The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-22
Vermont is Now Refusing
to License Saloons.
INTERESTING FACTS
Fifty.four Counties That One Year AGO
Voted License Now Refuse
to Grant License TO
Retail Whiskey
There.

To the Editor: Please allow me
to express my admiration and appre-
citation of the stand "The Old Reliable
is taking, so valiantly. in the interest
of temperance legislation.
That the Democratic party should
have espoused this cause is no sur
prise, l take it, to any man who has
followed the trend Of the party during
| the last quarter of a century and it is
gratifying to find "The Old Reliable
still leading in cause SO vital to
every best interest of the whole mass
of our citizenship.
Vast numbers of the best people of
our State are earnestly praying, in the
| hope that the present Legislature will
enact still more stringent restrictions
against the liquor traffic.
That our lawmakers may be on
their guard against the clamor of in
terested parties, who by any sort of
means, labor to defeat all temperance
| Legislation, l forward you the follow
ing summary of the conditions. and
effect of the repeal of the Prohibition
statutes in the State of Vermont-a
clipping from the New York Christian
Advocate:
"VERMONT AND RUM-SELLING.
"A strong reaction in temperance
sentiment i'm Vermont has taken place.
1t will manifest itself in the Le2isla-
ture. FOrty-fOur towns which last
year voted I'm favor OF license. this
year voted no license. while only one
changed from no license to license.
Most of the towns still for license de-
clare for ii by reduced maioritieS We
have learned from various sources
that the effect of license has been very
bad. Citizens OF Burlington. VT. have
told us that the demoraiiZing influence
of the saloons upon youth in that cOi-
legc city is greatly increased. and all
over the State the consequences Of i'll
considered action are being realized.
Apart from the merits of prohibition.
or license with local option. the spirit
manifest in the reDe;@ OF the prOhibi-
tory law was decidedly denioraiizin=.
Those who openly and ayOWedly sup
ported the movement and those vino
openly and ayowedly resisted il were
i'm consistent position. but some OF
the SO-calicd statesmen who carried
water on both shoulders are now be-
ing regarded as timeseryers.-New
York Christian Advocate.
The repeal of the statue in Ver-
mont has furnished the whskey men
a card which they have played for ali
cense in that State has depressed many
temperance men throughout the
country. but the mistake they made Is
now frankly confessed.
Let us be admonished thereby.
The whiskey man says, if you will
make your temperance legislation ef-
fective, we are with you, and he yells
about blind tigers" and the "iug
trade" Unquestonably this sort of
agitation forced the repeal of the
statute in Vermont. But now they re-
pent in sorrow, confessing an ire
parable loss to the whole State. And,
with fOrty-four towns. that a year ago
voted license. refusing them now, to,
gether With Il general alarm at the
rapid increase of crime; it very clear
ly appears that in the very near tG-
ture Vermont will again Danish the
saloon.
With an object lesson like sthis be-
fore us, our people must know that the
Watts law is no mistake; that the biii
of Mr.. Long, of Iredell, is no mistake;
and that while there are still in THIS
land of the brave and the free some
who, Notwithstanding the innumerabi':
evils that follow in it's wake, still
champion the cause of the open sat-
loon: still the people must and do
know that this whole land looks hope
fully to the present Legislature for
luftnef r2llet.
In our own little city up here
among the hills of Person. we now
have no saloon, no dispensary-a dry
town. Our county commissioners re-
FUSED license january 1St, 1905.
Twenty days have since come and
gone; and while located in a section
where | have observed an alarming
amount of drunkenness yet during
these twenty days-after all that is
said and done about blind tigers, ana
the jug trade" there has been but
one arrest for drunkenness, and as /
learned from the chief of police but
one man since Intoxicated Sobriery,
good order, and good will have pre-
vailed. No indecency of language or
conduct has afflicted our highways.
Many men, who for years, on the Oc-
caSon of their visits to our town. have
generally gone homo to their families
indicated, now are sober and SELF
respecting-a JOY to their homes and
a relief to the community.
In Gods name. l ask, can we, by
any use of whisley; or by any ma
nipulation of the traffic. better these
conditions?
Is there any virtue or manliness but
will be protected and fostcred by these
conditions?
Would it not be like the trail of the
serpent in the Garden of Eden for
cncc to disturb this peaceful situation?
\ large majority of the best OF our
country people are rejoiccd beyond
measure. at tho departure of the sa-
loon; nor do they want q diSpcnSaIy.
They are content with what we have.
We feel safe i'll the hands of our