The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-03-03
URGED TO VOTE mo-
Fr. Griffin Made Earnest Appeal At Two
Masses Yesterday.

Rev. A. G.. Griffin, acting pastor o
st. Monca's church. at both masse;
held in the church yesterday morning
in temperance prelude to his regular
Sunday sermon, made an earnest plea
to his parishioners that when they cast
their votes at the polls Tuesday, to de.
! eide whether Barre shall or shall not
be licensed for the ensuing year, to be
conscious Of their duty before God and
also to be mindful of the attitude that
had been assumed ON this question by
! Rev. r. NJ. McKenna, who Is now alb.
sent from the parish, and who, during
| the eighteen years OF his pastorate OF
| st. Monica's church has always had the
welfare of his parishioners and the com
munity at heart.
| In his discourse, FIR. Griffin spoke OF
the efforts that are being made by the
| liquor people TO divert Barre from the
dry column to the wet column, and he
also raked over the illegal methods that
are practiced in the city of dispensing
liquor to the public. The speaker urged
his congregation to look back at the
conditions that have prevailed in the
city during the past year--to look back
at the conditions of two years ago,
and then to recall the conditions exist.
ing during the last year when Barre
was in the wet column. Now turn your
minds to the warm islands, whore, in
hopes of recuperating, is man, or
dained by God to preach the word OF
truth, who since the state beea me To-
cal option in preference to prohibition,
has incessantly fought by well-grounded
convictions to keep the city in the "no"
column. There is not person present
that has not the greatest respect for
their pastor, who for eighteen years has
carefully guarded and watched over their
happiness and prosperity to avert evil
and any calamity that might creep in
at their doors. Now, when casting your
vote on Tuesday be mindful of the
beliefs and convictions on this question
of Rev. McKenna and act in accordance
to retain this respect.
Providing the city decided in favor OF
license, said the speaker. the public
would not receive square deal. The
cliques and rings, who eternally devote
their thoughts to facilitate the means
of supplying the drunkard and those
weak in the sight of drink, viii be those
TO reap the peeuniary rewards result
ing from the sales of the liquor. These
grafters and leeches are the ones to
profit by the sale of intoxieant drinks,
the coppers OF the working
man. which in most instances are needed
for the support of his family at home.
The worst feature of conditions exist
ing under high license, and sufficient
a lone to condemn license. is the bad ex
ample afforded to the younger element, |
who are inoculated mconsciously with !
immoral principles by the frequenters OF
the saloons. Our experiences with high /
license in the past, the environment in |
which our young people were surround /
ed, are enough TO warrant the condemna- /
tion of legalizing saloons in the city.
In the past under license, not alone the |
youth. but your wives and daughters
nave been subject to the abuses of the /
saloon. being unable to pass the places
without receiving torrents of reproach.
The man who occasionally partakes of
iouor is not damned, but il is the EN-
rironment that exists in the city under
ligh licenses.
The community is aware Of the rancid
conditions that exist to-day with the
,itchen dives. but to vote in favor of I
he sale Of liquor with legalzed stamp /
: reproachful because of the moral tone
{ lends to the community. While you
nay not be directly affected by the sa
Don. there are Others whose families
re in jeopardy and you will be account
BILE for them.