Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-06-23
WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS SAY
A REASONABLE POSITION.
(From the Montpelier Argus Democra,

REASONABLE POSITION.
| Local option men. unless fanatical o
nirotod. will regard with approval tn
resolutions adopted by the Coneroga
tionalists of the State at their convcntio,
in ST. Jchnsbury III relation to the loca
option law. One declaration. that 'th
open saloon licensed for private gain can
not be accepted as a final or righteous
solution of the liquor problem" woul,
| not be accepted by some. who look o
q license lew as the ultimate metho,
of dealing with tho linuor business. Few
people Will oppose their DroDoeal to prti
ton the legislature TO raise az able com
mission to examine and study tho uj,rs
| ton of our temperance legislation from
every point of view. with authority I,
secure official reports from all depart
m"ntS nf the state, to report to the mex
legislature and if deemed wise bv tn.
commission previously and directly to tn,
people of tho state
No possible harm can result from tn.
Investigations Of such commission, an,
IT might do much good, bringing ont fact.
that have escaped public attention. Il
must b" remembered that discussion OF
tn" lquor question, with a definite. con
Strut tive end in view, has proceeded but
Il little WAY in Vermont We have hao
now local option in the subject of at.
| tention.
| Even local option WAS not thorough,
ana generally studied before il wa.
adopted, and the particular form of Local
option now in force in Vermont is tho re-
suit of "A compromise at the close of an
exciting session of tho legislature The
mon who most earnestly worked for the
adoption of the local option principl,
of
eminent. for home rule and freedom
rather than for the opening of saloons
and mnny mon who voted for the law
'on tho referendum voted against license
in their towns. .ntt sf
Tn" theory Of taking the liquor busine So
ont of private hands. OF eliminating the
clement of profit. has made some head
way in the state and some earnest mon
arc firm IN their belief that the matter
can be best disposed of in that WAY
Th"rc may remain a considerable Gle
m"nt Of local option IN such Il method
but the experience Of the state with tn.
town agencies shows chat there Is also an
Cpl prtuutN for Il large amount of of
fi"iHl corruption that is not good for the
body polite. Perhaps a commission of
competent mon may lind some way of
adopting system OF state or municipal
CONTROL of III" business that VIII he a,-
c"rtihl". AT any rate, no one can object
20 having the matter fully investigated
and tn" facts and conslusions placed be
fore the people" If there is Il better sys-
ION th1n local option the local option
men VIII be willing to accept it, They
will FIRST require to bo convinced that
some other system is better
The cominttc. of the Conversations
lists that has been gathering informa-
ton reg; riding the law finds lust wnat
SUI purtcrs OF the local option princi,l.
have always contendod. that 1t has
brought quickcning of tho sense Of local
responsibility, something that Ill good
citizens will admit is highly desira bic
Realizing that the immediate repeal OF
the law is not To he expected thoy ask il
hc amended in its administrative features
in thos" particulars:
"fho commissioners be hereafter an
pointccs If the governor of the State.
and he directly responsible to the people
through him.
"'rhe commissioners he required not
only to prosecute breakers of the law
on evidence submitted by private citizens.
but To investigate ana themselves secure
evidence Of such lawlossness whether it
exists: the State providing for the ex-
pense of such work.
"Thc second class license be abolished
or the zee for such licenco he made equal
to that for Il tirsl class license.
The fifth class license be moro
PER purpose, So that gonuineness of a
ply Hicians prescription, as Il pc7cirp-
ton for medicine. be no longer tested ~
the physicians willingness to incriminato
himself"
II the sense Of local responsibility
is to he retained, the commissioners, should
not he appointed by the governor They
should be chosen, in some manner br
rio.r own municipalities That is essential
IN any proper and reasonable Iutorprc;a
tor of local option. There may be- We
fear there have been. some cases OF i'm
proper selection of commissioners, hut
IN spite of that, the people. or their
Sclcotmcn and councils. are better fitted
to make such appointments than any
outside official who must rely ON expartc
testimony as to the fitness of candidates.
Tho matter of prosecutions, and OF
procuring evidence ought to be more
clearly treated in the law
The second class license needs some
alteration.
Tho firth class may require some
further regulation. The druggists arc
pretty wei. tied down as the Law now
stands and we have heard very few COM
plants regarding sales by druggists Some
physicians have been Offenders against |
The spirit Of the law and have been gcncr-
Gus in their wholesale writing OF prcscrip- |
ions, but such cases have been few III,
druggists appear not to need any more |
'cstictions. II the physicians who dis |
'esard the ethics of their profession can |
'e reached. action to that end should |
Do taken.
The ConereGationalsts approach the
subject in a commcndable spirit. They |
make no fierce attacks on the law, they |
make nc declaration in favor of return |
q the discredited system of State pro-
,ibtion. They show desire To solve this |
me of the admittedly hard problems OF