Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1903-05-07
Strict Enforcement of the New Law.

The increased number of arrests for
drunkenness in the various towns in
Vermont in which the new license law
has become operative and saloons
! opened, is explained by the friends of
the law on the ground that the officers
are more strict in making arrests than
formerly. 1t is urged that there is no
more drunkenness than heretofore.
Every lawabiding citizen hopes that this
is true. But time will tell. The new
law is on its best behavior now. If peo-
pie have noticed any increased drunken
ness thus far, the future certainly looks
dark.
AS to whether officers are more
prompt in arresting DRINKS under the
present law than under prohibition, the
p, ople will judge. Certainly if condi-
tionS are as satisfactory, if the commun-
ity is as sober, if arrests or necessity of
arrests are as few, as under the former
law,no one will have cause to complain.
1t has been noteworthy in the past that
high standard of conduct has prevailed
in most Vermont towns. In Rutland a
man would not be tolerated on the
streets or in public places for moment
in condition that would not be given
any attention in the border towns of New
York where the officers and people are
hardened or obliviOuS to drunk enneSS, so
common is it.
So we say that if the standard of con-
duct in the past is strictly maintained,
If arrests for drunkenness are no more
frequent, if diSorderlineSs is no greater
than heretofore, the people will have
some patience with the new law; other
wise they will not. But this should be
marked: Under the present law the
standard of conduct has not been raised
nor will it be. 1t is most ridiculous to
claim so. The most that can be hoped
for is that there will be no retrogression.
On this phase of the operation of the
new law the Barre Telegram, thick
and-thn advocate of license, says: 1.-The
increased number of arrests in those
towns that already have licensed saloons
sounds bad for the new law, but it is
rather a matter of congratulation that
the new regime has more vigilant au-
thorities and they are bound to show the
world that it does not pay for a man to
get drunk under any kind of a law. The
rigid enforcement of the law in Montpe-
ller is serving as good warning to those
who are wont to believe they can stow
away the booze faster than the manufac-
turerS can supply it.
1T is to be expected that there are
many rowdes in Vermont who thought
the local option law was passed for the
special purpose of granting them Ii
cense to get gloriously drunk whenever
they so desire. 1t will naturally take
several weeks to bring this class of men
down to earth and educate them to the
| true condition, but it must be done I'M
der stern discipline in causing the arrest
of every man who is found intoxicated.
''There should be no subterfuge about
the new law. Let it stand upon its own
merits. If we shield any of its bad feat
lures from the public gaze, the evils will
thrive and multiply until we have more
disgusting system than we had before.
Maintain an honest management and
public opinion of its own accord will
crush out the evils. Nothing will be
gained by hesitancy in arresting drunk
en- man on the ground that his arrest
will cast discredit upon the license law"
Rutland News.