Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-01-16

fore, can hide under the ancient pre-
tense that he has no "official knowl-
edge of violations. Every one has got
to leave his tracks in black and white
before the others and before the pub
lie. and every one must be in league
with violators of the law to permit,
lawless traffic to exist. where under
such guards such condition could ex-
ist any law would be helpless, and it is
needless to say that it must be very
rare condition indeed among free ana
intelligent people.
All these guards are provided more
strictly and specifically than is done 10
any other state. But the Democratic
bill erected several more which the
Prohibitionists in the Legislature
knocked out, for no conceivable reason
except that they were bound to weaken
the law at every point they could. Inc
only danger left is that tools OF the IL
quor sellers may get appointed on the
license board and hold their position
for six years in defiance of the people
and in protection of lawless traffic.
They are subject to removal by the Sc
lectmen who are within reach OF the
people every year and who must give
hearing on any complaint from any
citizen of any dereliction on the part
of the license board but it is concelv-
able that there would he occasional
cases where the selectmen wouldn It do
their duty or where proof OF wrong
doing wouldn't be strong enough SO
that they would feel warranted in re-
moving the board, or any member, even
though they were unfit to hold the
place. This danger is smaller as the bill
Is left than by any other law anywhere,
| But small as it is, the Democratic bill
provided for it by giving the select
men summary power of removal, even
| if wrong doing couldn't be actually
proved against the license board, if
from frequency of complaints or for
apy other reason they were satisfied
that the public good would be sub
served thereby. And it compelled them
to make such removal on petition OF
majority of the voters. That meant
that rum ring couldn't by any posi-.
bility live in any town in defiance OF
the will of the people.
| The Democratic bill, as a still fur.
ther guard also had requirement or
tracks in black and white from the IL
cense board in shape of provision
that with each receipt for his pay, each
member should make written state,
ment under oath and in detail OF all
complaints received, the investigation
and the disposition of each and If not
prosecuted the reasons why, and the
evidence. The pending bill substitutes
for that merely the requirement OF an
annual report, to be printed IN the
town report. This perhaps would be
fully as we'll, If the report were required
to be made in equal detail so that cit
izens interested might know whether 1t
is honest. An amendment to this ef-
feet will doubtless be made by another
legislature with majority friendly to
law instead of its enemy, and all the
more potent for evil, as the majority
was IN the last Legislature, because dis
guised as supporters of the Republican
platform kind.
Meanwhile it is entirely competent
for towns to require such detailed re
ports from their boards. And every
town should do so for as President
Roosevelt we'll says, publicity is the
best and most potent of all remedies
for public evils, and in no place car
evils lurk where publicity is calculated
to be more efiicacious than in this very
relation to the liquor traffic.
c. II. Davenport.