The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-08-11
MIR. DAVENPORT AGAIN.

bDe WOrk1uB VI bH6 liCenbo law anu III
reply to a recent editorial article of
the Journal,
Mr.. Davenport makes number of
statements as to the effect of the law
and looks for his support to the inter
nal revenue records He says the
new law has reduced the number of
liquor sellers in the State by AZ per
cent, the number of towns where
liquor is sold by 4S per cent, medici-
nal sales by nine-tenths, and liquor
cases in county courts by three
fourths, with closer approach than
was ever made before to exterminat-
ing secret dives, sales on Sunday to
minors, to confirmed drunkards," etc.
How he arrives at all of those connlu-
sions from the internal revenue rec
ords it is impossible to see. Because
under the new law there are no social
ed United States licenses taken out in a
town where there we're such licenses
before, this does not prove that there
are no liquor sellers in that town.
The Journal has remarked upon the
way some of the people who handle
liquor illegally look at it, The pun
ishment provided for illegal selling in
violation of the present law is so Sc
we're that the sellers have concluded
that they might as we'll run their
chances on the whole thing A gov
eminent tax receipt would turn atten-
tion TO the holder and with one in his
possession he would be in greater dan
ger than without this document.
1t is possibly true that there are
not SO many prosecutions for illegal
selling under this law as under the
former law, but the number sin
creasing and if illegal selling is TO be
stopped, the number must be greatly
increased.
Mr.. Davenport's authority for the
statement that there is closer APP
proach than ever before to the exter.
mination Of secret dives" sales on
Sunday, to minors and to drunkards
does not appear Probably he has
none. 1t may be that there is
closer approach as to the first two,
but it does not reach the goal by con-
siderable. 1t would seem that there
is no necessity tor Sunday selling and
that, therefore, there would not be
any sales, but the Journal has the au-
thority of strong license men when
it states that there are number of
places in this city, aside from the
three hotels with licenses, where a
good business is done in liquor every
Sunday. The proprietors of the places
do not pay government taxes, it is
true, but they sell liquor illegally
and on Sunday.
1t is possibly true, so far as Mont
pelier is concerned. that the number
of secret dives'' has diminished, but
they have not been exterminated. On
the contrary, and in spite of the fact
it would appear that illegal selling,
especially on week days, is entirely
upcalled for. there is undoubtedly
considerable of it in town. AS to a
reduction of sales to drunkards, that
is all nonsense. Nobody has trouble
in getting liquor if the pIice is forth
coming. This is proved by the large
number of second and subsequent of
fences that come before the courts
now, there being ten second offences
last month out of n convictions for in
toxication in city court.
1t is impossible to keep liquor away
from a man just because he has been
convicted of intoxication. For in
stance, if the conviction be in Mont
pelier and the officers properly notify
the licensees, the chances are that
they do not know the convicted man
and therefore will not know whom to
refuse. If he is known and refused,
he can either go to Barre and get his
liquor, or buy Of pocket peddler.
He will not have to hunt far in any
case.
AS to the reduction in the number
VI ubts III uiubhtilnOSs, OhNtu-
port is correct in stating that there
has been reaction from the great ex-
cesses OF the first two or three months
under license, but, as compared with
the number under prohibition, here
in Montpelier, the present figures look
very large. In June 1902, there
were prosecutions for 4 first offences
of intoxication and second offence.
In July of the same year the figures
were and respectively. In June,
1908, there were 4S convictions of
which ~ were for second or subse-
quent offences while, in July the total
was A with 10 second or subsequent
offences. . In June, 1904, there were
81 convictions for intoxication, of
which were second offences; in July
the total was ~ with 10 second Of
fences. Moreover the first few days
of August have shown an unusual
amount Of drunkenness, at the end of a
week the figures coming close to those