Bennington banner and reformer. (Bennington, Vt.) 1903-19??, 1903-02-05
THE AFTERMATH.
Letter From A. P. Chllds Relative To ysrmont's
New Liquor Law.

Mr. Editor:
In the calm of retrospect when rea-
son, not passion, bears sway, l beg to
submit few words upon the contest
and result of Tuesdays verdict. Mrs
Callie Howe, who came from Missouri
for the w. c. T. q. to urge the cause
] of prohibition, repeatedly stated-up-
on the platform-that a licensee under
the new law could use his license in
any other town than where originally
granted il he was not satisfied with
the patronage in the place where
granted; also that in order to bring
the saloon nearer the church or
school-house, a dwelling could be con
verted into a sumner hotel for such
puppose; also that the new la,y was the
least restrictive Of any local-optioh
law in the country.
Because of the national prominence
of this woman, / challenge the verify
of such misguided statements which
were also contained in the circulars
distributed at her meetings.
Section "A of the new law distinctly
prohibits the exercise of license ex-
cept in the town where granted origin
ally, and a summer hotel is defined as
one containing p furnished bedrooms,
or more, wherein liquor can only be
furnished TO guests of the licensee.
There has been altogether too much
defamation of the great majority Of
states which have thoroughly tried So
called prohibition and permanently
discarded the law.
In the language of the great Web
ster, let us say OF Massachusetts,
"There she stands-look at herln
Since 1880, Massachusetts has in
creased in population over eleven
hundred thousand souls, this increase
being chiefly in licensed towns and
cities. Vermont, with greater territory,
has increased barely eleven thousand
souls. The per capita deposit in
Massachusetts Savings banks today is
nearly double that OF Vermont
Massachusetts has a public library
in nearly every town. Vermont has a
public library in some towns. Mass
achusetts has a great number of pub
lie and private hospitals, deaf and
dumb and blind asylums, also retreats
for incurables, the aged, the infrm,
the orphan, the destitute, and scores
of charitable institutions. Vermont
has a few Of less modern institutions.
Massachusetts has scores OF public
parks and drives, great institutions OF
learning, wherein great portion of
Vermont youth, seeking a higher edu-
cation, are training, Massachusetts
has miles upon miles Of permanent
splendid stone roads and thorough
fares constructed by the State. Yer
mont has all the benefcence of un-
limited taxation with none such inn
provements.
There could be only one opinion as
to the curse of inebriety or the abuse
Of over-indulgence in intoxicants. The
curse is too Aagrant and painful to
admit OF contention, but our prohibi-
ton friends insist IN defiance OF better
authority, that their method is the
only remedy.
would invite their perusal of the
book copyrighted by President Eliot
OF Harvard College, Seth Low. for
merly of Columbia College, now May
or Of New York, and Commission of
ffty associates of national fame for
sobriety, intelligence and candor, up
on the favorable results under local
option In Massachusetts and various
other States. The Investigations of
these renowned gentlemen cover a per-
iod of five years of great care and
study and expense and their conclu-
sions are worthy the respect and con-
fdence of all men who desire to know
the impartial and honest truth regard
ing this great and grave problem for
"Magna est veg1tas ct prOvalebit. "
The result simply restores to the peo-
pie the greet privilege of home rule
and Local self government, which they
abdicated in February, 1853, sacred
privilege, right and principle, for
which the gallant John Stark con-
tended on the decisive field of Ben
nington over Us years ago against
the minions of the King.
A. p. Childs.
Bennington, VT, Feb. 5, 1903.