The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-03-04
LETTERS TO THE
EDITOR
THE PROHIBITION QUESTION.
Correspondent Thinks Local Option Only
Vacuum.

Editor, Barre Times; have read will
interest the recent discussion in the col
umns OF The Times in relation 10 thu
referendum authorized by the Perry act
II | mistake not, you freely publish boil
sides OF the argument, II fairly and hon
estly presented.
IL is certainly a momentous question
to be decided and all statements, inelud
ing these few | may present, should be
carefully weighed and the decision
reached should be founded, not upon pol
icy and personal preference entirely, but
which may also include the former-upon
truth and right-the prosperity and hap
piness of the present and future genera
tons.
My argument is aimed directly at the
Vermont Local Option league and its adj
herents and TO arouse sound judgment
and clear, unregrettable action. All ar
guments seem to at least infer that rum
traffic is an evil One point settled
Next, how TO regulate itg Here we split.
The two great slogans seem to be,
Prohibition does not prohibit" and 10.
cal option is a temperance measure"
The laws prohibiting murder, theft and
other crimes, with heavy penalties at
taehed, do not absolutely prohibit, yet
no one argues the license of such crimes.
The only possible difference is the rela
tive number involved, and attitude of
public sentiment which, If wrong, should
be disciplined, not fostered. For my
part, careful observation and court rec
ords do not prove that the restrictions
of the present law are enforced a particle
better than the old prohibitory law, cam
paign statements to the contrary not
withstanding.
! suppose there are differences between
legal and an illegal saloon. Both are
so bad there is, in my opinion, little
choice and some points in favor OF the
latter.
Now an open question: If lieense-local-
option is temperance measure, why are
brewers, distillers, dealers and habtual
drinkers positively, universally and clam
orously in favor of the measure?
How can any well-poised mind think
for a moment that they are in favor of |
anything looking toward temperance
Nice crowd isn't it.! Do you enjoy your
This may flavor OF sarcasm,
but it is introduced for an argument and
is indisputabe.
] do not think Bishop Hall very repre-
sentative of the church of the entire
state. President Wilson and ex-Presi
lent Taft probably have not yet felt the
little jerk. His Excellency the governor
and emphatically broke the
ord that would draw him into the mael-
'trom.
The reduced number of towns voting
license the past few years is cited with
iome show of pride. Agreed again And
I so commendable, why not make a
lean sheet? "Well enough" (i). There
S no well enough" until the vile stuff is
rugged or plugged out OF every human
nd inhuman person in the state. Until
10Th la% and sentiment make indulgence
n an temptation TO intemperance, illegal,
and impossible.
A very high and distant goal, perhaps,
'ut which course just now presented,
hink you. leads toward it? Let me re-
eat 1t is very momcntous question.
.et no one neglect or mistake. If you
re not enlisted drafted and mustered in
ling Demijohn's army, get and lead
theirs just as far away as possible.
The term, "local option" is itself
lisnomer, deceiver, almost vacuum.
II the attributes of license town ex-
end beyond it's geographical limits al
lost indefinitely. Maine has her prob
ms to solve and, undoubtedly, is large
nough to do it. Let us solve ours on
ar own pavement.
The great progress of the state in the
st l2 years il cited. A grand record in
ute of local option, not because of it.
he backward step" was taken then.
ct us about face" and forward" with
lie rapidly increasing list of prohibition
ates.
My view of local option and its down
II offers absolutely no menace to the
wn unit idea.
Perhaps the Perry act does not provide
cans of procuring alcohol and other
Iuors for medicinal purposes. But
en-, if so easy to procure, under prohi
ton, for illegitimate purposes, why
t for the legitimate?
And furthermore only a few months
til an amendment could be incorporat-
if desirable And probably more than
ough on hand to last that time!
Vote yes"
Fred V. fuller
L -.