The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-11-14

AlN OAahN GNNNlleN ROIlllN1NAOls
The Rutland Herald seems to take
it very seriously that Mr.. Kinsley,
the man whom the people of that
city elected to represent them at
Montpelier, had the temerity to in
troduce a bill in the legislature to
create a license commission as out
lined by Governor Proctor, without
the approval Of The Herald. AS the
days 90 by without a word from Mr.
Kinsley that indicates submission to
The Herald, or indeed any notice Of
its attack, the assaults upon the bill
get more and more vociferous, i'm.
nothing of the kind The only
den of The Heralds continuous per
Torrance is that to create a commits
sion to be appointed by the governor
TO issue licenses is q violation of the
local option feature of the law u is
nothing of the kind The molly
local option that was considered
for moment during the fight for the
law was to give The citizens of each
town the power to decide 10y ballot
whether or not they should license the
sale OF liquor The details OF the
operation after the decision to Der.
NIT the sale We're not considered
until Che legislature framed the Jaw
% was then decided that the local au
thOrties. boards of aldermen and
selectmen should appoint the license
commissioners That method ar once
proved 10 bee "a failure and scandal
followed its operation Do was allog.
ed that certain politicians controlled
the licenses and dictated where me
supplies should Doe bought
Il was openly talked that here was
graft loo these transactions These
commissioners received their Office
one remove from HE people and 10.
cal option was ignored The pres
eut system is also one remove from
local option and it has been rather
more farcical than the other Appar-
emily the licenses have been the foot
ball of politics 10 was alleged this
year that several thousands of dollars
passed as result OF political dicta-
ton OF licenses. licensees and onic.
ials AS a fact no greater scandals
can possibly touch Burlington under
any new system Of commissions than
we have had during the life of the To-
cal option law The people OF Bur
lington know these facts pretty we'll
The Herald's charges against the pro
posed commissions are wholly In the
air. the charges against the local ad-
ministratiOn of the law are not In the
realm of the soothsayer or prophet
but In the realm OF fact. The scan
dalous reports have seriously discred-
tied the local admins ,ration OF the
law.
The news for one desires that this
continuing scandal shall be stopped
We would like to see the local option
law get chance to work out its own
salvation through an honest enforce
ment OF it's provisions II has been
our observation that We get better
men In such responsible positions by
appointment than by local election.
There Is always the small boss In To-
| cal politics who can carry elections.
no matter who Is candidate, where
there is graft 10 be divided We do
not believe that a Vermont governor
would appoint a CRATER or give up a
| board Of weak men. II would be a
| grossly weak and dishonest governor
who would not do better by the peo
pie and the law than local appoint
ment In the past These remarks
must not be- construed as a charge OF
dishonesty or grating against any
member OF the present or past com
missions bur some mistakes of
judgment have been made and som,
mistaken acts that were the result
of local conditions and local politica
pressure. Some excellent citizens o.
Burlington are now and have beer
| members of the commissions. but tha
rs really am argument iu favor of the
removal of the liquor question from
local politics
To our minds there is al Jho prcseu
time absolutely mo- question 40 ISSUE
except the proper and honest admins
ratiou of the law We will not per
INIT theory of election of admiuistra
tors of the law to- stand boz the way to