The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-01-07

status OF the Drunkard. u nder V >.
AIT, prosecutions for intoxication
must be commenced within 30 days af-
ter the offence is committed. How
will it be under the license act? V. S.
will apply and prosecution may be
commenced at any time within three
years after the offence is committed.
Will not that afford a fine opportunity
to rake up old scores during the whole
period of three years after the offence
is committed?
Should the license act be adopted,
section 4491 V. S. will be repealed,
with the remainder of chapter 1877,
and with its repeal will go the power
of policeman, sheriff, deputy sheriff,
high bailif or justice for the county,
or constable, grand juror or select
man of town, to arrest without war
rant a person found in such state of
intoxication as to disturb the public
or domestic tranquility, and to keep
him at the expense of the State until
he becomes sober. For the preserva-
ton of the public and domestic tran
guilty is not that summary power the
most expeditions and least expensive
method of suppressing intoxication
and Kidding the community Of rum
crazed men, so dangerous to the safety
of life, person and property? 1t may
be said that the official should get his
warrant before making an arrest for
such a misdemeancr. While he is
hunting up the grand juror or States
attorney to get the warrant the drunk
ard can be hustled off by his friends.
Is it, not the better practice not to in
cur the delay in getting out the war
rant but to make the arrest at the
outset, and stop the drunken mans
career and Immediately afterwards
make the complaint to the grand juror
orcityattorney and have the warrant is
sued and the man duly prosecuted? AS 1
have pointed out heretofore the intox-
icated man cannot be compelled under
the license act to disclose of whom he
procured the liquor causing the intox-
ication. 1t will be fixed so that the
drunken man must bear the penalty
and the rum seller, licensed or unli-
censed, must go free and no questions
asked. The penalties under the IL
cense act for intoxication, section 81,
cannot exceed small fine or imprison-
ment in the county Jail for 80 days, or
both, ON any conviction. Thirty days in
Jail, without labor and with good
board, in the winter especially, will
not be very much of hardship for an
old soaker!
Section "a of the license act is:
ga licensee who purchases or receives
from person any wearing apparel
tools, implements of trade or husband
ry, fishing gear, household goods, fur
niture or provisions either by way of
sale or barter, directly or indirectly,
the consideration for which in whole
or in part is Intoxicating liquor, or
the price thereof, or receives from any
person any such articles in pawn for
liquor, or the price there
Of, shall be fined not less than one
hundred dollars and on conviction of
a second offence the license shall be
forfeited -
What will this amount to? In any
town or city will be readily found the
person ready to earn an honest dollar
by way of purchase or pledge of these
and the licensee will lawfully
receive the money for the liquor. And
as David Harum said. so will the &C
commodating friend say: "My por-
trit amt on none o. the bills -