Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-02-20

SUARY 20, 1903.
FACTS FOR CONSIDERATION
REGARDING THE CONTROL OF THE IL
QU0R TRAFFIC IN BRATTLEB0R0.
Reasons Why the Town Should Take the Man
agement Of Affairs Into Its Own Hands
What the Conditions Are Likely to Be Un'
der No License-A Vote mo" is Vote for
the Continuance Of the Brewery
The citizens of Brattleboro will be
face to face with a serious problem
March 3 when they meet to decide this
towns policy on the liquor question
for the coming year. 1t is question
which needs the careful consideration
of every voter--a consideration OF the
conditions as they now exist, and as
they will be likely to exist with Ii
censes and without them. Whatever
the outcome of the vote at the March
meeting, the town agency closes and
two per cent beer comes under the ban
of the new law. 1t is a conservative
estimate that during the past year the
agency has done about Sl2, coo worth of
business, and there have been at least
five places in town where light beer
has been sold.
With these facts in mind, together
with the probability that Putney and
Guilford will have licenses, it is not
very difficult to picture what the con
dition of this town will be provided it
votes "No.'' Those who have hereto
fore been content with glass or. bot
tie of two per cent beer will be unable
to satisfy their thirst in town and will
make a pilgrimage to some adjoining
town after ii. Having gone so far they
will not he satisfied with one drink but
will take enough to last until the next
time. And what about those who have
been swelling the receipts of the town
agency? For it is impossible that any
one believes that $4,000 worth of Ii
quor has been sold during the past year
solely for medicinal, mechanical or
chemical purposes. They are going
to have their liquor from some source
or other. If it cannot be procured in
Brattleboro there are plenty of other
places where it can.
These facts are worth considering
when one is face to face with the IL
cense question. There is no reason for
anyone to believe that any less liquor
will be drunk in Brattleboro during
the coming year if the town votes Mo-
than has been consumed under the pro-
hibitory law. Neither is there any rea-
son for thinking that any more VIII be
,nsumed il the town votes yes. "
Practically every person in Brattleboro
who has wanted liquor has been able
to get it during the past year. License
will simply mean that it can be bought
openly, that a silent lie will not be
necessary to procure it, and that its
sale will be strictly controlled.
A strictly controlled sale of liquor
in Brattleboro will not only work for
the interests of temperance but will
add to the business activity OF the
town 10 every way. Someone is going
to derive the benefit from the liquor
traffic in any case. Why not let it be
the law abiding citizens, under the su-
peryision OF board of license com
missioners?
And there is one other phase of the
question which should he borne in
mind. The brewery" on the island
has been doing hourishing business
for a long time. Many people have no
idea of the size of its patronage. 1t
has been practically the same as sa-
loon in Brattleboro, except that the
town has no control over it whatever.
It is small wonder that its proprietors
are anxious to see Brattleboro go no IL
"a
substantial increase in their revenue.
With the agency and every hight beer
saloon in this town closed, the profits
of the brewery would more than
double in a very short time. A vote
mo" at the March meeting is practi-
cally vote for the brewery inter
ests.
But supposing Brattleboro. votes
"yes" as the Reforrner sincerely hopes
it will. On petition of six voters a
special meeting can be called TO settle
the question of whether licenses Will
be granted for the sale of all kinds of
liquors or simply beers and light wines.
The selectmen will then appoint a
board of license commissioners VINO
have absolute power to grant or refuse
applications. Such powers should be
lntruSted only IN tnose uduus III which
the people have the utmost confidence,
and to make sure of this the citizens
should elect a board Of selectmen who
will have the best interests of the town
at heart. The Reformer feels convinced
that no improvement can be made on
the present board and it has our hearty
endorsement.
With the proper men upon the board
of license commissioners there is no
likelihood that Brattleboro will be the
rum- ridden town predicted by many.
In fact there is no chance OF there
being a single saloon here. With seven
licenses at the disposition of the board
there would probably be one for each
of the four hotels in town, one for
druggist aside from the regular pre-
scription license, one for lunch room,
where beer and light wines might be
sold. and one for wholesaler. Ger
tainly this condition would be prefer
able to one unlicensed and uncontrol-
able place having control of the entire
traffic.
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