Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-04-11
OF LICENSE COM
MISSJONERS

| APPOINTMENT OF LICENSE COM
MIssIONERS.
A somewhat animated discussion is
in progress between different papers
in the State relative to the wisdom of
Investing the assistant Judges in the
different counties with the power to
appoint license commissioners. One
ground of opposition to the provision
of the law placing this authority in
the hands of the assistant judges
seems to be that in some way the
sanctity of the court is involved, and
that the bench may be contaminated
in some way through contact with the
liquor traffic
This seems to us to be a far fetched
idea, If the assistant judges granted
liquor licenses, the situation might be
different, although, If we remember
correctly one of the strongest oppon-
ents of the present system of select
ing license commissioners, formerly
held that the traffic in Intoxicating
liquor was on the same footing as the
sale of nails or any other commodity.
fail to see how appointing anybody
to sells nails would contamnate the
appointing power.
AS a matter of fact, however, the
assistant Judges are far removed from
the liquor traffic. At one time in our
recent political history an
attempt was made to secure the elect
ion of county tickets that would be
allied with certain interests strongly
in favor of license; but at the present
time we believe most of the assistant
judges in Vermont hold their positions
because they are republicans and not
because they necessarily favor any
particular legislation with reference
TO the liquor traffic Under our existing
law the assistant Judges merely say
who shall say what licenses shall be
granted in the different towns voting
under local option in favor of the
licensed sale of intoxicating liquor
They have no more idea in all proba-
bility who will receive licenses in the
different towns than the judges in the
superior court themselves, and this
talk about contamination of the court
is all bosh..
The other chief ground of opposition
to the placing OF the power of appoint
ment of the commissioners in the hands
of the assistant judges is that it serves
to mix up politics and the liquor traf-
fic The people of Burlington well re-
member the condition of affairs which
existed under the local option law as
II was first adopted in this city The
aldermen knew pretty well who would
have licenses in number Of instances
before the commissioners were select
ed. In some instances the election Of
aldermen or selectmen was shaped by
the issue involved in the selection of
license commissioners, and this was
the complaint which came from
practically every town in which license
commissioners were selected. If il
were desirable to make the ellmin-
alton Of local politics the chief desider-
alum In connection with the selection
of license commissioners, the most
.ffa
state body with this power as was
done in New Hampshire, If we inter-
prete the situation correctly, however
the chief trouble is that the politics
which gets mixed up with the appoint
ment of license commissioners is not
of a particular brand. SO long as this
criterion was correct all went as
merry as marriage bell, but when an
attempt was made to break the old
combination, then the whole cake be-
came dough.
Some people go so far as to assert
mat with license commissioners ap-
pointed by county body we in point
OF fact have no local option. We are
under the impression that some
people In Burlington, for example. are
very thoroughly convinced that there
is enective local option still in Ver-
mont and probably there are other
'o"hs IN the State in which some
people are reluctantly forced to con-
cede similar condition of affairs to
exist in their community.