Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1902-12-19

people vote IN favor OF tic euNetAtuAioA
of local option for State prohibition.
There are various details which some in
dividuals ON one side or the other might
desire to modify, but the Legislature did
as well with the referendum as could
anybody made up Of so many schools Of
belief on the liquor question.
Ii is a remarkable fact that our law
makers in some instances seemed to for
get that they were not legislating on the
comparative merits Of license and pro
hibition, but were simply providing
means for the people to choose between
these two methods. Accordingly we
saw some prohibitionists working for |
features of the referendum bill making |
it more likely that license would prevail,
while license advocates in some instances
insisted on features that would tend TO
weaken the chances of the substitution
of license for prohibition. II the advo
Gates of license had been able to agree
upon the suggestions of some of their
number to devise system that would
not include the legalized saloon, the peo-
pie of Vermont would have been much
more likely, in our estimation, to vote
for a change, than they are with the
referendum bill as il stands. However,
the Legislature has done its part, and it
now remains for the people to choose be-
tween prohibition and the local option
license system as it is framed.
Most lovers of clean politics will re-
greet that condition of affairs during the
night session of the Legislature on the
eve of final adjournment which resulted
in the slaughtering in the House of the
conference report in favor of the caucus
bill. The two crying evils of our politi-
cal primaries for number of years have
been the voting of members of one party
in the caucuses of the opposite party and
the purchase of votes in favor of the
nomination of this man or that against
which there is no law.
The Republican party had pledged
itself to pass caucus law, and mas
much as . measure of this character was
| the first to be introduced in the Senate
there was bright outlook for the fulfill
ment of this promise. As the session
dragged itself along more interesting
topics monopolized the attention of the
the case with measures whose consider
alton is left to the closing hours feel
ing of hostility between the two branches
of the General Assembly made it an
easy matter to take advantage of various
other differences of opinion to prevent
the passage of the bill.
One strong factor of the opposition
and one that will always be strong in
this State against any caucus reform
measure was the feeling that registration
would impose burden upon the people
in rural districts which might result in
DISTINGUISHING not few voters. Another
element of hostility was the man who
wanted to continue to enjoy liberty to
manipulate caucuses. Another class
was probably represented by demo-
cratic legislator who said, in speaking of
the purchasable voters, 'Let the poor
fellows get little extra money once l.;
year, if they want to-" Still Others fel
that our people had not been educated
. up to the idea of registration so that &
caucus law could be successfully operated
Not few of the republican member:
from the small towns had gone home
g not taking enough interest in the closing
= proceedings to remain. Other consid
h erations probably combined with thos
!. named to bring about the defeat of on
q of the two most important measures be
n fore the General Assembly.
If there was any party politics in tn
9 killing of this bill, the democrats wi
4 hardly be in a position to promise bette
o things two years hence since the demo
v cratic vote was almost solidly arraye
q against the measure to prevent frau
q and corruption in our political prima
i ries. 1t is also significant that some c
b the leaders of the boiling republican
4 spoke and voted against the caucus bill
The struggle which was begun two yea,
, ago and more in favor of this reform ha
made good progress; and, if the pres
emphasizes the need of this Legislation
4 and shows the feasibility of the registra
r ton system we may hope to see pur
! politics measure spread upon our statute
q in the not distant future.
E The legislature adopted a measur
q materially increasing the powers of tn
railroad commission so that it will hav
voice in relation to local connection
-, and with reference to the location an
conditions of stations.
4 The corporation tax law has bee
modified so that corporations will find
i for their interest to make prompt re
4 turns, and the amended law is also ey
" pected to result in an increase of rev
nue..