Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-08
WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS SAY
Candid and Fair Discussion OF the
Refer endum Bill-The open Saloon.
OFrom the Brattlchoro PhoeniX)

While individual Judgment will differ
about many OF the provisions it will he
agreed that as whole, the law. as a Ii
ccnse law is Il good one, aud that it was
the intention of these who framed ii to
give the State rigid control over the liquor
traffic under the license system. 1t is by
no means a FREQ rum measure. Under
its provisions strictly enforced, it ought
to be impossible for irresponsible and dan
gcrous men to gain control OF the saloon
business, and the severity Of the pcrcmp-
tory provisions for the punishment OF lilo
gal selling would seem to he as effective
a deterrent against that business As could
be devised. But there are three leading
points which Temperance men must take
into view when considering the possible
adoption Of the law;
|. 1t lets down the bars and gives the
open saloon lcgalizcd entrance into Ver-
mont. Under any circumstances the open
saloon Is admittedly one of the greatest
evils of our time. and in scores of little
Vermont villages it would he It workable
moral pest hole should a vote for license
to- carried.
>. The saloon always becomes control
Ing factor IN politics. and it must especial
~ become SO under the provision of this
law which makes the selectmen Of towns
and thu aldermen and mayor of cities APP
point the licensing boards. Under this
method 1t viii inevitably he the main eff
fort of the liquor interest. not to secure
the best men for town ana city officers.
bat 1" secure officers who are friendly to
mat interest. This point is covered clear
- and fairly in an extract from a Mont
lclicr letter 10 the Boston Transcript.
which j. printed elsewhere in this paper.
,. ~ license law, no matter how good
or effective, will not enforce itself. The
men who hold the licenses will not take
ln m
forced. if done effectively, by the officers
charged with this duty. backed up by
public sentiment. Experience in all Ii
cense states shows that this is literally
true. 1t is claimed. and figures are given
To- show. that there is as much evasion
under license as under prohibition. This
IS because every saloon keeper becomes
himself more or less an ovader of the law
ana docs not care to invite attack upon
himself by attacking others. Moreover
no 'roputable' saloon keeper wants tn,
trade of the low. drunken, hummer" elc-
ment. lie prefers that it go to the poke
Icddlors, the kitchen barrooms or tho
dives.
These three points are not criticisms
against the Vermont law in PARTICULAR
they lie against all license laws. and they
nave got to he taken into account by every
voter vino Regards himself a friend of
temperance, but whose conviction OF
whose prejudice leads him to favor H.
Censc for the control Of the liquor traffic
The campaign of the next five weeks for
and against the license law. ought to be
conducted on educational lines. The effort
on both sides ought to he To arouse the
Thoughtful ana intelligent interest of every
voter. and can out an expression of indi.
Niiual conviction ut the polls. ana not t.
appeal To passion or pre- udiCc. What is
wanted at the referendum is To lind out
nj