The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-08-24
THE LICENSE Law AND ITS 0PER-
ALTON.

ALTON.
The Rutland News, which claims cor
ditions are worse under license in Rutland
than they were under the old law, says
sThe News has not the slightest notion
that conditions are any better Ia Barre,
Burlington, ST. Adams and other license
towns than they are In Rutland, for people
are Just about the same the state over.
While the News has not needed or asked
any justification or confederation OF its
statements relative to conditions in Rut-
land since license took, all the same this
IL referred ana recommended TO the st.
Adams Messenger, Montpelier Argus and
Barre Times, These thick-and-thin IL
eense apologsts have had the notion that
The News emts louder walls over the
operations Of the local option law than any
other paper Ia the state, and it may be
salntary to them to take note OF a plain
statement from their own side OF the Ques-
tiou Iii the contemporaries noted would
be equally as frank and honest relative to
conditions In their own towns, they would
render their law some substantial and
helpful service.
While the Times has no personal knowl-
edge Of the conditions ia Rutland, or in
Burlington, st. Adams or Montpelier, and
does not feel competent to pass on condi-
tions there, it does claim Ii have some
knowledge Of the conditions ia Barre, and
after nearly four months trial is ready tc
declare that conditions are better than IN
der the Old law. It did not look at the be-
ginning OF license that they were going K
be, but conditions have steadily improved
and at the present time thereis less drunk
enness, less rowdyism, especially on sun
days, a great deal less hypocracy, and {
practical elimination Of illegal selling il
comparison as it was carried on under tht
old law.
That there is less liquor drunk th'
Times IS not prepared to sayas matter
Of fact it believes more Is drunk than for
merly-itis drunk regularly and daily
whereperhaps under the old law it was By
many only drunk once or twice week anC
then to excess. Many Of this class though
they must do the same under the new law
and with the visitors from no-llcense towns
Barre had large drunk record the frs
two months the law was ID operation. i
has been diminishing and is monthly
growing less.
Under the new law there has been 81
marked al improvement ID conditions o.
Sundays that It is remarked by everyon
whose duties call them to the different sec
tions Of the city on this day, and the regu
lar police, who formerly dreaded the IA.
above all others now find very little to d
to what they formerly did.
Under prohibition there were II place
On Main street and the intersecting streets
bounded BY the now five licensed saloons
where liquors were sold. Some Of the tim
part Of them may have been out Of com
mission, but most Of them were in opera
ton most Of the time. limo one Of the i
places is Illegal selling being carried o.
today. Most Of the places have been CIV
enoyer to other business than what form
erly purported to be carried on in them
In addition to these were large humble
81 kitchen places I'd different parts Of TIL
city Many Of these have ceased from do
ing business simply because their custom
ers deserted them when licensed place
opened. There may be some still in ex
istenee and complaint has been made to tn
commissioners that there was oonsidera
BILE illegal selling, but no complainant ha
yet had personal knowledge of any b
would name any particular place that wa.
even suspected Of selling illegally. Illega
selling has been practically stopped il
Barre, not because those formerly In thl
business have any greater respect for th'
new law than they had for the old, bu
because Of lack 81 patronage.
Under the old law man knew he wa
helping to break laws every time he wen
into place to get drink and the con
slant disregard for one law caused loss
Of respect for others. With the large mum
Der Of foreigners who have come IN the
past few years direct from European
countries to Barre, this did not tend t,
give them proper understanding Of VIA
the freedom q this country meant, ant