Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-04-21
w. C. T. u. COLUMN.
THE PROHIBITORY LAW.

lent among our people that be-
cause prohibition does not wholly
prohibit, our people do not want
prohibition; that the prohibitory
law is a failure because not fully en-
forced. Now grant that prohibition
does not prohibit as fully as it ought.
l could also cite to you laws prohibit
ing other misdemeanors that do not |
prohibit as fully as they ought, but
there is nothing said about repeating
those laws. Indeed, were their repeal
threatened we should hear a great
outcry that the repeal of those laws
threatened public safety, and such
would be the fact. Because law is
not enforced is no proof that the law
is bad. 1t is proof that the man who
is entrusted with it's enforcement is
not living up to the obligation which
he has assumed. Because this imam
does not enforce the law is no proof
that the people who put him in author
ity do not wish the law enforced. 1t
10 iOuly PIOOl VI GhO POWO1 VI phO
whiskey ring, the rum brotherhood,
which, being only small part of any
community, yet has power to control
elections, defeat the ends of justice,
and make our laws of none effect.
One man with "pull' is enough to
overturn the welfare of whole town,
and why? Travel over our state in
house to house canvass and you can
obtain the signature of nearly every
voter, in favor of keeping our prohib-
itory law. The men who drink of the
liquor that is sold under cover in all
our towns, do not, many of them,
want saloons. They have sense to
know that financially, mentally and
morally, we are far better off without
! them, but left to themselves the peo-
pie are apathetic. Every man thinks,
if he thinks about the matter at all,
(Which many of them do not,) that
there is nothing for them to do per-
sonally, and 80 the rum element have
things all their own way. If the
voters who believe in prohibition
would band themselves together and
work one-half as hard to keep and
enforce our prohibitory law as the
opposition are working to overthrow
it we could rest in peace and safety
forever more.
People will tell you that they be-
| ~, tb., hrothorb0a1 IF man and
that patience, mercy and.charity must
be used in our dealings with one
another. True, very true, but it is
being neither patient, merciful nor
charitable to sit with folded hands
and see our vicious brother spread
snare for the feet of our weak, pleas
ure-loving brother and allow the one
to entrap the other to his everlasting
degradation and ruin. 1t is the part Of
q COWARD not to restrain the one for
the protection of the other, and the
man who knowing the right sits idly
by and sees the wrong prevail is guilty
in the sight of God and man of that
wrong. The American voter has the
power to do what he pleases if he will
use that power as it should be used.
The ballot is mighty power in the
hands of conscientious men, it is also
a mighty power in the hands of I'M
scrupulous men and they have their
wits well sharpened and their forces
organized for the overthrow of the
bulwark of Vermont prosperity, our
prohibitory law.
Men of Vermont, rouse to the re-
sponsibility that rests upon you.
Upon you rests the outcome of the
; approaching struggle. AS you have
responded to the call of your country
in times past in defence of the right,
as you then proved yourselves OF
such mettle that "Put the Vermonters
in front" became a proverb, so now
prove to the world that you can drive
| out the invading foe of intemperance
, andits horde of attendant evils; re-
. tain our prohibitory law and put men
behind it that will not shut eyes and
ears and leave it to enforce itself
but do their duty as they ought.
little more of our PRESIDENT
, strenuousness is needed in this matter
and unless it is forthcoming soon, we
shall learn through bitter experience
: baptized in the tears of helpless
: women and innocent children.
PROHIBTTIONIST.