The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-01-13
FERGUSON AND AMEY
Two Letters Relating to Woman
Suffrage Bill

The following letters written by
Clarence ]. Ferguson, superintendent
of the anti-saloon league, and Repre-
sentative Harry b. Amey of Brighton
appeared in Tuesdays issue of the
Montpelier Morning Journal.
Editor Morning Journal:-I am
very glad that you printed in full the
letter | wrote a member OF the
House of Representatives which Mr.
Amey read to the whole House dur
ing his plea against the Hunt bill
last week. | sincerely hope that the
people read the letter. / am ready
to stand by what the letter said, but
not the meaning given to it. 1t was
a personal letter to a member Of the
House and the ethics of its getting
into the hands of the enemy | Will
leave to the public to judge.
The purpose of the production of
the letter was far from the one
claimed. No improper conduct had
by the letter been imputed to the
whole or any part of the House Of
Representatives Mr.. Amey knew
that, and any other man of sense who
will read the letter will know that
The Liquor Dealers association Is
by the letter charged with having
"slush fund.- which they would be
glad to use on the Vermont Legisla-
ture, as they use it in every state
in the Union Mr. Amey did not de-
fend the association on the face Of
his plea, but attempted to read into
the letter what was not written there
and what was not a fair deduction
from what was written there.
| said that after the vote on the
third reading of the Hunt bill there
was a meeting of "the faithful which
included Mr.. Webster and the South
Vernon saloon keeper. The proba-
bilty is they have decided upon and
will enter into a thorough campaign
during the recess with view TO kill
the bill when it comes up for final
passage. Mr.. Amey id not deny
( that meeting, Mr.. Webster did not,
nor will they. | can give the names
of others who attended and let me
add that the fact of their meeting or
attendance thereon inyo.yed no dis
credit whatever unless opposition to
the bill involved discredit. 1t was
entirely proper for the opponents OF
the bill to get together If they chose
| merely mentioned the fact, as in
dicating there was need of diligence
on the part of the friends Of the bill
Any great harm in that Mr.. Editorl
Later in the letter / said that II
an attempt is made with the slusf
fund of the Liquor Dealers associa
ton TO influence the Legislators
against the bill we believe 1t vii
meet with failure. We do not be
lieve that the men who voted for the
bill the other day can be turned IN
that way" Now in spite of the let
ter's strong declarations of faitf
In the integrity OF the Legislature MI
Amey and Mr.. Webster read into the
letter a libel ON the legislature.
deny that It was intended or that Q
fair Interpretation OF the letter would
carry any such meaning.
VIII any sane person stand up and
say that the liquor dealers would
hesitate to spend money buying leg
lislatiye votes il they were in need
of them TO prevent the passage OF
such measure as the Hunt bill and
can find them to buy? Let us not be
too foolish. A great deal has been
said about my claim that there has
been a Brewers Lobby abSut the
State House this year. In view OF
what goes on at Albany, n. Y, when
the race track gambling bills are up,
of what goes on in many states when
| legislation dangerous to the liquor
traffic is before their law making
bodies, of the vote buying mania in
and out of the legislatures, let us not
be too sanotimonious. They have
not left Vermont out OF their calcu-
llation. Those interested In the lib
eralizatlon of our liquor laws instead
of strengthening them have been on
the ground and they can be easily
named and the number will not fall
below a dozen. AN ounce OF pre-
caution is as good as a pound OF
cure" Mr.. Editor, your editorial In
the same number with my letter re-
enforces the above old adage.
Your humble servant has been re
First, those interested in the per
the expenditure of $1,000 In the pro
motion OF one liquor bill before q
Vermont Legislature OF not SO LONG
ago. And ! might add, that a like
sum was offered to me two years
from the time II | would stop my op
position which they declared killed
the bill before. The attempt to
pass the measure stopped at that
point. Let us not be foolishly sure
that any of us are immune from such
Improper advances. Two thousand
dollars looks like a haystack for size
TO men who have no more money
than | but It would not look larger
than cent to the Brewers in pros
pect of losing their business In Yer
mont through one majority for the
Hunt bill.
did not have the pleasure OF an
acquaintance with Mr.. Hunt until
some time after he introduced House
bill 1SS. am glad to take OF my
hat to drawer man than | ana
here goes to Mr.. Hunt. have too
much confidence in the members oil
1.-THE Legislature TO believe that the
fuse made of my letter changed one
vote against the bill The members
changed their votes for other and
trust better reasons.
The purpose OF the Introduction OF
my letter was at least three-fo'd:-
Third. on Mr.. Amey's part n per
petuation OF the saloons in Yer
mont we're desperately afraid OF the
Hunt bin.
Second. those Interested in the per
petuation OF the saloons In Vermont
are desperately anxious to cripple the
Influence Of the Vermont Anttsaloor
League.
own town the attorney OF the league
sonal ono. to satisfy an old gudgt
which he has against the superln
tendent and attorney OF the Anu
L.. "a