Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-21

ecution OF alleged offenses against the
| liquor laws. Our work Is rather to ex-
! ert influence that shall lead the duly
| elected officials of the State to do their
full duty in the matter. We also can
| often render helpful advice to persons
who want TO have the laws enforced but
who DO not know just how to proceed.
Fourth--No one claims that the YER
mont liquor laws are perfect We all
agree that the ultimate aim Is the sup
preston Of tho traffic in intoxicating IL
quors as a beverage. But at present the
| temperance forces are NOT agreed as to
tho best method to be pursued to attain
this end. We tried State prohibition.
Thon We turned to town local-option
Many Of our staunchest temperance peo-
pie believe that under It we are getting
better results than under the former law.
Others equally sincere and earnest believe
that conditions are worse. Some desire
the enactment OF new prohibitory law
with teeth"
Such ia the situation whether we like
it or not And it would seem clear that
united work is possible only on the basis
of those fundamental principles on which
| we all agree Meanwhile we must al.
study the subject in its broadcast aspects
get possession Of the facts, cultivate
public sentiment In all proper ways, and
| 20 forward as fast as possible.
! 1t is desired to make the office of the
| league a storehouse of information on the
subject Of temperance. to which any one
wanting material on any phase Of the
subject can come and find what ne needs
! 1t is of great Importance that more at
tcnton be given 10 the election of tenn
perance men TO ofice. 1t is of little use
:, vote no-icense II the administration
Of the law Is in the hands of men whose
sympathies are on the other side. II We
| want good laws we must have good leg
| islators II we want good laws enforced,
We must have good men in office.
The Anti-Saloon League has nothing TO
do with partisan politics. Our constit-
uency ma belong to all parties. We
agree only In this, warfare against in
temperance and the liquor traffic. We
ask the mon who want our votes to stand
square on this question. We ask the vot-
ers to give their ballots only for such
! men. II all the Temperance people OF the
State would adopt this principle the poll
ticians would soon Vie with one another
to give them unobiectionahle candidates.
For the Temperance people are IN the
majority, and can have whatever they
ask for unitedlv,
The relation of the league to the church
es requires attention We ask their SYM
Iathy and support. They give both zen
erously If a plan could be devised ny
| hi oh "a m
sent the churches and other organizations
In the State which have this cause at
heart. we should stand on surer grouno.
The financial situation also needs care
ful thought The league does not exist
TO raise money. But its work is not only
Christian service, IT Is a business prop
ostion which ought to appeal tn business
men. We do not need an unlimited
amount Of money our work is very
definite one. If the business men Of the
State, to whose interest II l. from every
point OF view that temperance should
prevail, would so assure our support that
we could give undivided attention to our
legitimate work, we believe the organila-
ton would soon justify its existence to
the most sceptical.
1t only remains 20 express our thanks
to the many friends who have helped
on our work. The superintendent has
been received everywhere with the utmost
courtesy. The state press has been very
kind in it's references to the work under
taken and IN its general spirit and aims
is proving valuable ally in the work FOR
"a better Vermont
SUPPER AND DISCUSSION
supper was the treatment OF the Grim
insi IN confinement. especially with
reference TO the man in Jail for in
toxrcati Superintendent Smith. who
was in charge OF the program. ex-
pressed his regrets at the inability OF
Or. Don u. Grout, superin tendent OF
the state Hospital for tho Insane al
Waterbury, TO he present. and intro
duced Judge John F. Weeks of Mid
dlebury. Attacking the liquor traffic
Mr., Weeks said
Il have the greatest sympathy-and
the greatest contemplation the man,
II we may call him such. who for the
paltry dollar. will encourage the sale
Of liquor, and build up fortune out
of the weakness of his fellow mon
and out Of the privations of their
wives and little ones.
Fundamentally, the home Is the
weakest spot In America he con-
tinued tracing the lack or proper
training OF boys and girls and the re-
sulting effects upon their future lives
"The wife and mother has much TO
DO with making drunkards. These are
hard words, but are they not true?
Is II not fact that many fathers and
mothers do not really know their
, children?
I'VE must stop making drunkards'
as we'll as try to solve tho problem OF
taking care Of them when formed
Mr.. weeks divided habitual drunk
ards into different classes. accordingly
as they are formed by environment and
, trying conditions Of life. or as, In other
cases. thcy become such by reason of