Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-06-10

THE REMARKABLE RESULTS
Concluded from last week.

are ut TIE Hfht clhSst IuT tue Sdi' VI
liquor OF all kinds TO be drunk on the
premises, 50 are OF the second class,
"a of the third class, for sale OF beer
by the glass. seven OF the fourth class.
for bottle trade In beer. IS druggists,
and Ave OF the sixth class. for summer
hotels. The smallness of the latter
number is rather a surprise, but II VIII
doubtless increase In future years. II
seems to mo that the law can ana
ought TO be amended TO allow the vote
to be taken on the question OF limiting
the licenses 10 beer and light wines al
the same time as that Oh the question
whether licenses shall be granted at
all. As II stands now, II is very rare
that second meeting win be petition
ed for and this feature Of the law does
not get a sufficient trial. Limitation to
malt liquor licenses has never proved
n practical success In the states where
II has been tried. because Of the temp
tation to the dealer TO make IL cover
for traffic In hard" liquors but II was
hoped, with the severity and extra
guards of our law, that Il could be
done. and, II So II would achieve much
for temperance.
License boards should be given ex-
press power, as provided in section 43
of the Conland bill to revoke any IL
cense, even though violation of its pro-
visions cannot be positively proved, II
from frequency OF complaints o. oth.
err circumstances II is satisfied the
licensee is not properly conducting his
hnS frEnI
be subserved thereby, refundlng, OF
course, the proportionate share of the
license fee for the unexpired term
Probably they have this powe, now
under the rule we'll established by
the courts, that a license Is but the
sale of a privilege; but the average
board viii not exercise II without
statutory authority.
on the other hand there should be
lodged somewhere more power TO deal
with the board II necessary. The six
years tenure OF its members is desr-
able to secure experience and knowl-
edge of conditions. But II a board
proves incompetent or unfair or cor
rupt. the community is too completely
at its mercy. The one danger of linn
tied license like ours-necessary in
order to keep the traffic within the
limits of regulation and CONTROLS
that from the profitable monopoly 1t
contains, corruption will creep into
the granting and management of the
licenses, and being in the nature of
the case almost impossible of proof,
it is most unreasonable that the
,f hn N
public servants, shall be secure in
their places until the measure OF
criminal proof can be brought
against them. Massachusetts has had
an inhnitude of trouble on this score.
The best, and all round the fairest,
remedy, II seems TO me- would be
provision. In addition to the present,
that the board or any member, be sub
/ iect 10 dismissal on a two-thirds vote
4 of the town on an article in the war
rant for a regular town meeting.
Forms of complaint should be estab-
llished, something like those of the
old law. allowing allegation of Of
I lenses at divers times" The con-
1 finement now 10 separate prosecution
/ for each Illegal sale alike needlessly
multiplies expense and the chance OF
/ escape for the offender.
II should be made the duty of the
court before whom any person is con-
victed of intoxication to Immediately
transmit the record thereof to license
| boards.
Suggestions from their experience
for amendment Of the law were invit-
ed from all the license boards, as
we'll as for improvements in methods
of administration: and several of the
replies are we'll worthy of considera-
ton.
Chairmen Cole of Windsor and Car
rigan of Poultney suggest that all IL
censes be made to expire May or
April l. with fees proportionate for
part Of the year. Mr.. Cole thinks all
| license fees-except wholesalers
should also be graduated to population
of towns, and that the law should also
state definitely whether the commits
sion. after revoking a license, have
power TO issue a substitute; also that
commission have power to issue
search warrants on their special
Ioaths, without restrictions of sections
| 5S to 81 inclusive
Mr.. Smith of Swanton would fix the
minimum fee for first class licenses at
5000, and would compel disclosure on
every second offense of intoxication.
Mr.. Adams Of Putney would change
the first class license so that in small
towns with one license, sales Tor
medical use could be made under It.
He would strike out the anti-treating
clause. as it amounts to nothing. MI
Dunsmore of Middlesex on the con-
trary would make this clause more
stringent.
Mr.. Fay of Milton would issue the
first and second class licenses 10 tne
same persons. so the purchaser could
not get all he ought by the drink ana
then go to another place and get a
bottle.
Mr.. Nichols of Essex would prohibit
sales by the bottle entirely
Mr.. Conroy of Arlington thinks the
fee for first class licenses should be
fixed by town meeting.
Mr. smith of Mortified would con-
fine the second class licenses to rep
utable druggists and would subJec'
the agent of a brewery or distillery IN
a license town to the same penalty as
an unlicensed dealer for soliciting
orders. one there has done a whole
sale business of that kind.
states Attorney Schwenk of WIND
ham would provide for the pros
ecution of licensee for any Of
tense by himself or agent or clerk +,
would extend the privilege of the OLD
law TO witnesses so that they cannot
refuse to testify on the ground that
II would criminate themselves; and
would alter the conditions of the IL
censes so that one, if an inn-holder OF
druggist and holding another license,