The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-07-16
ARTHUR ROPES, General Editor
BABES IN THE WOODS.

In the cleaning of the late conven.
ton certain of the contemporaries of
somewhat uncertain proclivities-
moral and Politician the canvass for
the nomination to the governorship
seem to have lost the trail and stray
ed away into the wilderness of vain
and bewildered imaginings. Like
boys, even some of older growth, I'M
der similar circumstances, every rock
or stump seems endowed with motion,
takes on the similitude of bear or
some other wild and ferocious inhabi.
tant of the woods, and is making di-
rect for the conscience accusing kids
covering in the underbrush. A chip
munk skipping among the branches of
the trees sends frigid chills of APP
prehension down their unnerved spi.
nal columns, and they crouch lower to
dodge a catamount's spring. The first
impulses of fright over and their
tongues unloosed, the woods are Just
now ringing with the bawling of
these lost babes Plaintive notes come
particularly from the Messenger of
st. Adams a twig snaps over yonder
and there are "rumors in the air all
through the State that the Republican
party does not mean to carry out in
good faith the promise [of the refer
endum but that it will take excel
lent care to see that only such bill
finally passes as is sure to be condemn
ed by the people " An owl boots over.
head and the terrible form of the
Rev. Mr.. Morrow looms on its blear.
ed eyeballs with visions of trouble
when the referendum is finally started
on its course to the people, and more
trouble when, with it's craft in tow,
it sails out on the broad seas of public
discussion to encounter its shifting
tides and rising storms. Having con-
jured up other horrors the wicked
ultra prohibitionist is preparing for
the babes when they are brought I'M
der the parental roof of the State leg
islative authority, and imagined the
zeal and earnestness with which such
men will enter upon the task of franz
ing new liquor law for Vermont"
this particular babe utters these
plaintive notes:
1t strikes the Messenger that this is
a critical period in the political his
tory of Vermont and that the time
has come when the Republican party
must seriously and honestly set about
the reform of the liquor law or the
work will simply be taken out of its
hands The -prohibitionists have
been put off with mere talk too long
Some of the prohibitionists are al
ready posing again in an exulting de-
fiant attitude, kind of "What-are-
you going to do about-it p attitude.
They are publicly rejoicing over the
acknowledged fact that it will be a
difficult matter to frame satisfactory
new liquor law and predicting fail
ure of the attempt with particular
ity of expression that already gives
rise to grave suspicious of the SINGER
ity of the pledge of ethe Republican
party to lend its brains and effort to
frame such a law. 1t seems to the
Messenger that every man in the State,
every man who loves Vermont and de-
SllSS lOl lOl lllO DCop tlllb IlCl ClllutOl
can accomplish can have no other
hope than that her laws may reflect
the highest wisdom of modern exper-
fence, and that, when law that has
been in service for fifty years is in
question and honest men are trying
to make improvements in it, he
would himself lend every aid to find
q new way out of an old difficulty.
But some of our friends appear to
look upon any proposition to amend
he present law as something to be dis
couraged from the start, rather than
to feel that it is their duty to help
improve the law if it is possible to
improve it.
Whose duty is it to see that Yer
mont has the best laws that human
wisdom can frame, that of part of
her citizens, or the duty of all of
them? Why do these men mock at the
honest endeavors of their fellow citi-
zens who are trying to give Vermont
new and better liquor law and pub
licly express the hope that they will
fail? Why do they rejoice at the OBJ
stacles that confront them and study
how to devise more Do they not want
Vermont to have any better laws than
she has already and are they afraid
somebody will actually devise better
liquor law than she now has?
At all events, it is the plan of a
considerable element of the Republi-
can party to defeat the execution of
its own platform pledge by the cleo
ton of general assembly that is
opposed to the purpose of that pledge
and that win do the bidding of
Rev. George w. Morrow to Illustrate
it, then it is high time that the hon
est men in the party knew it and
found some other honest men to train
with. We have had threats a-plenty