Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-11-06

prohibitory law as a restraining measure
is far superior to any license law that can
be framed. He declared that nine-tenths
OF the cIergymcn and nearly all the older
lawyers of the state are In favor Of the
prohibitory law. For the younger mem
bers of the bar he had no apology. Mr..
Ferguson declared II a dangerous expert
ment to place a license law on the statute
books and quoted a mass of figures to show
that under license intoxication increases.
III Hon. Daniel Renick of Littleton,
n. H., a native of Hardwick and n scna-
tor in the New Hampshire Legislature.
said license Is a failure. 1t has been tried
for 100 years and never curtailed or re-
duced the sale or control of liquor and
never will. but that is not the question to-
night. The question is what is the best
license law for Vermont to adopt. 1t is
pledged to some kind OF a high license
law with a referendum. First have n
WARD OPTION section, vote on the
question every year, prohibit the sale of
all liquor containing more than one per
cent Of alcohol. make your license fees
sufficient to pay registration expenses and
nothing more, have no fines but a graded
Jail sentence for violation, If a town votes
license let every man in that town who
desires to do it sell liquor, II you are to
have a license fee pay 1t to the State, let
the women vote on the referendum and
frame a law that cannot be evaded by So
cial clubs.
The Rev. John L. Sewall of st. Adams,
who is not in favor of the prohibitory law,
said the best form of the saloon is worse
than the poorest form Of prohibition. He
believed it the duty of the present Legis-
lature to pass a high license-local option
law and urged the committee to get the
best.
Mrs. C. II. Howes, lecturer for the
| Missouri Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. was the last speaker.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
The joint committee on temperance Is
making excellent progress in considering
the license bills now before 1t. A sub
committee from it's members consisting Of
Senators Russell and Downer and Repre-
sentatives O'Sullivan of st. Adams, Ellis
of Fair Haven and Conland of Brattle-
boro' has been appointed to draft a high
license bill embodying what seems to be
the most desirable features of all the
license bills now before the committee
which will be presented to the Legislature
early next week. The committee has been
very harmonious in it's deliberations thus
far and a commendable spirit In giving
away to the opinions of different members
Of the committee has been apparent. The
principal points of difference have been
the size Of the license fees, whether they
should go to the towns or revert to tho
State. and the druggists restrictions. 1t
is COnldS ntl4IlY expected tndt THESE points
of difference will be harmonized in the
new bill to be presented.
Admiral and Mrs. Clark left Montpelier
Friday morning after a stay Of three lays
which has been thoroughly enjoyed by
them and by every one with whom they
came in contact. A delegation of their
Montpelier friends. members of the Legis-
lature and State officers were at the sta
tlon to bid them good by.
The bill introduced in the House by Mr..
Goodhue of Westminster. appropriating
SIS. 600 for the State school fund, has al
ready encountered serious and determined
opposition. This bill provides that the
sum named shall be divided among the
several towns in the same manner as the
special Z IL per cent school tax and would
increase that tax to 10 per cent. The bill
is designed TO milk the large towns and
cities for the benefit Of the smaller towns.
This would mean that Burlington, Rut-
land. Barre. Montpelier. st. Adams and
other large places would have to pay an
nually several thousand dollars to help
support the schools in the smaller towns.
Although not exactly class legislation it
is along such lines.
Nearly 800 school children visited Mont
pelier on Friday and all took in the State
House during the day. They came from
Huntingdon, Richmond, South Royalton
and Bethel.
The Reunion Association Of the Lesisla-
tlre Of 1911 mas appointed the ioIloWlHB
obituary committee to serve for the next
two years: w. d. Stewart. Franklin
county; II. F. Graham. Orleans; l.. B.
Johnson, Orange; W. II. Taylor. Gale
donia: F. d. Hale, Essex; w. W. Rock
well. Grand Isle; A. L. Graves. Benning'
enworth. Rutland; J. e, Gale. Windham
f. l.. Graves, Chittenden; W. D. Hunting
ton, Windsor; 4. c. Cheney, Lamoille
and Il. 5. stanton. Washington county.
The Hon. j. o. Sanford of Stamford
State highway commissioner. was in Gro
ton Oh Friday to Inspect the permanent
road built In that town., for which he
withheld n portion of the States highway
tax. Mr.. Sanford found that better anC
more thorough work had been done thar
had been reported to him. and will modi
fy somewhat his former ruling.
The amendments to the bill introduced
in the Senate early in the session by Sen
htor Russell, creating a board of cattle
commissioners which was ordered to III
on Friday, provide that the State shall
pay 50 per cent Of the value OF Slaughtered
animals, that one of the commissioner
shall be a practical business man and tina
the commissioners shall receive 81 per da,
for their services with necessary ex
penses. The committee on agriculture
from the Senate recommends that whel
so amended the bill ought to pass.
Col. ]. Fl. Mimms of st. Adams has beef
appointed clerk for the joint committe
on temperance, as provided for to-da.
by joint resolution.
Members Of the Vermont Nationa
' Guard are interested In the bill intro
duced in the House on Friday by MI
Bailey of Newbury, providing for tn
preparation and publication of the name
and records of Vermont volunteers In tn
Spanish-American War. This matter 1
now easily available for use. but In fu
r ture years when the officers Of the regi
Il ment are scattered or dead 1t would b
difficult to obtain. The expense would no
q be large and such a roster would be In di
e rect line with those already prepared b,
x other States.
q The Joint committee on temperance hai