Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1916-05-19
LIQUOR QUESTION IN VERMONT.

.Vermont's declination of the invitation of the
Antl-Saloon League, that had caused the passage
by the Legislature of the Perry law" to join the
column of prohibition States has occasioned con-
SIDERABLE surprise in various directions. The en-
PhaSlS OF 1t, as shown in the figures of the vote on
the question as submitted to the voters, is surpris-
ing to even the Green Mountain people. In the
last presidential election Vermont cast 62,607
votes, OF which ,154 were for the prohibition can
dldate. In the last election for Governor, in 1914,
the prohibition candidate received 1914 votes.
In the special election, early this month, on the
lquor question in real earnest, there was a total
Of 5O,6O6 votes, of which 49, 31 were against pro-
hlbition and 1915 were for the measure.
At the same time there was an election on d.
rect primary, which carried by a small majority.
The election on prohibition drew out 5000 more
votes than that on the direct primary, Only As
out OF the 246 towns as the voting districts are
cidedly. Vermont has concluded to retain the local
option law of 1903, which was indorsed bv a ma
jority of 729 in the whole State to take the place of
the original prohibition law, following the Maine
liquor law of 1916 and 1851, to which this State,
in 1852, gave a majority Of 1, 40 votes.
considerable interest attaches to the course
OF this State in some things. Vermont was the
first State admitted to the Union under the Fed
eral constitutional 1791-and was the first
State not only to abolish what little African
slavery there was within it's own borders, but was
also the first to oppose that institution in other
States.
Olgnl1lcanCe connected with this election and
the positive result of it lies in the fact that there
was no special effort on the part of the liquor in
terest in opposition to that of the Anti-Saloon
League. Only one county out of the fourteen,
that of Orleans, which touches the Canada line,
gave a majority for prohibition. Evidently the
large majority of the voters believe in home rule
by towns or counties in this business.
The people of Vermont were generally mod
crate in the use Of stinulants, but under prohibi-
ton they inclined to wink at attractions of the law.
Many of them believed in personal liberty in the
use of rum brought in from the Atlantic States
and of the white whisky from Canada. Lager
beer was unknown to them in those DAYS. On
certain occasions the sturdy farmers managed to
get their eggnog. Tom and Jerry or something
straight, as at town meetings or county fairs, but
without much excess. And today, in the districts
wet by local option, there are not to be seen many
evidences of over-indulgence.
COmmen from Montpelier tells us that it had
been generally supposed that Vermont would go
dry and there, as elsewhere in that State, people
are still engaged over analysis of figures and con-
lecture 80 to conditions to account for the formid-
able resistance there presented to the wave of
statewide prohibition sweeping over the country.
One of the weak reasons assigned is that the pro-
poSedlaw made no provision for use of alcohol for
either medicinal or mechanical purposes. A bet
ter one is perhaps found in the fact that the peo-
pie, as a whole, prefer local option; that the
counties or towns should attend each to it's own
business.-Cincinnati Enquirer.
CAdv. Paid for by Montana Commercial & Labor League, Helena)