The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-10-10
ANTLsALooN CAMPAIGN
Effort of Organization to Defeat
Speaker Frank E. Howe

The st. Adams Messenger of Fri
day evening published the following:
1t has not been made a public mat
ter by the press yet, but the fact is
that the candidacy of Frank p. Howe
of Bennington, for the speakership of
the House of Representatives was
made the opportunity for the Anti
Saloon League of Vermont to make
a vicious attack on Mr.. Howe which
was distributed among members
elect of the legislature In the shape
OF a flyer. Whether those flyers were
destroyed by men that read them ana
were ashamed Of them, or what be-
came Of them. ii is hard to say, for
they appeared to be scarcer than hens
teeth when a newspaper man tried
to get hold OF one at Montpelier thu
other day But the Messenger has
secured one OF these flyers and re
prints its text herewith, in order thar
the public may have another opportu-
nifty to see how this institution ur.-
dertakes to do its work in Vermont
politics and the character Of the at
tacks it makes upon the reputation
Of pubic men that do not agree with
it.
Here Is the text of the flyer:
Primarily the selection of a speak
er is the simple act of the members
of the House choosing their presiding
officer incidentally the election OF
a speaker may go far toward the shan
ing OF legislation. The speaker APP
points the committees of the house
who in turn shape measures referred
10 them and on the character of the
committee. will largely depend the
nature of the legislation of the SEES
sicn.
For this reason II is important to
know where different candidates for
the speakership stand on the issues
of the day and il is the function of
the press to throw all possible light
on this point in the interest of safe
and progressive lawmakng. Rutland
News.
Exactly correct Have you seen
in the newspapers which are boom
ing Editor Howe for speaker any
thing about his stand on the saloon
issue? SO long as the newspapers
fail to give It 1t is incumbent on us
10 do so.
"The attention of the temperance
members of the House is respectfully
called to Mr.. Howe's record on the
saloon question.
Bolts State Party Platform
"First-He is reported to have
drawn the temperance plank social.
ed, In the Bennington county Repub-
lican party platform. which bolts the
state party platform on that subject
"Favors Open Saloons
"Second-He favors license in his
own town and through the columns
Of his paper each year strongly ad-
vocates the open saloon. His paper
enjoys the distinction of being one OF
only two newspapers in the state
which have always opposed Inen
town voting dry The other one
ardently supports Mr.. Howe for
speaker.
"Favors Open Sunday
"Third-Open saloons are soon fol-
lowed by open Sunday and a general
Dissertation of the Sabbath day and
Mr.. Howe has reached that stage and
his paper advocates Sunday baseball,
in spite OF the most earnest protest
OF the churches Of his town.
'Fourth-Mr. Howe promotes the
sale OF whiskey both in his wet town
and In all the dry towns In his coun.
~ by carrying ads for It in his pa
per.
Chiefly for the above reasons al
though Bennington is strongly Re
publican, giving Governor Prouty a
majority OF 5S7 over the Democratic
candidate for governor in 1908 many
OF the best Republicans bolted Howe
for representative and he secured n
bare majority OF 70.
do you think Mr.. Howe is likely
to appoint a real temperance commit
tee2
I'VE take II that Mr.. Howe Is will.
ing 10 stand on his record. Blu,
whether he is or not Il Is our bus.
mess TO give II when We think II
stands in the way OF temperance pro.
gress.
] Knowing his record the legislators
will be able to decide for themselves
what 70 do.
editor Mecuen
III Editor McCuen OF Vergennes
continues to be candidate for the
speakershlp we might say that his at.
titude on the general liquor law ques.
ton we think. does not promise much
In favor OF temperance legislation.
I'VE advocate no candidate nor do
we have any word OF criticism OF any
Of the other men whose names We
have heard mentioned In connection
with the speakership. We believe
they would be fair.
Respectfully submitted,
Vermont Anti-Saloon League"