The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-09-02
RW We CODY. lor the benefit Of

communication, written for the "Cin-
clnnati Commercial" !" It bears such
an air of honesty and candor all
through it, that we think it will be
very satisfactory and convincing to all,
of the important truths it sets forth:
PUB CoM'L. :-Ia your issue Of last Thurs
day, read an article on the G'Maine Law
in Maine." With your consent, would
like to say few words on that article, and
2tate the results Of my observations during
recent trip to most Of the large tOwns in
Maine.
am native Of that State and lived
there till '39, when | left it at twenty-five
years Of age; visited it in so, after an alb
sence Of ii years. and again in June last,
and felt a considerable interest In ascertain
ing for myself the effect Of this law, about
which so much is said
You say "there was no tippling in sight;
the pure air of the streets was quite free
from three cent whisky shop fumes; the re.
pose Of citizens was nndisturbed by the
night revels and midnight brawls that ad-
vertise the locality Of drinking saloons; the
entire absence of the sparkling allursments
to intemperance and the disgusting cOnse-
quences Of drunkenness was most crafty
ing"
This exactly corresponds with my Obser.
walton, and if the Maine Law does this. and
believe every impartial, candid man, who
is at all informed in regard to it, admits
that it does, is it not the best that has ever
been enacted to prevent intemperance? Ev-
cry one knows that most persons who use
ardent spirits contracted the habit at pub
lie drinking saloons. Remove these, and
youremove the temptation, and when they
contract such habits there, and that class
embraces large majority Of drinking men,
and have this large number growing up So
ber, temperate men and useful citizens
Even if the present generation continue to
evade the law, and obtain liquor in the
same way, the next will be temperate, and
the evil will be entirely removed. With
this view Of the present and future opera
tion of the law, may we not call 1t the wisest
ever enacted by human legislation on any
subjectP
Your writer says: ATTRACTED by SO fa-
vorable an appearance, we determined to
give the law closer investigation, and If
the interior fulfilled the brave promise of
the exterior, the enactment must be produo-
| tive of the most beneficial results, though
/ we could not assent to the principle on
/ which such legislation is based"
Quere--Did not even the exterior produce
beneficial results, by removing the tempta'
tions that formerly met one at every steT
out Of the way2
The result of this closer investigation
you say, was "that there was in the State q
vast amount of all sorts of liquors from
very poor corn whisky to very delicious
brown sherry, and that any man with q
clean shirt collar could obtain either, with
hardly enough of difficulty to give desira.
BILE sweetness to the stolen waters.'"
| too determined to ascertain how well
the law was observed. never, like Byron
'fumed' about the whitenesS of my collar
and am not studiOusly careful about my
personal appearance, yet / generally pre-
sent at least decent appearance; and as
my better half, who is somewhat CAREFUL o.
appearances, was with me, and took espe.
cial charge of my wardrobe, I fatter my
self that my collar was in tolerably good or.
der--yet | could not persuade any tavern.
keeper to furnish me with a Drop II
Gardiner, at one of the best hotels, where
was told liquors were sold until the passage
Of the law, called for something to drink
The answer was, "We don't keep it, sir.
told him was from Ohio, where all gOoc
drinks were plenty, and it was hard not t.
be able to gel anything there. "Oan't hell
it, sir; we amt allowed to sell il here"
| Another man stopping at the same plact
soon entered the Office, and asked the sam,
question, and received the same answer
His face bore unmistakable marks that h'
INDUCED in the "ardent" when at home.-
The landlord eyed him closely, and wheth
er any secret sign passed between them,
could not tell, but they went out together
Whether he got any liquor do not know
If he did, his success depended more on tn,
color of his nose than his shirt collar.
The conclusion / came to, was that in
few places, and but few, liquor was sold Sc
cretIy, and that person not in some way
known to be in favor of its sale could no
get it. | arrived at this conclusion afte
personal inquiry for liquor at several places
and conversation with all classes Of people
You seem to think that this law canno
be sustained even in Maine, its birth place
This opinion is not certainly based upol
facts, for at two State elections since it
II -.,,n,l na..l;JnAoo E. ~