The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-02-04

night in question.
In Newport, two physicians have
written over 1000 prescriptions for
liquor. One of them is under arrest,
but his conviction is not by any
means a certainty. Instead of bring
Ing a man in for second and third
offense of intoxication, which would
involve fine of $l5 and costs in the
one case and in the other make an
"habitual drunkard" of the convict
ed, officers will make the charge
breach of peace A third doctrine
advanced IN favor of local option was
that it would prove great revenue
producer
Even now license papers are begin
ming to say that there mist be an
organized graft" it is costing SO
much more to prosecute DRINKS than
comes in from fines The Benning.
ton Banner begins rather early to say
that little or nothing will be left to
the State for improved highways. 1t
is costing "a, 900 to board the drunks
from Rutland. 1t is costing from
81, 800 to So, 900 year to board the
DRINKS from Burlington. See the
revenue that comes to the towns.
Vergennes receives as it's share of the
license fees $40 and conditions be.
came so bad that they at once put on
a new police officer at a cost of 1876
year; Ludlow receives $3.50 and pay
1928 for extra police. In the city Of
Montpelier, probably $700, but very
conservatively, $500 per day, are ex-
pended for liquor, which at the latter
figure would foot up $l56, 600 per
year. Fair Haven raised an extra
tax of 10 per cent to meet the etxra
expense.
The fourth claim of the opposition
was that the proposed law would in.
crease business. Business men, almost
without exception, report a falling off
in business and express their opposi-
ton to licensed saloons. In the last
two months there has been decrease
in the number of arrests in Montpelier.
But in one town in this State arrests
are kept down by the men who run
licensed places. In Massachusetts, ar
rests are kept down by the licensees
for two or three months before cleo
tion in every debatable city. Many
men voted yes. one year ago, to regu-
late the traffic in the State. But this
year they are voting tor the best in
terests of the city only. Try the other
side a while. See if no" vote
will control and eliminate the traffic.
Do not be afraid to fight in the open.
Seek to win others to your side. You
are not fighting a losing battle. One
year ago the majority was over five
hundred. But now the highest esti-
mate placed Oh the coming majority
for license, by responsible license
men, is $50. Stand by the colors and
we will win.
Rev. L. X. Whitman followed with
al appeal to the voters for no"
vote. Subjoined is synopsis of his
remarks:
At the end of nine months of IL
cense, we should look back at the
promises made to us by its friends, to
see if they have been fulfilled, to see
what license has brought us. The
record Of license has not measured up
to Clements picture of the fine things
that would result from four or five
fine hotels taking in from $50, 900 to
$50, 900. We have had the hotels, all
glitter and lights and hard wood with
over $3.50, 900 coming in over the bar.
But where has the money gone to =?
The business has it not, the travelling
man has it not, the working man has
it not. 1t rolls into the city treasury
from license fees but it rolls OH again
into the poor department. 1t rolls
from the working man. But it does
not roll from the licensee, in the form
Of license fees, in anything like the
proportion in which it rolls in over
his bar.
Every contract forms a new insti-
tuition. The drinking man demands
of the non. drinker the right to obtain
his drink legally and above board.
The non drinker consents but says TO
the third party, the licensed dealers,
you must share your profits with me
The saloon thus started becomes not
only an institution but living factor
in the family, the. social and the in
dividual life. In the contract formed,
the support OF the drinking man and
of his family, when through liquor
he commits crime, falls upon the
sober men.
The liquor business will extend it.
self as far as possible by all means of
advertising. The business is dis
honest IN that its takes from man
without giving anything permanent
or beneficial in return. Self-interest
will play an important part in the
coming election. Those who are