Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-09-02
DEMOCRATIC HOT SHO!
Fired with Democratic State Com
mittee Workmanship
THE REPUBLICAN BAD FAITH
On Local Option Reason for the Platform
Dodge This Year-Proof from Its Own
Admission that It Plans to Kill the Law
by Tactics Like Those of Two Years Ago


the sacrifice OF his life, by the late DR..
Conland, that was conceded the best
among all those before the Legislature,
Because it was a Democratic Measure
and because most of the Republicans OF
the Legislature were determined That nc
license law whatever should be enacted
that could survive vote of the people
this bill was much mutilated before 1t
became n law.
As part of the malignant tactics OF
the neutrality-suspicious. and Polltl'
clans for plumber, their Representatives
on the Joint Temperance Committee con
stantly. in secret caucus, unbeknown TO
their license associates, with whom they
professed to be acting in concert to CON
struct the best law possible, to put up
Jobs and lay ambushes for their asso,
cates who supposed they were engaged
in square. above-board deal. After
doing everything in their power in this
way to spoil the license bill, they as
founded their license associates, at the
last moment before the committee was
to report, by proposing the substitute,
which they nearly carried. OF the Battell
bill. The Democrats, Clement men, and
few real license Republicans, had no
suspicion until this moment OF any such
game. which failed Of success only be-
cause one conspirator at the tinal pinch
went back on them, as the Prohbitioh-
politicians charged at the
time. 81,
From such hodge. podge of bad faith
and brazen reputation OF Republican
PROMISES on the subject it is wonder
that the bill emerged in even as good
shane as it did. As result OF the mer-
its left as proven by the official records
it has: IL
Decreased the number Of liquor sellers
in the state by 10 per cent
The number of towns where liquor Is
sold, by IS per cent.
Liquor cases in county courts by
threefourths.
"Nedical sales" under 5th class or
druggist licenses, nine-tenths as COM
pared with the old town agency
Brought closer approach than law
has ever done before to determination
of secret dives, Sunday traffic, sales to
minors, confirmed drunkards, etc.
And yielded net revenue oil nearly
100000 to Town Treasures and for
good roads. where before was net out
90. probably, under the farce OF pro-
hibition. ~,
And in the one respect in which there
was n possibility of doubt, the extent OF
drunkenness. as measured by arrests ana
prosecutions. it has now vindicated IT.
self From the reaction excess at nrst,
there has been progressive improvement
OF over twenty per cent every, three
months, as shown by the quarterly SET
Element of cost bills with the state
Treasury. and for the quarter endihs
Nav al, according to n statement under
| date of August II from the State treas
urer's office. these prosecutions aggre-
gated 564; while for its average quarter
En the last year OF prohibition they were
666 Considering the much greater
strictness in making arrests that gener-
ally prevails under the provisions OF the
new law. there can be no doubt that we
/ have reached much better condition OF
| temperance under the new land at the
end of fifteen months than Prohibition
brought in fifty years.
The defects of the law, every one due
TO Prohibition Republican mutations,
and not one of which would have existed
! II Democrats could have controlled,
are:- . nj.
Several points of doubtful constitu-
/ tionality.
Several features of unfairness to law
obeving sellers. of which the mutilation
of the provisions for fifth class or Drug
pist license is an example.
Several clogs and discouragements to
the effective administration of the law
against law-breaking dealers.
These defects were all put into the bill
by the Prohibition Republicans with the
primary purpose of putting it into such
shape that the people would reject it. 1t
nearly succeeded, reducing the majority
aft the referendum to less than l,O0O,
when the normal majority for license, as
indicated by the September elections IN
1902. was some 1000.
The secondary purpose is now in oper-
alton. Everybody comedies that the law
needs much amendment this coming fall.
II is absolutely certain that the Prohibi-
tion-Republicans, only repeating their
tactics of two years ago, when they were
bound by an even more solemn promise
Than now. will go to work in this amend
inc process either to attempt the Battell
scheme again or distort the present law
into such shape that no one will be salts
fed with it, and then submit it to an
other referendum, when it will be sure to
be rejected. Indeed, they have been in
discreet enough-before they had any
idea of tn present method of getting the
truth and warning before the people
through several of their organs, TO dis
close exactly the latter purpose They
calculate that Presidential year will give
them majority enough to do whatever
they please.
OF course they will have majority
enough in the legislature-we hpve no
hope of preventing that.
The only possible chance OF heading
them off is to give such rote Tor Porter
md the whole Democratic State Ticket
as will scare the Republican machine OF
he state into an honest and decent
.ourse. And no small vote will do TINS,
Because Prohibition contains a vast
elunder for the machine and its oper-
stors. which is gone under the present
law and which they are desperately de-
ternined to regain.
II believers in local option and leglsa-
tion for real Temperance, instead OF po-
Iitieal plumber, with their eyes wide open
to the scheme so plainly before them'
hermit it to succeed, they will have only
themselves to thank.