Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-18

realize that only by tactics Of this charac-
ter can they win what the people refused
them at the polls.
If the question of local option and proh-
bition were the only issue to be considered
by the Legislature. it would be excellent
politics If the republicans could find some
logical way to allow the Clement men and
the democrats to organize the House. and
take control of things; for the Republican
party would thereby be relieved OF respon-
sibility in connection with the local option
measure passed by that body, and that re-
sponsiblity is one of the dangers which
it must face two years hence.
1t is generally recognized that the set
tlement of the referendum issue will be an
extremely difficult matter. Not all mon
who favor referendum are agreed upon
the character of measure that should be
submitted to the people. Not all men who
are opposed to prohibition are in favor of
the referendum. The democrats will oppose
a referendum, no matter what the charac-
ter Of the local option law framed. Some
of the Clement representatives are now
openly declaring in favor of the democratic
u
ont submitting it to the people for appro-
val or rejection Moreover the discussions
Of the leading license papers nave shown
that great difficulty will be experienced by
the license forces in agreeing among them
selves upon law.
The democrats will try in every possible
way to put the Republican party in hole
OH the liquor question in the hope that they
can keep the issue open and use 1t again
to their advantage in the next State and
county elections; and there are some Glenn
ent republicans who are openly saying that
If they could cast the deciding vote, they
would keep the prohibitory law on the
statue books two more years If they can
not pass A local option measure without a
referendum at the present time. Great
care will therefore be necessary to meet
the tactics of the anti-republlcans, whether
of the democratic stripe or of the Glenn
eptzed brand.
The overshadowng fact and one that
every loyal republican must keep constant
~ in mind Is that the straight republicans
are in control Of the Legislature. and no
matter what legislation is passed, the re-
publican party will be held accountab BILE
by the people. When the coming sssss
Of the L. gislature is ended no individuals
will be more clamorous in calling the Re-
publican party to account than the very
men now urging license republicans to
unite with them for the purpose of orgdn-
izing the House in the interest of those
who will oppose the republicans on every
issue of a political character.
The Republican party controls the Legs-
lature. The Republican party stands
pledged to the submission to the people
OF the best local option high license law
that can be devised so that 1t can be hon.
estly and fairly determined whether the
are in detail, want that law in preference
to prohibition. 1t is the duty of repubi-
cans to organize the House and to make
provision for fair and honest reference
of this whole question. and any trick on
either side will surely react against those
guilty thereof. The Republican party has
been given responsibility for the Lgisla-
ture and 1t would be q fatal mistake at the
very outset of the session to give the demo-
Gratis the power to say to a material degree
how that responsibility of the Republican
party shall be discharged.