The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-10-08


for their adoption or rejection.
This duty will require the very best
efforts and the most intelligent con-
sideration of the members of the AS
sembly.
For fifty years prohibition has been
the policy of the State.
The mandate comes up now from
the people to their legislators com
manding them to formulate and to
submit to them for their decision some
other system.
This is the Anglo Saxon, the Amer
lean method. 1t is the rule of the
majority
And primarily on this subject, it
must be borne in mind that all sumpt-
uary legislation must he supported
by public sentiment to be effectual.
In framing a statute the General
Assembly will have the benefit of the
legislation on the subject of eight or
ten of the other States Experience
is the very best guide
In every State the difficulties aris-
ing from the United States internal
revenue laws, from the freedom of the
interstate commerce guaranteed by the
national Constitution, and from the
medicinal and industrial demand for
enforcement of any law.
Different States and different parts
of the same State may require differ
ent treatment. Unlike most of the
States, Vermont has few manufactur-
ing centers or large municipalities !;
the great majority of her towns are
rural and agricultural.
Massachusetts is more nearly SINH
lar to Vermont than any other State,
and from her legislation probably
more valuable suggestions will be de-
rived than from any other source.
But in the legislation of no one
State only should we look for the
best and wisest provisions, and those
most suitable to the circumstances of
our people.
In any Local Option or license sys-
TEN, it is worthy of consideration
whether the vote on license or no IL
cense, should be taken in any town or
municipality oftener than once in
three or five yeras; whether it should
not be taken at election specially call
ed for that purpose and not at any
regular election, State or local
whether if license be voted, it would
not be wise to require the petition of
a majority of the property holders in
IL
fore issuing a licesne whether a ma
jority of the legal voters of any town
or subdivision of city should to be
allowed to demonstrate against licens-
ing or continuing the license of a
specified person; whether any license
should be granted for more than a
year; whether the number of licenses
where authorized should not be limit
ed to one for every 1000 inhabitants,
and prohibited within a limited dis
lance of any church, school house,
theatre, opera house, public building,
park, or other public place; whether
all licenses should not be required to
give ample bonds, and every appli-
cant for a license, furnish evidence of
citizenship and good character.
AS to the licensing body or authori-
ties, it has been well said that judic-
ial purity and reputation for purity
are far more important than discreet
licensing.
1t is of the utmost Importance that
courts and judges should be kept as
far removed from politics as possible.
This matter of licensing, therefore,
should be entrusted to some other de-
partment or to boards specially raised
up for that purpose, and which boards
should have stability and independ-
ence.
There should be several grades of
license fees depending on the size and
population of the towns and cities ;
and the traffic should be made to raise
large revenues for both the State and
the towns or municipalities.
Every licensee should be restricted
from selling to minors or intoxicated
al lox-
or any legal holidays, nor should he
be allowed to furnish musical enter
tainment of any kind or billiards or
cards or any game whatever; and the
place should be wide open to inspec-
tion from the street or highway; and
! the hours should be strictly limited,
and the shorter the better, provided
public sentiment supports these re-
strictions.
If druggists licenses are to be
granted at all, they should be entrust-
ed only to registered pharmacists who
should be authorized to sell only in
small quantities and only on the
written prescription of physician not
interested in the store.
These suggestions gathered from
many sources, may be of some value
in formulating proper statute to be
submitted too the people for theii
adoption or rejection.
PRIMARY ELECTION LAW.
Many of the other States have sucl
laws, and the enactment of similar
statute in Vermont would tend to Sc
cure purity in nominations.
The caucus should be surrounded b.
the same safe guards as the election
The primary election should b.
held on the same day and hou
throughout the State; check list
should be provided the choice shoul'
be by ballot and all the precaution
of the general election law should b
extended to the primary election.
GOOD ROADS.
, In view of the agitation on this sub
J ject for the past ten years or more i
> this country, and of the advanced &C
: ton taken in many of the States, an
Of what has already been done in thi
, State, it cannot be necessary for m