Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-04-08
MR.. FLEMING ON LICENSE.
Why He Signed the Petition. +
Letter and Some Comments.

tItlon for a special town meeting to
be held tomorrow is Patrick Fleming
of Fleming & Crown. Yesterday
Mr.. Fleming brought the following
letter into the Reformer office and re-
quested that 1t be printed:
To the editor of the Reformer:--
Since signing the recent petition
for the calling of special town meet
ing for the purpose OF determining
the kind, of licenses to be granted in
Brattleboro for the coming year,
have been approached and somewhat
annoyed by several citizens regarding
my position on this question. there
fore | take this opportunity of pub
licly declaring myself In the matter.
1t has even been suggested that |
am In the employ of Messrs. Gale &
Co. and am working In their behalf
in the promotion of this petition. 1t
has not vet been my lot to let money
control the courage of my convictions
and | am not now going to succumb.
! | think II is the duty of every voter
regardless OF the few dollars or few
political friends he may loose, to lend
not only his name but to cast his vote
| for the best interests of the commun
lity. What business man. what father
or employer can candidly say that
whlskey and rum are a necessary
commodity to have in our community?
The town of Brattleboro, by the small
majority of sixteen votes. unfortu-
nately went license. 1t Is therefore
impossible to suppress the sale of
liquor. but we can by our efforts re-
duce to a minimum some of its evils.
1t has also been suggested that Mr.
Eaughton had.hard work To secure the I
necessary six names on this petition I
and In this. as business man OF
your town, | fail TO agree. The reason 4
why many merchants might refuse to I
sign such n petition Is because they /
are afraid that by so doing IL would /
interfere with their business. Gro
GERS, furniture dealers, clothiers and .
All other merchants might take this \
view of the matter. but in my opinion (
the best interests of our community (
should not be considered In this light.
While | have for many years past en-
gagged IN the plumbing business in
this town rum and public policy have
yet to control my business and do 4
not propose that 1t shall at this late
day II Is rumored that negotiations
are now under way for the lease of
the Brattlebor) house. If this be true,
the lessee. no doubt, has in view the
application of tsic) a license, which,
If granted, viii constitute one more
rum hole In our streets, and IL granted
to the parties suggested will bid fair
to be the worst Brattleboro has yet had
to contend with. My attention has
been called TO the fact and sub
stantiated by proof, that on Monday 4
last, there were by actual count II
drunken men on our streets. a week
ago last Thursday four drunken men
were tied with their hands behind
them to a post on the Island to await
the arrival of a Hinsdale officer, and ,
In my opinion most of this drunkenness
was caused by rum and whiskey.
Under such a condition OF affairs
deem 1t the duty Of every man to do
all in his power to suppress such an
evil and protect not only his own !
family but that of his relatives and
friends and save them from disgrace
and restitution. In my opinion the
rum business of Brattleboro is now
largely conducted by outside money
and influence. Why win II not be ,
better to have the larger part of it
outside of our village and
our state? / also wish to call the at
tention of the wives and mothers to :
.hese conditions OF affairs and urge !
husbands and sons in suppressing the y
sale of rum and whiskey. Were
% have my way not drop Of liquor !
IF any kind would be sold.
Respectfully.
P. Fleming.
Brattleboro, Vt. April z, 1904.
This is an apparently fair pre-
sentation of the argument of those /,
who are opposed to the first class IL :
,ense. Some of the statements made :
md differences drawn however, need !
more than casual consideration. /
Every voter in Brattleboro has an in !
crest In this question and should 7
AVE an opinion founded on practical !
and should go to the polls i
md register that opinion.
Mr.. Fleming's letter is carefully =
ypewritten on legal cap bond and !
iigned in his handwriting. The rea- =
son given for its publication Is the
llleged misunderstanding of Mr.. !
Jennings motives. The real object is
o get these specious arguments be- g
ore the people. There Is no reason
o suppose that Mr.. Fleming or any I,
,ther signer of the petition is not en-
irely sincere; nor as a matter of fact G
10 people think so. If the good 1udg- :
nent of Mr.. Fleming is doubted, his
rood faith is unquestioned by all who
lnow him. His assumption that the
re less courageous than himself is
carcely warranted, however. Brat
leboro merchants may justly resent c
he inference that rum and public c
,olicy" control their businesses. Q
The question before the voters to- n
morrow is not whether "whiskey and q
UNI are a necessary commodity to NJ
lave In our community" Alcoholic G
liquor cannot be kept out Of Brattle- y
'oro by the result of this meeting. l.
yet the claim that alcoholic liquor is \,
lot necessity is rarely made even by ii
otal abstainers. II
The town of Brattleboro ''unfortu-
ately" (say the no-license mem went =,
license. This being only an opinion n
nd opinions are not facts-it is evil NJ
ent that there are at least 16 more "
nen in town who consider license q
than there are who agree 81
With Mr.. Fleming. Are the latter pre- g,
AIRED to say that majority rule is d,
What evidence is Of n
cred that the decision desired by the a
nstigators of this movement will re p,
uce to a minimum some of the evils 4,
the sale of liquor? NJ
The statements in regard to drunk ST
mess may or may not be true. Mere
sservation is not proof. The citizen n,
Tho desires to help enforce the laws Cl
'e have is at liberty TO lay such in f.
before the proper authori- NJ
les. IL the person who told Mr.. ~
leming that II drunken men were w
n the street Monday, win furnish a Sa
gned statement giving the names of Fl
ne men and the proof" the Refor- II
Ter will publish 1t. The four Hins- X.
ale DRINKS have no bearing on the T.