The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-02-21
LOCAL OPTION
DENOUNCED
CONTINUED from ilrst page

I
raise up one generation OF pure. blooded
children we shall never in a million years
see the return OF the saloon. We are
past the picnic period in this matter, il
is fight and hard one from now on
but we can win this fight il we can keep
our forces in the field and continually at
II for five years more"
At the close OF DR.. Swadeners lecture
a collection was taken up for the aid of
the work of the Anti-Saloon League OF
America.
Ex-Gov Patterson.
Ex-Governor NJ. II. Patterson Of Ten.
nessee was the last speaker. MIR. patter-
son was, previous % and during his term
of service as governor, believer in and
supporter of local option. He vetoed
the statewide prohibition law in his state
but il was passed over his veto. by his
own admission he once believed thM the
movement for national and state prohibi.
tion was founded on hypocricy and that
the realization of the desired end was a
dream. In his message TO the Tennessee
legislature after the passing of the bill
just mentioned over his veto he said
Prohibition as governmental policy is
profoundly and fundamentally wrong"
He stated yesterday, however, that if he |
were to write that sentence over again |
he would substitute the word right for |
the word wrong.
A brief sketch of Mr.. Patterson's ca
reer and change OF ideas gave a good ex
ample of the change of heart of the citi-
zens of the state of Tennessee as well as
of many other states in regard to this
question. The speaker stated that in his
experience in criminal court he had
found that so per cent Of the crime in his
state was due to the effects of intoxicating
liquor, Civilization has no excuse for
the temptations which it sets before the
people"
A supporter OF local option, said Mr..
Patterson, is never at peace in his own
mind, but prohibitionist has no apollo
gies to make. The liquor traffic to-day {
has no defenders. Even the most ardent
of local option does not dare
come out and openly defend the traffic !
which he is voting to aid. Local option I
ties your state to The liquor traffic pro Q
libition frees you from il" Y
Mr.. Patterson is firm believer in 0 Y
strong central government and is inclined z
% think that our present government al {
ows its people too much freedom. The /
ack OF proper attention of the govern t
nent and its officials to evasions OF the t
aw are responsible for such occurrences /
IS the Eastland disaster and the lynching
# Leo Frank. The lack of proper gov 2
rnmental law is now also responsible q
or the greater evil of the sale of intoxi p
ating liquors. G
This speaker also touched on the ques- t
ion of personal liberty, saying that it X
ias the aim and duty OF the government a
. provide its citizens with an environ ST
rent which should tend to make them a
etter citizens The states rights" j,
leory which has been brought up My HI
quor advocates was treated by pointing i'd
ut the inconsistency Of these men who Of
lid to the town under local option, I'll
Don't forbid the sale of liquor until you 50
,e how the county will act" and then he
nplored the county to wait for the atti co
Ide OF the state, later asking the state ~
wait for the nation. but now when the W.
lestion is up to the nation they say, 1T
a violation OF state rights to pass nc
ltional prohibition law" NJ
eve can have national prohibition only :
: the action OF the states" said the on
eaker and prayed that Vermont might
II in with his own state. along with I
ansas and other states and vote for
atewide prohibition. The prohibition
w can be enforced as well as any law,
cording to the speaker, who gave
lief outline of the prosperity of promi-
mt states under the law to-day.
The "Let we'll enough alone" argument
Is touched upon, as well as the fallacy
drawing conclusions from the failure
old laws. The promoters of liquor
attic were described as law breakers
d worthy to be put in the same class
tn the 'moonshine distillers"; with the
a trihe more worthy of
'pect than the rich brewer.
The best preparation this country can
Ike for war or peace, said Mr., Patter-
4, is to abolish the liquor traffic, and
a destroyer of this local option is a
nd and makeshift"
Five hundred pony votes given with
Try dollar purchase Monday evening at