The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-01-31
Joint Debate on
Prohibition and Local
Option Held
KANSAS MAN UP
HELD THE FORMER
While Maine Man Took the
Other Side of Spirited
Verbal c.

What is out o. = with the liquor
traffic? Its g . mould be stripped
and the traf 5 continued, said Rev
Clarence I. of Topeka, Kan, who
argued stats lie prohibition before a
largely attended mass meeting in the
opera house Sunday evening. Local OPP
tion is the only regulatiye remedy, said
Editor i. +. Hanson of Belfast, Me-, who
brought to focus his intimate expert
ence with the Maine prohibitorv law and
its workings in replying to DIR. Wilson
in one of the most interesting forensic
encounters ever listened to BY Barre
audience.
Prohibition, statewide prescription of
| liquor, and local option as the only re-
medal measure yet to have the desired
effect in the solution of the liquor prob
lem were argued in regulation debate
under the auspices of the Ministers nn-
ion. Pastors of several OF the city
churches suspended their evening sery-
ices and with their congregations ad-
journed to the opera house. In view of
the fact that proposed prohibition
amendment is to be submitted to the
mass meeting served to assemble an au-
dence quite evenly divided on the pro-
hibition question. DIR. Wilson. a widely
known Methodist divine, entered the
lists against Mr.. Hanson. many times
mayor of his home city, and one of the
most prominent protagonists of local OPP
tion. Rev. J. w. Barnett, pastor OF the
Congregational church and president OF
the Ministers union acted as chairman.
and prayer was offered by Rev. J. b.
Reardon of the Uniyersalist church.
Each advocate was allowed 30 minutes
for his main argument and 30 minutes
for rebuttal. DIR. Wilson, who opened
the debate, was given Is minutes in
which to close at the end of the rebut
tails. Before the audience dispersed, the
audience, united when it came to d man
Hesitation of patriotism, If divided on
one OF the paramount issues of the day,
sang America" with unusual spirit,
No decision was made on the outcome
Of the debate. Instead, the Ministers
union chose to let the decision rest with
the audience, and if the results of the
debate, while arreaching, were not inn
nediately in evidence last night. it may
be that the exercise Of the franchise by
hose voters who listehed through the
lebate will determine the decision when
he polls are opened March Z. The Jury
will return its verdict on that day and
t will not report a disagreement.
Suave, polished and possessing an inti
nate, flrst-hand knowledge of the liquor
question in its various phases, DR.. Will
on of Topeka opened the debate Ora
orieal power is his and he used it in
resenting to his hearers his main argu-
lent in the first 80 minutes of the de-
ate. No one questioned the sincerity of
ither speaker in the controversial clash.
ertainly no one questioned DIR. Wilson
nd it was just as certain that Editor
anson was deadly in earnest. It was
ir-minded audience and if one corner
pplauded inherent righteousness in one
1eaker's contention, it received with ac-
aim a telling sally from the other side.
r. Wilson appeared more in the role of
casuist, working out the niceties of
oral question that is engrossing the at
'ntion of civilization to its very out
lsts. He was the accomplished dialec-
eian, skilled in the synthetic process of
inging together the various elements in
bomb she'll that he hurled into the To-
! option camp.
Editor Hanson is the rough and ready
batter aud he proved it to the satisfae-
IN of his auditors. Quick to grasp the
ndamentals in his opponents argu-
mt, he was equally quick with his re-
es in rebuttal. He knows Maine bet
: than Admiral Peary knows the grain
the north pole He has potent, al
.sf aarfa l-pAxt.ialaro nf #l,a4 ha ID
-ibed as the pharasaical operation of
, Maine prohibitory law. Schooled as
master OF give-and take polemies he
owed himself to be a reasoner of more
IN ordinary depth. albeit having with
him the power of READILY speech, in
'rt an opponent worthy of anyone's
title.
DR.. Wilson Calls 1t Moral Issue.
)r. Wilson's augmentation was large
with the history of the liq-
problem as a distinctly moral issue.
empts made at regulation in America.
the devious ramifcations of the liq-
traffic wherever il has failed 60 feel
controlling hand of constitutional
hibtion. Throughout his main areu-
1t as well as in his rebuttal ard In
up fAt -NAEAI 10 SHOW iNaT
as il Is practieed in Kansas.
,raska and II other states. is not the
iibition that Maine knows. that il Is
libitiOn in fact and not in fancy or
e theory. He traced the prohibition
emeut back to it, very inception Too
rs ago. OF the policy our forefathers
sued Of ~leaving il alone Once Il
ascertained that liquor viii not
c its devotees alone. drinking ia mod
ion was prescribed. Moderation
a when il became known. he said.
liquor is q poisonous narcotic and
q food. Total abstinence from spir.
ns liquors followed and il held SWAY
men fund that TIE thirst which
er alcoholic beverages creates led -
~ drink. until i Nas discovered that
r men were being transformed into
karis faster than the spread 81 So
n. Then came Icense and aftertfat
license. which made 81 tie Hquor
c a monopoly. Students ef tIe
, problem searched in vain far 5 re-