Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-03-17
THE LocAL-oPTloN IDEA.


From the Montpelier Journal
Many of the license newspapers n
the state, while discussing the mean
ing Of last Tuesdays vote on the sa
loon question, have taken the oppor.
tunity opraise the principle of local
option. They say that the results ar
que IN favor OF local-option, Tor by
that provision of the law, each munici.
pality is permitted to say tor itself
each year whether liquor shall be sold
IN It's limits or not. Local-option and
home rule seem TO them to 90 hand In
band in bestowing benefits upon the
community.
Some Of the license advocates care
nothing for principle. The men who
tell their fellows, Vote as you drink -
believe in license purely and simply
because It enables them to oct their
liquor more conveniently. They care
nothing for local-option as a principle.
and are not to be considered except as
thelr votes count at the polls. But
there are men to whom local-option
means more than mere opportunity
TO get open saloons. Many local an.
ton men voted mo- last Tuesday II
Is 10 those men who honestly believe
IN local-option that these few words
are directed.
In the first place where would local
option take us If we should apply il 10
other matters Why would ii NOT he
consistent to pass laws that would al
ow each municipality to say whether
lshing should be allowed within M /
borders each year? Why not have !
les or no vote each year on the main I
OF schools and compulsory at
enhance OF pupils, instead Of having a
General law Tor the state, COMPELLING
nc maintenance OF schools under pen
NY OF Indictment and a general tru-
hcy law ior the scholars The lionor
aestlon Is one that concerns the
mole state as well as that of The
'hools or the fisheries. No town can
wrong on the liquor question with. I
y aHectlng lts neighbor just as a
Wh without schools would iniure its !
'ighoors. II open saloons are Good !
one town they are good for another. l
they are bad for one, they are bad Z
r another. v
one great trouble with the principle a
local-option in dealing with the Ii 3
OF traffic is his-local-option Il al. !
1st an impossibility. For instance h
teen towns in Washington county n
We Just voted mo, but because tonr e.
Nhs voted yes, the residents of the y
teen towns will have all OF the evils N
the open saloon except the saloon \
~ ana none OF its benefits-if there IL
any DEMENT'S. Berlin, East Mont p'
Ter, worcester and the others have m
Jared against the traffic in intovicat-
nquoT' but the will fthe voter is OF II
aVail because Montpelier, Barre. Bar pi
oWnand Woodbury. voted Tor IL ca
Sc That is the way local option NJ
Tks-or rather, fails to work. TO
! Is nonsense to assert that the ma lY
" OF the voters in a given town ii,
IN, lor lnstance-goyern that town 2 /:
respect to license. Ii is not "a he
lal0rity in Montpelier has oyerrid- TIL
the wishes of the majority in Ber- dit
ana Tor all practical purposes Ber- Nj
las license. If Montpelier had not to
IT, some other town would. Ii i his
llys SO. In Massachusetts. when MI
llquor interests see they are to be Tn
aled IN : given city, they turn mo
attention TO some neiohborino on
= distribute money and liauor 10 Bri
voters, carry the town for license int
get the trade OF the city lust the sue
:. Look at Rutland this wear. his
city has voted against license att unt
tremendous change in public SEN gat
nj, but a saloon in the town of :.
and Is located almost at the CITY p;,,
ana the city will have license I'M bod
lts very nose in spite of itself. has
! option will not work, and. il it Mrs
u the principle would be wrong.
6 may be communities i'm Yer
mat would favor licensing gam
houses and houses of i'll fame as A
ne IN some places in other states q
timer countries. Under the local.
n principle they should be al 4
to issue those licenses if they so hot
e, even though the rest of the 'hie
should consider the houses great Chr
and should be injured by them. tim
local-option idea is all wrong. :"
interests of the state as a whole. | fe
he selfish desires of the single and and,
lunltles, should control. W.