Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-04-07
BRATTLEB0RO LOCAL
BREWERY AND BALL GROUNDS.

Controversy Without Change Of Status
and Games VIII Be Played as Hereto
fore.
That the opposition to the brewery is
having some effect was shown by Rev.
H. r. Miles in the Congregational church
Sunday morning. Mr.. Miles preached
on THE Guilt OF Indifference" taking
as a text a selection from Job 81: "If
have eaten my morsel alone, and the
fatherless hath not eaten thereof let
mine arm be broken from the bone" The
reference to the brewery" was incidental,
merely part OF the sermon, but It was
decidedly interesting. 1t was preceded
by reference TO the statement Of Job
regarding the sojourner, Of whom he said:
THE stranger did not lodge in the streets,
but / opened my house to the traveller"
Continuing, Mr. Miles said: "The streets
were Jobs care, and he looked out for such
as he found in them. II there were more
people to whom the streets were a care
today, there would be less contrast be-
tween the life with which our children
come in contact in the streets and that
which they find in their homes. 1t is
not merely poverty of the streets that
has rights to our attention. The greater
need is that the people who wander up
and down them find some hospitable
place open to them. somebody who like
Job feels an interest in them.
You may be asked directly to provide
a new playground for our boys. An effort
has been made toward seeking to clean
our streets by petitioning the New Hamp-
shire license commissioners to close the is
land saloon. To deter any attempt to inter
fere with that saloon the licensee has
told the manager Of the high school ball
nine that the nine would have to find
another place to practice II the principal
NJ oh COhnOl
of remonstrance against the island saloon.
THE licensee has spoken out and
named his price. Our boys shall not play
ball on the island unless their fathers are
silent about the saloon there. and it be
permitted to do all the business It can
with Brattleboro people without a pro-
test being raised. The lcensee has given
warning that the principal of our schools
must keep his convictions to himself, or
we must provide a new playground for
our boys. AS the principal is not at hand,
to say whether or not he signed the petit
tion, the boys have been told that they
may use the ball grounds on the island
until he returns from his vacation.
II do not criticise the licensee for the
ground he has taken. He is within his
rights Only let us understand the situa
tion, make IL known, and meet it.
Let us rejoice that there has been
enough plain speaking in Brattleboro to
make those who are determined to carry
on the liduor traffic here, despite the
fact that the people have said that they
do not want it, feel that 1t is time to
muzzle somebody. i wish there were more
men and women who make it a point
to keep the confidence and friendship of
boys and girls, as Job did"
Mr.. Miless premise was taken from a
conversation between the manager of the
| high school base ball team on Saturday,
and the Hcensee In New Hampshire. When
| the lieensee was asked whether the boys
| could have the ball grounds for another
| year he Is said by the high school repre-
sentative to have said: ''If your principal
| signed that petition you will have to look
| elsewhere for ball grounds" The licensee
/ says he said: II don't know whether you
can or not Go and find out whether your
| principal signed the petition" The whole
! question turned on the conversation be-
tween the two Later, the manager of
| the high school team found that the
principal signed the petition With one
| of the players OF the team he again visited
! the licensee and stated that the principal
was one of the signers. The boys were
| told that they could use the grounds for
practice until the principal returned and
then the parties interested would see
what could be done Further interviews
! brought from the licensee the statement
that the only question with him was
whether the principal of the high school
would derive any benefit from the receipts
at the exhibition games. If so, he says,
| he wished to make his own terms for the
rental of the grounds for games to which
admissions would be paid, the high school
boys and all other boys to have the use
Of the grounds for practice whenever they
pleased without charge. The licensee
having been informed that the high school
| principal has no pecuniary interest in the
exhibition of games the boys have been
told to go ahead, with the status the same
as 1t has been in other years-they to use
the grounds for practice without charge
and to have them for exhibition games
to which admissions are charged ct
| nominal rental.