The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-02-29
THE LICENSE LAW.
[Communieated.l

A high city official, in recent address
ia our city on the financial and moral
aspects Of the license law spoke Of the
many convictions for intoxication, aud
said; do not for a moment believe
that so many fines increase the surplus
OF the state treasury It never has and
it never will The more work your
courts have to do the more they will
cost. and as they have never been self
supporting, there is very little danger
that they ever will be. II costs the
taxpayers extra to have the courts do
extra business. II Il price We have
to pay as taxpayers which does us no
good So long az tie consumer earns
sufficient money to care for himself and
those dependent on him, and TINS only
spends for liquor a. for a luxury, we are
not 50 directly affected; but by far tie
greater portion Of the consumers do not
stop 1T this point but extend their eon-
sumption over and beyond, thus, first
and directly depriving themselves and
their families Of the necessary susten
ance, but in many cases becoming q
burden upon society, and then directly
upon MS
eThis year the licensees Of Barre paid
$40 800 in license fees The cost Of
doing The business at an approximate
estimate of $1,000 per day for each place,
for 900 days in year i s3S,AO0, or for
these two items, $4,000 These are
actual fixed cash expenses. To pay these
The licensee must sell such quantities Of
liquors as will pay for the cost Of the
liquors, the above expense, the cost Of
preparation, profit and other contingent
expenses. to cover which, think, at least
three times the amount in gross is nee
essary. or about Sl50000 worth Of Ii
quors in this city in a year.
Il believe the figures are very con
scrvative, much too little; but il $4,000
in capital goes out Of our city every
year for liquors that can do anyone
very little good, is il not cause for us
to stop and consider An amount which
would paw our entire first issue Of bonds
for sewer; which would run onr schools
far nearly two years; which would pave
our North Main street for distance
Of three times that portion paved the
first year.
However bad the financial effect, the
moral etFet is many times worse, Under
state wide prohibition the traffic was an
outlaw. and was not popular except as
a few might consider it a good scheme
to beat the law and not get caught /
at It.
ut was not good thing for young
men to be found in thost kitchen dives,
and they knew it, and generally kept I
away; but the open saloon IS different 4
The ban Of the law has not only been /
removed. but ii sanctions the business, I
And 50 the young men are lured in 20
their ruin.
.The advocates Of the law promised I
to see to it that all kitchen dives were
suppressed Have they kept that prom
isel Certainly not in Barre. Do they /
assist the officers and court in the prose
eution Of such places | have not seen
any such attempted assistance for two +
wears. and do not believe | has been
rendered. I have known OF their selling
TO keepers of such places. under such
that they ought TO have
known the goods We're for future illegal
.raf9ie. The lieemsee cannot afford 70 de.
,rease consumption. and he dare not give
,yideree against his illegal competitor
Barre. this year, has been the oasis
ior the liquor thirsty We have seen
n the increased court record only 4
lart. but very significant part. Of what
he law has attracted TO or city. Tho
itand taken by many railroad companies
md other employers Of labor on a large
Gale tends 70 show the material value
Iet upon q driuker. And We know that
he moral aspect. as it IL finer than
ne material, is more quickly affected
md that a an injurious manner"