Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-02-26
THE MEDDLER.
~ Mf ccat ms PIT IL Q" "

Now that Rhode Island reds nave
heen admitted to the standard OF
the American Poultry association u
seems likely that the Valley Fair
management viii have 10 build new
building for the accommodation OF the
feathered department OF the SHOW
last year the poultry building was
filled TO its capacity. and nj that tiine
the breed OF fowls named AFTER Little
Rhode was not recognized. ~ u y
safe estimate that fully 20o pifus o!
this variety win be entered at next
years fair so that new accommoda-
| lions will be an absolute necessity IL
n new poultry building Is constructed
the old house will probably be turned
| over to the kennel department when
| liz planning something startling In the
way of n bench show. There Is no fea-
ture OF the fair which attracts more
general attention that the CANNES
and II people can be taught 10 ap-
preciate the value OF type and quaiity
| In dogs as well as In other animals
something worth while Will have been
accomplished
with the remembrance of elongated
coal bills and frozen water pipes stu
fresh In everyone's memory the proph-
ecy made by one local weather Isaiah
will not meet with popular favor, He
says that without doubt next winter VIII
be much more severe than this one
has been. and bases his prognostica-
tions upon the sun spots. Most of us
common people have not been aware
that there were any spots on old
SOL" and II they augur any such thing
as a colder four months than the past
II would be Just as well II they had
not been discovered. Perhaps they are
simply something new under the
sun" and have no bearing whatever
upon the weather
However it's an III wind that blows
nobody good. The lee charged zephyrs
from the north. which have frozen the
ground TO the depth of five or six feet
and caused all sorts Of discomfort,
have also enkindled In the minds OF
the farmers the expectation that this
spring viii be a banner maple sugar
season. In fact conditions exist which
have rarely failed to produce a great
flow of sap and an excellent quality OF
sugar. Last year was one of the poor
est sugar seasons In the history OF the
state and the amount manufactured
was not sufficient to supply home con-
sumption. In this connection the ideas
Of a writer in the New England
Homestead may be worth considera-
ton. He says that maple sugar never
completes favorably with syrup in
price. and that farmers would make
more money II they made more syrup
and less sugar. Sugar at 10 cents
a pound Is only equal to syrup In bulk
at 10 to 75 cents gallon whereas
syrup generally sells at IS to 80 cents
when sugar Is at this price. The Med
dler would hate to have his allow
ance OF maple sugar curtailed. but ne
would be willing to take II in liquid
form II II meant more money to the
farmers.
What will happen Tuesday? is the
question which Is interesting every
body just at present. Although only
three days intervene between now
and town meeting time there seems to
be little activity among the license
and no-llcense advocates. To be sure
a prohibition rally Is going to be held
Sunday night, but rallies don't amount
to much In changing the minds OF
Brattleboro voters The people that
go are the very ones who do not need !
changing. Then again most everyone
has made up his mind by this time
how he will mark his ballot. There is
no doubt, however, tnat many VINO
were on the no side last year Will vote
YES next week. Two of the present |
selectmen have expressed themselves |
as being strongly In favor of continu-
ing license for another twelve months. |
and there are many other men who
have been convinced that such a |
course will best further the interests
Of the town.
There is no use denying the fact |
that in town the size of Brattleboro
where so many people use liquor
either for medicinal or convivial pur-
poses, dIspensaries Of some kind or
other must be maintained. Prohibi- |
tion with Its abominable town agency |
system. was In force for so years until |
its farcical nature became known to |
everybody. License is just complet- |
Ing its first year and is adapting IT. |
self better and better to conditions. |
Whether the decision Tuesday is yes |
or no will have little effect upon the |
amount Of liquor consumed during the |
next year. but the town ought to have |
the benefit which is derived from the |
license system. People who look at |
the matter In any other light are as |
far sighted as the man who could see |
a fly on his barn door but could not |
see the door. The Meddler.