Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-09
DEFENDS DETECTIVES"
New Superintendent Of Anti.saioon
League Believes In Thcir Unity.

New Superintendent Of Anti.saioon
League Believes In Their Unity.
G. j. Ferguson tho new superintendent
of the Anti-Saloon League. furnished tho
following TO the Free Press on saturday:
my term of Office necessarily began
Immediately upon election, and I shail
throw myself at once into the work. Mr..
Morrow will be, by vote of the trustees,
joint superintendent until April I, for the
purpose OF carrying out the wcll-devised
plans for tho present campaign and have
time thereafter to close up his work
properly.
IL don't understand there will he any
change or front on tho part Of tho Yer
mont Anti-Saloon League. Tho motto will
continue to be "rhe Saloon must GO ].
IS. however. likely that some changes az
tactics will be inauguratcd, or perhaps it
would be more proper to say. change OF
emphasis. The election of lawyer to
succeed clergyman may be an 'ntima
tion that the superintendent is expected
to practice more and preach less, nut VI
does not necessarily follow that ne Will
not be expected to talk some.
'"rhc board of G1 trustees determine the
policy and through its representatives,
the headquarters committee, the methods
of the league. The superintendent Is the
agent of tho board to carry out its plans.
The superlntcndent's notions only become
interesting to the public in so far as they
are adopted by the board as II rule OF ac-
tion 1t. therefore,, is more or less dan
gerOua for "A superintendent to state MS
contemplated methods until he has sound
ed his trustees.
THE financial scheme of the league mas
heretofore been eminen,ly successful ns
such 1t is. however far from ideal In it's
effects upon the educational scheme. [
believe the two should be permanently d.
vOrced. Public services ought not to he
IN any measure embarrassed By colloc-
tons and appeals for subscriptions. Nor
should the churches and temperance peo-
| pie of Vermont require the speakers or
| the superintendent to waste their time
| looking for funds with which to carry
on the work. They should work ana tho
| funds should be forthcoming to back
their efforts. I hope this may be brought
| to pass. | believe most thoroughly in the
educational and the pcdge-sSning plan
and hope the latter may continue even
more generally than before. The educa-
tional work done faithfully and well ought
not to I've long showing itself in the per-
sonnet of the Legislature and the duality
of it's work.
| 81 have always believed IN the enforce
mcnt of whatever law is good enough ~
Ibc retained. Advocates of local option
license assured us two years ago that
| holders of licenses would enforce tho
provisions agains, unlicensed dealers, but
we find they succor them instead, ana
| that the number oi unlicensed dealers Is
| not materially decreased 1t was said thht
| the advoc ttes of license. particularly inc
local option league. should and would
see to law enforcement. Evidence of their
Efforts along that line are so limited that
/ feel sure they VIII excuse any efforts
on the part of tn" Anti-Saloon League to
supplement their lahors bv n good strong
| safe and sane attempt at Jaw cnfcrcc-
mont. If the Anti Saloon League makes
the honest cffort of law enforcement
which the local option league has totally
atstained from doing. the latter league
and its friends should come up with IL
liberal contribution to support the CT
fort. (Thcy can he sent direct 10 Treas
urer L. G. EvansJ
"Along the line Of law enforcement I
don't know what the board will auth oriZe
or instruct to be done. but I am free tn
say that have always believed. and still
do. III the use Of detectives, and I care
little what nicknamcs are given them.
Call them 'spottcrs il you please. They
have been, and always will he. It 1egiti-
mate and proper lpcthcd of obtaining
. evidence not otherwise obtainablc for
the conviction of deliberate violations of
law, and 1 am unable 10 see any reason
Tor discriminating In FAVOR vi that most
persistent lot or iaw-hrcakeiS VINO, WIN
inpunity deiy any law tHNoh one oil 'heii