The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-11-14

MT smell very bad and / am going to
risk my job this time, so here goes
from the records of the city of Rut-
land
Rutland Under State Prohibition
In 1901 had 81 Convicted DRINKS
In 1902 had "a Convicted Drunks
Under License
In 1903 had 439 Convicted DRINKS
Under No License
In 1904 had 24S Convicted Drunks
Again Under License
In 1905 had 4f3 Convicted Drunks
In 1906 had 461 Convicted DRINKS
What Tommy rot contrary to the
facts those Rutland court records are.
Brother Editor Clement should seek
again to preside over the mayors chair
or the license board and fix those rec
ords without delay But there is no
use trying to force goodness down the
threats of the people" and this Is
true of Rutland for they are people,
too
Perhaps some of our editors will not
notice those few instances of drunk.
enness" under 'no-license," for Glenn
ent said there would be no drunken.
ness to speak Of and ] almost ask
your pardon for speaking OF 1t.
OF course this increase of convicted
drunkenness has no particular connec-
ton with the extraordinary demand
for prison capacity but | just thought
| would mention it as something that
occurred to me.
The lowest increase of drunkenness
that have discovered in towns voting
license is A per cent in city of ST AL
bans which was to rebuild its much
lamented hotel as soon as the state
threw of its cloak Of hypocrisy" The
highest increase reached so far as |
have figures was Manchester during
its license year. $40 per cent.
But this is of no moment the town
has option. The mo towns" all
around it and every other license town
lose their option as every man of
sense knows" but that matters little
and the towns can vote every year
and vote not to have what their neigh
bors force down their throats'' and
that makes it o. X. Chats no water
cure.D
Local option is the greatest atone
ment for our ills and for all our sins
the easy scapegoat There is no
tommy rot in that, brothers.
That "old spawned prohibition
steed" will give way without further
trial before the high license local OPP
ton four-year-old
Better enforcement" In only a
very few towns and two counties
Both phases of the law are being flag
ranflV Ninlata1 I'm IF thn
with scarcely the semblance of an at
tempt to prevent even when the league
hunts up evidence and LAYS it on the
desks of the states attorneys in some
instances The last statement is 50
much like the customary statements
OF some Of the papers, in that it lacks
the corroboratye accompaniment of
facts and figures that hesitate to rem
der myself thus open 70 criticism, but
| have already exceeded my right of
command upon your space. Your lib
crafty of space to talk and quote in
these latter DAYS has. however, given
me license to point out few OF your
errors by way also of quotation, and
feel confident of your sufficient fair
ness to present this letter in your col
umns TO your readers | don't know
any other way of getting the facts ne
fore such of your readers as are un-
fortunate enough not TO take our pa
per, the Vermont Issue. Now, brother
| let us talk sense. give facts and figures
| 10 support our arguments. Not say
| that "the great majority of the people
are satisfied and propose to continue
| the present law when we are Just
guessing or hoping. Stop throwing
| mud which falls 10 stick except on the
| claws of the thrower, get down 10 bus
| mess like honest men interested in
finding the best things for the public
good.
| You don't seem to have the same
confidence in "the people" that you
| had five years ago Can't you trust
| them to vote with the added informa-
ton of five years? We We're willing
then and got licked. We are willing
now. Why aren't YOU?
What the Anti-Saloon league is ask
ing for and will continue to ask for un
til it comes is that the people in the
| light OF today be given the opportun-
| ity TO say for themselves whether TINS
law is satisfactory or not. You have
nothing to fear If you are right about
the prevailing sentiment. If you are
wrong. would you deny the people the
right to say so? The last legislature
came near giving some women the
right to vote. Those interested in pro
tecting the liquor traffic better let re-
submission come before the women
get their rights,
Yours truly,
Clarence J. Ferguson.
superintendent and Attorney, Yer
mont State Anti-Saloon League.