St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-12-17

determining what is right or wrong. No
delica telv adjusted machine can be run
out o gear without receiving permanent
injury. He can survive on the average,
only a certain number of DRINKS Every
! drunk diminishes MS life force. Soitening
of the brain, insanity, epilepsy, idiocy
follows and is transmitted from parent
to child 10 the third and fourth gener-
| alton.
When a stranger presents himself to a
skilled surgeon, demanding critical. dan
gerous surgical operation, the surgeon at
once inquiries whether the applicant has
been in the habit of using Intoxicating
| liquor. If so, be knows and will tell him,
if he tells him anything, that the danger
is increased, because the mans vital
forces have been thereby diminished.
Why should the state ofVermont become
partner in the sale of Intoxicating liquor
to its citizens, aud thereby diminish their
vital forces and shorten their lives? The
control o. its sale by the state arises from
an exercise through the legislature, of
the police power. That power should
always be exercised by the legislative
branch to secure the greatest good to
the greatest number. Can this be done
by substituting the proposed high license
local option law for the prohibitory law?
The women of Notable age would nearly
unanimously vote against such substitu-
ton. What answer will the male voters
return to the question propounded by
the legislature 1t is urged that each
municipality should be allowed to deter
Ia, hxrx /, 1o
Intoxicating liquor shall be sold in it for
a beverage during the coming year, be-
cause its voters will enforce the law
favored by their votes. There was
some force in this contention
fifty years ago. Then each municipality
was a kingdom within itself managed
its own affairs, and had but limited deal
lngs with neighboring municipalities.
This is wholly changed. Now the bus
mess OF the state is transacted in a few
OF the larger municipalities along the
railroads, There they sell their products
and purchase their supplies. For bus
lines are oblterated. The local option
feature furnishes but slight protection to
the inha bitants of municipality which
votes no license if the principal town at
which it transacts its business votes
license. 1t is affirmed that the voters ia
most of these large municipalities, the
Centers of business, will vote license.
Ii true, what becomes of their boast of
maintaining the highest civilization? If
true, it is sad commentary on the fail
ure OF large municipalities to govern
themselves wisely and we'll In these the
young men and young women
gather tor employment in places
of business, in railroads, in manufac-
tories, in high schools and in colleges. If
these all are to vote annually TOR license,
it will be practically license for the whole
state. The whole community will be
orrupted by the open saloons, hotel
bars and other bars. Under existing
conditions local option furnishes but
slight protection to the inhabitants of
municipality which votes no.liceuse. The
interests OF the inhabitants of all the
municipalities in the state viii be affected
deleteriously, if only part OF them vote
license. Onelaw should prevail in them all.
The state has just undergone one high
license campaign. The sober-minded, intel.
llgent voters are not proud otit. Noteverv
high license voter is cursed with the drink
habit, but every one who has the drink
habit and everyone who wishes to engage
in the unconscionable traffic tor gain is a
high license man. The temperance men
of the state could reason and plead with
its own citizens of this class until they
were turned from the error of their WAYS.
Shall the temperance men OF the state
annually be called upon to combat the
money of the liquor dealers OF the nation,
who will pour out money eelv, and
work vigorously early and late for
high license l1cal option law or for votes
tor license under it because it Will increase
the traffic and add to their unconscionable
gains? If they would not have to fight
this battle over each year with the high
license citizens of the state aided bv the
money influence Of liquor dealers outside
the state, let the voters by an over
whelmlng mo- end this high license
local option clamor and its attendant
and manifold evils.
JONATHAN Ross.