Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-02-13
Local Option and the Referendum.

Mr.. Editor
The late discussion of this question as
referred to in the Herald aud News has
aroused my interest ard wish to express
my feelings and ideas.
Local option in Vermont presents to
my mind this thought :-'sIntoxicating
liquor as drink" Without disrespect
for any mans honest belief, think this
is a curse to the state of Vermont.
do not here intend to argue between
local option and the old prohibitory
law, but to talk about the name, present
situation and to contradict the idea that
a referendum vote can do harm.
have always taken a distant and re-
gretful tendency towards intoxicating liq-
uors and believe the name of prohibit
ton ia Vermont had great weight in
making the tendency permanent one.
While things may become corrupt under
good name, a bad name throws out an
atmosphere of corruption. l have heard
testimony from ladies living in the vi
cinity OF Barre, that men there who had
never thought of it before drank under
the present law; also that they were
afraid to pass the saloons, and gave state
ments of what they often saw outside,
that totally justified their fear.
AS drink, such Liquors are not ne
cessity and should be thrown from the
borders of our state. If it is a necessity
for other purposes, the state should
wholly control it and no town or individ-
ual should bear one penny of profit or
loss by it.
While am very humble about portray
ing a law for Vermont, suppose the
health officer of every town should be
allowed to sell liquor where he deems it
necessary and if this is an extra burden,
pay him more salary. If we are temper
ance citizens of our state, let it stand for
temperance.
Why do SO many towns strongly re-
fuse to vote license Because they
know that it would work corruption. 1t
would in any town. Generally speaking,
it is not needed in one town any more
than in another, and if it is used in any
town, that town in one sense of the
word is a license town, for intoxicating
liquors come from some place where Ii
cense reigns. They are dependent on an
evil of another town. If ] am depend
emit on an evil of another man, am re-
sponsible for that evil. The man who
hides behind the curtain is never free
from responsibility just beyond, but
| thSAS 10 oPPoieohAty ~ HAAAi w NOAA>~'
the evil.
! Concerning the referendum vote, | fail
to believe it could do harm. Certainly
the members of the state legislature are
servants of the people and work to pro
mote the will of the people. 1t is not
best to make them do all things and lei
them feel that they are the state and the
citizens have not interest enough to re
greet or respect the result. If the citi
zens are dull, their servants will also be
come weary, for it is natural for man tC
influence man, and the majority rules.
/ While enthusiasm on an impulse on {
moment is not always admirable, the per
manent interest of any man, that the
affairs of his town shall be carefully
handled and represented, is worthy of re
spect. His ideals should not be cut shori
at this limit. Let every man be alive
continually, choose worthy representa-
tives and let them know that they go moi
alone to their work. Give every man {
chance to vote for the state as a whole
in this question, expand his interest il
political affairs and unite in fraternity
| for all are Lawmakers.
E. A. Austin, Randolph Center, VT.