Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-08-08
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES
THE OPEN SALOON.


Johnsbury, in recent issue:
"Some years ago there appeared In
Punch picture of two Scotsmen on a
visit to town and face to face for the
first time in their lives with the phenom-
enon of a street sprinkler at work. One
was for haling the driver at once to tell
him that he was losing his load the
other begged him not to make a fool of
himself since what he saw was the
latest device to keep small boys from
climbing up behind. Much of recent
comment upon the Vermont situation
which has found expression In the
columns of newspapers published out
side the state may fairly be compared In
pertinence and intelligence to the dis
cussion between these two worthless
Some Vermont citizens who have also
had experience of life in Connecticut and
Massachusetts must have wondered at
the editorial tone of such eminent re-
spectibiities as the Hartford Courant
and the Boston Transcript. But the
mystery Is partly solved by the appear
ence from time to time of articles like
that of Mr.. Julian Ralph in a recent
issue of the New York Times so replete
with misnformation that sentence after
sentence could be directly contradicted
by anyone who would take pains to
read the Vermont law.
| write from the standpoint of one
who is in no way committed to any
scheme for the control of the liquor
traffic. ] am a confessed opportunists
here, and believe that so far forth
represent large element among YER
mont citizens. We simply contend for
the restriction of the traffic to the mar
rowest practicable limits by the least
Objectionable means
The system in vogue, is popularity
known as "prohibtion." But the title
is an unfortunate one The system is
really dispensory system with local
option provso. Any town may open a
local agency where liquor may be sold
for medicinal. chemical and mechanical
purposes. And any person may keep
and use liquor in his private family.
But it may not be dealt In or fur
nished." OF course such law is bound
to be improved upon" from time to
time by amendments. Some of these
may have been mistaken and the en-
deavor to administer the law under them
has doubtless allienated the sympathy
of portions of the public from it, and
indirectly from its main aim and pur-
pose But despite al its infelicities the
law has served to keep Vermont freer
from the saloon and the evils of the I'M
restricted use of alcoholic drink than
any other state in which have lived or
travelled
1t was to be expected, however, that
all regulation, and still more certainly
all restriction, of the sale of liquor
would prove irksome to some people.
And it was morally certain that some
one would try to turn this unrest to
political account. This man has APP
peared in Vermont in the person of
| Mr. Perciyal Clement, who has toured
the state with a company Of negro sing
ers and two hours speech which has
been industriously rehearsed in all OF
: the larger towns. The speech itself did
,, not seem to be a very significant per.
! Torrance. Its extravaganza and vitu-
, peration were doubtless welcome to a
small minority, but it gave no sign OF
: q real acquaintance on Mr. Clements
part with modern scientific investigation
of the problems which he pretended tc
, discuss. Yet puerile as the address
proved, the tour in which it has played
: part was considerably effective in
organizing a personal following upon
the Cave of Adullam principal. Thi;
oddly assorted company comprises the
following elements:
!. The men who want free liquor be
cause they would gladly use it freely.
=. The men who hope to profit by it,
sale under an open bar system.
g. The men who are sufficiently
ignorant of econimies to fancy that thu
open saloon would "help trade" ant
"bring money into the state sufii
GENTLY wanting in civic sense to b,
guided by that specious agreement.
1. Those politicians who always fine
~ hoo G-ln IN, 1aI
3. A considerable group of homes
people of rather narrow experience who
are very conscious of the imperfection
of the present system and who are ready
to try something else. A licensed sa
loon, hotel bar, and drug store is tn,
nostrum offered to them. They bav
had no opportunity for fifty years tt
test the elevating influence of thes'
institutions in the community. Som
of them really believe that high Ii
cense system restricts the sale of intox
icants. Others fancy that if the saloOl
be admitted and fail to solve the TEN
perance problem it can easily be pu
away.
The three groups first mentioned form
the backbone of Mr.. Clements part,
and there is good reason to believe tina
they have a powerful ard persuasiv
ally in the organized liquor interest
outside the state.
On the other hand great numbers o
the people of Vermont are urgent TO
the continuance of the old law. How
many they are can only be determine
by some form of referendum. Both tn
republican state convention, in whic
Mr., Clement was defeated by Mr. Nc
Cullough, and the executive committe
of the Ant-Saloon league having dc
clared in favor of submitting the ques
[ ton directly to the people, il is likely t
- be done in due time. Meanwhile ther
Is great need of the iteration and reitera
c ton of the best established principle i
modern scientific temperance Legislation
V viz that the only hope of RESTRICTING
the liquor traffic is to keep it out O
S private hands. The men of my acquain
lance who have studied the situatio
in the light of recent scientific treatmen
h of the whole problem are, think, a uni
- to their conviction that Vermont wOul
POL lon -fa.N haal ard gba Oh A,,1.