Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-02-22
LOCAL OPTION SAFE UNDER EXIST.
ING CONOrTIONs.

"l "ohtpeiieT tne coming faIl to brinE
about the repeal of the local option
law, the Rutland Herald and the st
Adams Messenger being disposed ia
take this view of the situation. The
ground for this supposition is SEN
tence In "a circular letter sent out by
the Anti Saloon League to the effect
that IF this work is done faithfully,
the good results will he astonishing;
many towns will be redeemed. and n
much moro helpful state aspect ready
for our next Legislature"
ON the other hand we have heard
the argument advanced that if Bur
lington and other cities in the state
were to go no-license the coming
month, it would afford ground for the
argument that tho state was likely TO
repeal the local option law at the com
ing session of the Legislature, and
those in favor OF the law would be
more likely to flock to the lead Of a
local option champion than would be
the case. were Burlington and those
in March,
1t is unfortunate that the question
Of the rreulation.of the traffic in in
toNicatina liquor can not be kept out
of politics, but the machinery nccos-
sary TO enforce any liquor legislation
is SO available and the desire of per
sonal gain from the traffic SO power
full a weapon for partisan purposes that
the liquor problem is almost invar-
iably made football in the political
arena. no matter what system of re-
striction is embodied in statute law.
actually exist in considering liquor
legislation for Vermont. and any in
tcllgent person who has studied the
question from a practical standpoint
knows that there is no more ground
for expectation that state prohibition
will be substituted for local option this
year. than that Vermont will adopt
the dispcnsary system.
If the issue were a plain one between
state prohibition and local option. 1t
would not necessarily follow that a
contest between the two systems would
result the present year. Some Of the
strongest prohibitionsts in Vermont do
not hesitate to say that the present
law has not been tried long enough to
ensure permanence in connection with
any change that might be made. They
hold that the people should be satisfied
thoroughly that the old law was bet
ter than the new liquor law, before a
test Of sentiment is made. else there
is likely to he a reaction in favor Of
the present system. on the specious
plea that local option was not given Il
fair trial
1t must be admitted that a few peo-
pie who supported local option, when
the change was proposed. have avowed
their dissatisfaction with the results,
and they are free to say they made Il
mistake. Whether n continuance Of eX-
listing conditions will increase this num-
Der or make them :" sick of the law
that they will stay so is the problem
in this particular connection.
The determining factor in the present
TO-, To-, I'd l,f,
liquor question is the division of senti-
ment among those who are opposed to
the existing law 50 that the issue is
not between two distinct systems. but
between local option and some other
system of an indie finite character. The
people opposed to local option have {,
variety of views as to what should h,.
substituted for the present system, but
they may as a rule be divided into two
classes, those who favor return 10
State prohibition. and those who favor
some form of restriction which will
not wholly cut off the traffic.
There are a number of clergymcn as
well as others in Vermont who have
come TO take the position that there
is a demand for the sale Of intoxicat-
ing liquor to certain extent which
must be met. They include in this
demand liquor for medicinal and me-
ChuniCal purposes. ana in the large
towns for purposes of beverage under
restrictions that will gradually reduce
the demand some system to he adopted
which Will eliminate the elements of
gain.
1t t. not necessary 10 argue that we
people should take this position or
that position, the fact remains that the
positions we have indicated are held
and ii is for others to recognize this
difference of opinion and act accord
ingly. 1t is also self-evident fact
that ii will be futile to try to repeal
the local option law until the people
opposed to that system are fairly well
united on some substitute system.
We are not in position to speak
officially for tho Anti-Saloon League,
but in different States il favors differ
ent systems, according TO the conditions
prevailing, and 1t has worked for
local option in some States, SO that we
do not accept the Interpretation given