Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-03-14
TIE LOCAL OPTION LAW.

ton. The local option act OF 1909,
passed amer stormy political aglta'
ton. went into effect in March, 1908,
having been ratified a, popular refer
endum the preceding month by a ma
iority OF less than one thousand in q
total vote OF 10000. -Four years Is not
too long a lime-and certainly not too
short a perlod-for watching the ex.
pertinent before pronouncing indg-
ment Involving as the change did so
radical a departure from the policy ci
the state. affecting most imporlan,
subject. What that Judgment is can
not now be matter of question. The
people approve. There is no general
or well formulated demand Tor re-
turn TO prohibition, or the trial of any
other system. Not during the lli,y
years OF its operation, did state prohi-
bltion have behind II the same degree
OF popular support and confidence that
local option has achieved In its tour
years OF trial. Unless there shall be a
disturbance OF present conditions, no,
now ioreseeable, local option In Yer
mont has come TO stay. Put to the
trial today. IL would be affirmed by AN
overwhelming vote. II has. in the
main, justified the claims of Us adhe-
rents. and coniounded It's opponents,
of whom, by the way, this paper was
one.
The strength of local option lies in
its home government feature. The
principle of letting each city and town
decide Tor itself each year whether ii
will allow the sale OF intoxicants
therein appeals to responsive chord
in our New England habit OF thought.
The test has shown that this RESPONSE
BILE duty may safely be entrusted to
the voters of the municipalities. 1t
has been proved that the question will
be settled almost wholly on its merits,
as a matter OF local policy. The ma
jority in each city or town Is not
hidebound one way or the other.
License abused brings swift retribu-
ton in no vote, even in the pop
ulous places where there Is strong
demand for selling. The people
simply won't stand for rottenness,
even though it means the personal in
convenience OF many when the town
goes dry. This is gratifying result
and a glad surprise to the many who
feared the domination OF the .'rum
power when it came TO the yearly
trial OF strength. That cities like
Burlington, Rutland, Barre and Mont
lpelier should be found in the no
column by local determination was
scarcely anticipated by those who
feared permanent contamination. 1t
appears that the only way any town
can be induced to establish the saloon
within 1t is on fair showing that con-
ditions will not suffer thereby. Ii
trial proves otherwise, out goes the
saloon next year. Certainly, the most
pronounced temperance man cannot
object to that.
Local option seems better adapted
to our needs than any general state
law applicable permanently to all
parts Of the state. Such law, de-
pending for its binding power on an
uncertain and generally wavering SEN
timent of the whole state. and for its
local enforcement on the particular
feeling of the hour in that community,
has elements of weakness. On the
lother hand, when a city or town goes
on record for or against selling within
and for itself it has home pride in
making its decision torceful and effect
i've. The frequently recurring periods
for determination put the system de-
clared for strictly on its good behavior,
with the end in sight, if it proves un-
satisfactory. A yes vote with i'll re-
suits following invites its own rebuke,
and no vote must be enforced or the
town swings to the other column next
time.
| Local option has not proved perfec-
ton. There is no altruria attainable
in this matter. But it has met cond-
tons in Vermont so well that its con-
tinuance seems fairly assured for
long time to come. The agitation for
a different handling of the question:
AT first quite active-has now subsidized.
Even the aggressive Anti-Saloon
league makes no hopeful claim of
coming return to state prohibition.
| The question of Vermont's liquor pol.
Iicy has been settled, for the present. at
least; and after the long and bitter
contention over it this is matter of
congratulation.
As a nnncpapar ,,of co~roo.l,, -. ~,