field of the referendum
there can be no such commitments; every
democrat and every republican are alike
free to act.
In the legislature that has lust ad-
ourned, some of the ablest members
were democrats, and some of the most
important bills were introduced by them,
and some of the best work was done
by them on committees and elsewhere.
We might refer to the unquestioned abil-
tiles of the member from Barre. the
member from Guilford, the member
from CastletOn, the member from St.
Johnsbury, the member from Brattle-
boro, the member from Berlin, the
member from Wilmington, the member
from Bristol, and above all to the
member from St. Adams, who made
number of the best speeches of
the session, and one or two of the ablest
we have ever heard in the legislature or
out, notably that on the Communication OF
the sentence of Frank Shaw.
The Register most earnestly hopes that
after the license bill has been defeated in
February the two principal political par
ties will unite on this liquor legisla-
ton, so that substantially the whole
State may stand back of the law
finally enacted. Thus Will Vermont
take the lead of the world in its temper.
ance legislation, determined first, to have
practical and sensible law embodving
the experience of the last seventy-fiye
years upon this subject; and second,
that whatever law it enacts shall be en-
forced.