The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-10-05
Not a Matter Of "optlon.v

1T is said that the next legislature
will be asked TO establish a state
board of license commissioners SINH
lar to what New Hampshire has, this
board to have charge Of the granting
of licenses in all towns and cities vot-
ing yes and have general oversight of
the enforcement of the law in both
yes and no towns. We are told that
this arrangement works well in New
Hampshire and perhaps the principal
argument against such a law In Yer
mont is the expense of another COM
mission. Vermont has commissions
enough now and they are all expen-
sive enough. The town or city that
votes in favor of saloons ought to be
able to handle the situation in its
own community and for that reason
we favor taking the granting Of Ii
.censes from the side judges and vest
ing the power in local authorities. II
we are losing the power of self-gov-
eminent we viii have to change our
form of government. bellows Falls
Times.
There has been something like a
change of public sentiment about
commissions in the past few years.
With the constantly multiplying con-
Germs of government. It becomes
more and more evident that the chief
executive cannot by any possibility
give personal superintendent to all
the details of administration and that
special departments and interests
must be trusted to the oversight of
men Of special fitness and in some
cases special training. Government
is more and more absorbing control
or regulation OF affairs of life and
living that In years gone by our faith.
ers would have said should not come
under the supervision of the govern.
ment Mt all and that any movement
TO place them there would he rank
paternalism. That there may be
needless commissions and often are
is true enough, but the commission
idea, generally speaking with 9
strong chief executive back Of II t
whom the commissions are directly
responsible as he IN turn is respon
sible to the people, appear to he IN,
most practical scheme for the success
sful administration OF public affairs
, In these days
The trouble with lodging the powe
10 appoint local license commission
ers with local authorities is that tn,
rival aspirants for the limited nun
Der OF licenses take a hand in tn
election OF such local authorities Il
the hope Of landing men in office tina
, will be friendly to their petition, an
: that means the injection OF the liquo
. interests into local politics with dc
: gree Of activity that suhordinates IN
|. greater moment of general public al
. fairs involved in the election to IN
miserably petty question Of who shal
elect the man that will vote TO Civ
!. him license.
: The Messenger has said repeated
. that, In It's opinion. the only "option
4 contemplated by the local option la'
4 was the freedom OF choice vested 1
/. each town TO decide for itself, al
{ nually, whether Il would permit IN
s licensed sale Of intoxicating liquor
Z within its borders. Once II decides
yes or no, the state law, with It's con
p pelllng power Of centralized autho
ity, enforces that decision by machiI
cry and process alike in every cour
= try In the state. There can be n
n "option" about the local administer
2 ton OF the law, and "selfgoverl
= ment" Is not involved in the matte
: at all. We are not closing the powC
n OF selfgovernment" IN this respet
b any more than we have lost II by 81
p abllng the governor 10 nominate mi
: niclpal and city court iudges.-st A
bans Messenger.