Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-10-15

ronsummation is devoutly to be avoided
1t is now too late to avoid it if the
Brattlchoro commissioners can not grant
any more licenses during the present IL
cense year.
The question then resolves itself into
this-How far would the license COM
missioners have been justified in taxi
ing the welfare of the community into
consdera ton in interpreting their duty
under the law? How far is any public
official justified in taking circumstances
into consideration in the performance of
his duty? Has the policeman any bust
ness to think when he finds a drunken
man whether the man and the public
will be better or worse for the man $
arrest? Is it right for him sometimes to
help a drunken man home instead of
locking the man up? is it right to do any
thing except harshly and literally enforce
the law? If il iS-if it is ever right to
enforce the law with discretion, then the
commissioners have been hasty; if it IS
never right to reason why, never right
TO give warning. never right to twist the
law the least little bit. then the commits
sionerS are secure from criticism. Nalor
in the performance of duty is undeniably
praise worthy. In matters of duty is dis
erection the better part of ValOr?
1t is a question which the Rcformor
makes no attempt TO answer. We are for
discretion but we do not say that it is
demanded OF only this much are we
positive: If ii We're known that the com
missionors had attempted to persuade the
licensees that no infringement would he
overlooked and then. after fair warning,
had revoked the licenses for cause pub
lie opinion would be more dccisively with
them. OR if they had taken into con-
sideraton what seemed to be- in two
cases at least, cXtenuatlng circumstances
r,lnrpl licensees M
behavior" with loss of license pending
at any time, tho people would have been
better pleased.
As IT is tho result, though n distinct
gain for the local option law and slori-
Gus example for certain license towns
throughout the State, is a misfortune
for Erattlchoro and promises to bring
about a condition which we most par
tic'IlarlY wished to avoid. Whether the
license commissioners are at all to blame
for this depends on how far an officer
of the law is justified in using discretion
as to the enforcement of that law
| In some measure the law itself Is at
I fault--a fault which the next Legislature
should remedy-in not providing for the
re- issue Of licenses if the commissioners
deem it eXpedent.
If the sales to minors could not he
stopped in any ether way this way was
absolutely necessary
/ We have reproduced the comments of
! these different papers holding various
views regarding license in order that our
readers might be able to see what is be-
/ ing said on the situation in Bratteboro
from different points of view. 1t is recog-
nized that the license law is on trial
and that the public will soon be able to
judge of the truth of the assertion that
| license law would be more of temper
ance measure than State prohibition be-
cause it could be enforced and there would
he no more liquor sold than formerly
If the license commissioners revoke
their decision and the Brattleboro idea
that a liquor dealer can sell to every,
body not known absolutely to him to be
a minor and no questions asked, then il
requires no argument, much less prophecy
to tell what the result Of the experiment
will be. The Springfield Republican, &
license organ, is smart enough to know
this and later on some of its convert.
in Vermont may get their eyes open,