Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-03-10
Terms, Adv't Rates, etc.

VI pdTeu Win last year -
VI. No. of license towns, As 8
. - no-license towns, POI Is
ear Vote for license, 20,479 80, 2s
no-license, 26,091 2493
IT. In other words, AZ cities and town
pa; that in 1908 voted license this. yea.
voted no-license; a license majority 0
about 5000 last year was transformed
into a no-license majority of abou
COCO this year. and that, too, on tota
vote 5000 less than last years total.
Here is a notable change in senti.
ment Tor one short year, and it is not
strange that it commands attention,
even outside OF Vermont. What does
{. it mean What does it signify as to
d the future?
r The question asked OF the voter at
i March meeting was simply this do
Il you favor the licensed selling of liquor
: in your town this year ?" And with
the experience gained during the past
: several months a preponderance of
voters said NO" whereas last wear.
with faith founded largely on theory,
and with desire to try untried things,
the general verdict was Yes
The issue was primarily local one.
It came right home to the voter.
"Will you have saloons in your town
this year p was its burden. And the
answer had TO be plain, unequivocal
Yes or No"
i We believe that this years express
sion Is truer one than last years. 1t |
is one more in keeping with the ira
ditions Of the state. 1t represents the
calm second thought of the people. 1t
is an appeal from Philip drunk to
Philip sober. 1t has behind it what
last years vote lacked altogether
practical experience with the subject in
hand. Last years vote for license was
abnormal. 1t succeeded a drouth of
fifty years. 1t came as the result of an
agitation itself provocative of the de-
sire to get the "full benefit of the new |
order. There was no real reason 10 {
expect that, after the first fair trial of
the saloon system, toward a half OF !
the towns OF Vermont would welcome I
it back. In Massachusetts, the locali- b
ties corresponding to our own are l
uniformly dry, and it is not unusual :,
for even the large cities like Lowell. .
Worcester and Brockton, with their q
thousands Of aliens and new voters, to u
vote no-license. If local option con-
.inues in Vermont, we look to see
reduction in the number of
license towns, to not more than Is in "
~, These will be almost wholly con- oil
ined to the border cities and towns Z,
specially those coming under the in n,
luence OF New York environment. II sa
our belief that the sincere prohibit TO-
ionist has little to fear, from now on. pr
rom the operation OF local option in
'ermont. The rum business will be of
lmost wholly restricted to those local thi
les that want the saloon. with all its Una
Is and in such localities, governed by -
lch a sentiment, the most drastic Of
rohloitory law could scarcely hope 10 tiol
e enforced. cha
The vote of Mar. Sd was not a vote va va
the merits or dement's Of the pres clai
1t liquor law, primarily, yet it has wal
ore or less bearing in the direction :
disapproyal of that law 1t is true ~ ~
at we have local option law, not a rs
'ense law, and that a voter might tror
It'll entire consistency favor the gen was
al local option system without being ll,s
nvinced that he should favor saloons ma,
his own town. Still, it will be con- fran
ded that when a considerable major The
OF the voters declare that they don't Whl
mt the saloons in their own homes 49, MN.
pu'o 'ne state as whole on record regi
the same way, and the world under dent
nds that Vermont prefers prohibit pent
n to license. men
~ WIN oe saiu' THAT'S local storI
-loh' les, lts one phase OF it, but conv
loosely resembles oId-fashioned pro- Tor I
ition. It's this way DR.. Clement cle
Dame Vermont on the street and '"'e
u, MY dear, you're sick. You are w.
Lerlng from weakened vitality
sed by your long diet of prohibit citia,
J. on need toning mp. / can put most
blush of health on your cheek. give.
tonic is license. 1t will do won ity
for you. But there is nothing t polil'
lpulsory about it. Here, take a saloo
tie OF it and put it in your chatelaine NV
: hyou wish to take il, do so Tn
lot, don't. That's local option. law,
l. having prescribed for you, | get t taoei
, - "na'e'er You do. My able.
Oh, perhaps the governorship isty t
affv