The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-02-01
MORE THAN BRAINS
AND TRAINING
ARE NEEDED
Educated Sentiment Against
Alcohol is Required
TO SOLVE LIQUOR EVIL
Drink eliminating Cause OF Crime
Should Therefore Bear lsnomy
Of the Whole.
TO SOLVE LIQUOR EVIL

Editor of the Banner:-The letters
of Mr.. Bond and Mr.. Hall and your
thoughtful editorial have set many
thoughtful persons to a re-considera-
tion of the whole question of what is
the most useful and salutary attitude
towards what your editorial calls
the great and terrible liquor evil"
AS Mr., Hall pointed out, the cases
cited by Mr.. Bond did argue that the
Vermont law is good In that it seemed
to compel these seekers after liquor
to go into New York state. The same
argument, however, pushed little
further, would say that the law would
be better IL it compelled all liquor
seekers to go into New York state.
BE that as it may, what wish to
point out is what believe to be a
wrong assumption in the claim of
your editorial that education, and
brains generally, is the sure solution
of the terrible liquor evil" In fact
the evil is seen to be greatest in the
brainest nations.
Not general education, but an edu.
Gated sentiment against the use of
alcoholic drinks as beverages is what
is effective. Mohammedanism has
this educated sentiment against
alcohol" although in many other re-
spects its ignorance is dense and
| deadening. Some of our brainest
preachers, many of our brainest law.
yers, doctors and other professional
men have become slaves to drink, and
are now increasing the problem of the
city SUM, because they did not, with
their other education, obtain an edu-
Gated sentiment against the use of
alcoholic liquors as beverages.
In recent examination of the death
certificates of the town of Bennington
for 1906 and 1907 made with no
thought of liquor statistics and for
another purpose, | was struck with the
recurrence of alcoholism" as the
disease causing the death. | knew
none of the men personally; but again
and again In my six years in Ben
nington, when | have asked the cause
Of death, well known men have said
to me in substance what one actually
did say, "Whiskey fetched him." These
men were not ignorant and degener-
ate. They faileds however, to have
an educated sentiment against the use
of alcoholic drinks as a beverage, and
as result Bennington has lost their
otherwise good counsel and business
enterprise.
What your editorial says concern.
ing ignorance and the lack of moral
training as a cause of crime and con
serving the moral welfare of our
community because we are so busy
is splendid, But why seem to defend
the liquor seller in his business, when
he certainly Is not doing his duty to
the moral welfare of our community
in selling liquor to degenerate or al
lilliterate? Suppose ] should pick up
on and .tease some half.witted OF
innocent" fellow until the torment
inflamed him with passion and he com
mitted a crime, would it not be pro
per to say the teasing did it? II run
infamed a man with passion which
led to crime, is not the eliminating
cause sufficient to bear, hi figure Of
speech, the ignomy of the whole? II
without rum he wouldn't, In all prob
ability. have done it, Is it too much
to say, Rum did it?'
Mr. Editor, believe this matter i:
of too vital Importance to be in any
way side-tracked by indulging in per
sonalities. But feel that | ought tC
say through your columns that. after
years of acquaintance, found Clar
ence j. Ferguson to be thoroughly
square. He may misinterpret facts
but how few there are who do not II
the heat of argument. The fact tha
some men of our state pay him to ad
vertise their ideas is no more agains
him than that some men pay you t
advertise their goods. The only rea
offense the Banner has, to my know
ledge, brought against Ferguson !!
that he did what the Banner said i
was the business of the States Attor
ney to do, and did II first.
Citizen,
Bennington, January 81, 1908.