Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-06-24
RELYING UPON LIQUOR LEGIsIA.
TON.

The matter Of the modification OF
liquor legislation is not entirely new
In Vermont. Indeed we do not recall
session Of the Legislature which was
not called upon to tinker with laws in
relation to the traffic in intoxicating
liquor. Tho present Legislature while
In session did a bit Of tinkering which
illustrates In striking manner the
mixed motives back of legislation OF
this character. Concerning this sub
ject the Brattleboro Phoenix we'll
speaks as follows.
The last Legislature in It's wisdom
decided that the fees for liquor H.
censcs should be turned into tho state
treasury. This bit of juggling was
expected to operate to the profit Of
the State and to the loss OF the towns
which elected to have legalized selling
OF liquor. 1t was predicted that the
state would get some $4,000 addition
al revenue, but the law has failed to
work out in practice in accordance
with the theory of its sponsors Last
year, when half Of the license fees
went to the state and the other half
to the towns voting yes. the State re-
ceived over $4,000. This year under
the new system, with the State taking
all Of the fees from virtually the same
number OF license towns ms in 1908,
the receipts figure only n little over
$50. 900. and In addition the state will
be obliged to pay several thousands Of
dollars for the administration of the
law In the license towns. so that In the
net amount the State may suffer an
annual loss. The falling off in receipts
as compared with estimates is due to
the fact that the license commission
ers seeing that the towns were to gain
nothing. reduced the license fees Our
long sighted legislators instead Of
helping the state have helped a small
but not deserving class. as the rum
sellers. through the reduction OF the
license fees, are the only gamers by
the change Of law. What pretty
spectacle is this! change in the law
which puts approximately $4,000 year
into the pockets OF the rum-sellers in
twenty-seven towns or less.
the larger centers OF population was
not the only motive behind this bit of
liquor legislation by any means. An
other argument advanced In support
of the project was that towns would
not be Inclined to vote for license for
the sake of the money which would
flow into the town treasury from the
license fees. The result of the vote
on license in the different towns last
March showed that this consideration
cut very little figure with voters.
As a matter of fact the whole diff
fculty with our sumptuary legislation
Ia that some people are constantly act
ing under the mistaken impression
that the law is responsible for liquor
conditions in Vermont when as n mat
ter of fact 1t Is the people themselves
There has not been n time in the
past nifty years when there was not
law enough on the Vermont statutes
ing liquors as a beverage. ana the
present local option law Is a partial
recognition of the fact that the traffic
! will be stopped only so far as people
are willing to array themselves on the
side of the strict and impartial en-
| forcement of restrictions.
There has never been a time in Bur
| lington, for example. when any one
citizen could not successfully appeal
to the law and close up every liquor
place tighter than the traditional
drum, provided he had the courage OF
his convictions-yet this has not been
| done since the days Of the late Samuel
| Huntington.
In this age a few people get to-
| gether and resolve that the liquor
traffic ia wrong and the illegal sale
should be stopped. and rest content
with the thought that their duty has
been done. Strange to say violations
idea that suggests itself to them Is
that the law must be wrong in some
| particular; and another campaign OF
tinkerins Is resolved upon.
There is law enough on the statutes
| at present. II anybody ever wants to
see that It Is enforced strictly. and un-
perance will do better to devote their
time to moral suasion and the cultiva-
| tion OF public sentiment which will
warrant additional legal restrictions.