Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-03-06


These figures tell the story of Brattle-
boro's vote Tuesday on the absorbing
liQuor question. There were So less
votes cast than ON Feb g. and the ma
jority for local option at that time of
lis was increased to 173 for license That
a majority of the voters of the town
want to see license given trial there
is no doubt Whether the result would
have been different with no brewery" on
the island and .Guilford. Dummorston
and Putney safely i'm the prohibition
column no one can tell. But under the
existing conditions Brattlcboro has regis
tered her choice and the situation must
DC faced chvet5fy. hopefully and with
a determination ON the part Of every
good citizen to support the law.
The announcement of the result was
made before ! o'clock. in the presence of
$40 to 600 voters. There was a mild
cheer when the figures were read, but
the verdict was in the main received
calmly and without demonstration.
The regular business session took the
form of "a mum sociable, the voters sit
ting as quietly as bumps on a log, or
INDUCING in whispered conversation with
their neighbors. There was hardly ar
ticulation enough following the modera-
tors calls to know that a vote had been
taken ON some of the articles, and a
rule only two or three voices would pipe
up in response to the yeas and nays.
The meeting was called to order
promptly at o'clock by w. H. Vinton,
chairman of the board of seectmen, and
clerk VIM. S Newton read the warrant.
There was no moderator, Col. Hooker,
who was elected last year, having died
during the year. The names of DR.. II.
ID. Holton and w il. Vnton were pre-
scented for the office of moderator protein,
but Mr.. NintOn withdrew and DIR. Hol-
ton was elected unanimously. on motion
# all Ia, nf no nd
tors was accepted and adopted. Warren
Bennett under article ,. moved that the
town have two road commissioners, but
no found himself singing a lonely solo
when the vote was called there being
a vigorous response for one, with Mr..
Bennett the sole voter for n change.
Selectman Vinton had explained that
two commissioners would mean more eX-
pense and no better service.
DR.. Holtou was elected permanent mod
orator. Then followed the election of
officers in regular order there being no
contest although Carl S. Hopkins was
named as third selectman, and also
as school director. but in each case he
withdrew his name Two or three scat
tering votes were heard in opposition to
D. T. Perry as school director
The moderator had difficulty in getting
a motion for taxes the coming year,
but r. c. Bacon finally moved that
tax of 30 cents on a dollar of the
grand list be raised in accordance with
the recommendation Of the seectmen,
and it was so voted.
The trustees of the Free library, whose
term expires this year, were reelected as
follows: X. Haskins, S. +. Lawton and
c. H. Thompson. Col. c. A. Miles's mo-
ton for an appropriation of $1,000 the
same as last year, for the support and
maintenance of the Free library. was
O. nn
Rev. H. r. Miles spoke in favor of ex-
tending the use of the Free library to
residents of adjoining towns upon pay
ment Of such a fee as the trustees may
fix, and there was no opposition to the
motion which they supported to this ef-
feet.
Upon motion of Col. Fl. Z. Taylor, $780,
the usual sum, was appropriated for Me
mortal day. The appropriation for the
commons, which is taken to mean all |
the public parks of the town, both east
and west villages, was 5000, c. f. Thomp-
son speaking in behalf of ap increase of !
the sum from $50 which has usually |
been appropriated for the common in |
the north part of the village alone. on |
motion of j. G. Stafford the salaries of |
town offices were fixed at the same fig |
ures as last year The polls of the mem
bers of Western engine company of West !
BrattebOrO were exempted from taxation. |
ne question OF approving OF the laying !
Of surface drainage pipes on the southern |
portion of Central and Highland streets |
was disposed of by leaving the matter !
to the discretion of the selectmen.
The only oratorical outburst of the day !
came under article IS, to see if the town |
would adopt the Australian system of |
voting at the annual meetings. c. T.. |
Thompson moved that it he laid on the
table, and c. II. Davenport then spoke
at some length in favor of the Australian
system, and of the probability of the
selfish interests attempting in the future
TO control the town meetings, especially
in view of the proposed license law Mr.
Hescock of West Brattleboro said few
words in favor of the old system. Mr.
Thompson pronounced Mr.. Davenport's
argument ON the possibility of corruption
as "all fudge" and J. q, Stafford spoke
in his vigorous style in behalf of the old
fashioned open town meeting. which, he |
declared. would prevent more than any
thing else the evils which Mr.. Davenport
thought to be impending a division of
Tho house was ordered by the moderator
with those in favor of the Australian
system on the south side and the OPP
ponents on the north side, G. II. Daven-
port ana \. !. IIawley were named as
tollcrs on the south side and G. c. Fits
and G. f. Thompson on the north side
The tellers on the north side counted 204
noses. and ON the south side there was
a discrepancy, Mr.. Hawley making 2lO
and Mr.. Davenport 224 A ballot was
called for, and for more than an hour
the voting was i'm progress. The result
showed a total of 523 votes, with 262
necessary for choice. The yes vote, in
favor of the Australian ballot. was 3lS
and the no vote 800.
c. c. Fits introduced resolution to
the effect that Company /, V. N G.. be
allowed the use of the town hall one ev-
ching week for drill purposes. L. f.
Adams read an important resolution, as
follows: THAT the selectmen be and are
hereby requested to do all they can to
enforce act No. 81 of the Laws of 1902
so far as the same relates to the inter
ests of the people of Brattleboro." This
resolution refers more particularly to the
Thompson fund, and for the appointment
Of a local trustee.
Francis Brigham brought forward a
resolution stating that the selectmen
be requested to strictly enforce the ex-
else law. DIR, Holton declared the mo-
ton out of order as no excise law was
in existence, but upon Mr.. Brigham's
change of the wording to local option
instead of excise the motion was passed |
with only two voters speaking.
The voting on the question of license
and local option overshadowed the inter
est in everything else, and probably ac-
counted i'm a large for the apathy which
everybody seemed to feel for the articles
in the warrant, which usually arouse
discussion, and, in some cases protracted
voting, The voting on the question of !