Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1853-10-05
How the Maine Law Works.


we published in the HERALD, an article from
the New York Express embodying Mr.. NEAL:
statements of the workings of the Maine Ii
quor Law in Maine. Since then, counter
statement by NEAL Dow, the Trainer Of the
Maine Law, has been handed us with reques
to publish. We thus give the highest authority
for facts that can be presented some
thing official comes out from the Maine autho-
rites. The people want facts upon this CUES.
ton, and upon both sides Of it. The Consttu-
tionaity of the question has nothing TO do with
its adoption, one way or another, since we have
courts to test that matter. The workings of
the law, for better or for worse, is what the
people want. For one, we shall vote upon the
evidence of the workings of the Law, and not
upon the dozen rumors and theories now sprea-
ding round. Here is part of Mr. Dow's re-
ply to NEAL:
Mr.. Meals statement, as to the actu-
al results of the "Liquor Law of
Maine" stripped of its guise, may be
reduced to this-that it has failed en-
tirely of its objects that there is more
liquor now sold and drank in Maine, un-
der the operation of the Law, than at
any time before for twenty years. His
declaration is by no means new. It has
been made often by the enemies of the
law, for the last two years. Often have
similar statements been published by
Anti-temperance newspapers out of
Maine, but always by anonymous wri-
tiers.
Such declarations are so VIGOROUSLY
false, that never has any one been bold
enough to publish them over his own
signature, until MIR. Neal did it; and
the wonder among the people of Port
land is excited, not more by the untruth-
iulness of his statements than by his
bold effrontery in making them. l have
no hesitation in appealing to Rev. Mr..
Chickering, and every other member of
the Highest. Church to which Mr.. Neal
belongs, upon the declaration that his
statements upon this subject are en-
tirely, unqualifedly, and VIGOROUSLY I'M
true.
The facts in relation to the working
OF the Maine Liquor Law in Portland
and through Maine have been published
often for the last two years, in most of
the papers of the State, and never has
any attempt been made by any respon-
sible person to disprove them.
AT The time of the enactment Of the
law, rum-selling was carried on openly
in all parts of the State. In Portland
there were between three and four hun
dred open rum shops, and Immediately
after the enactment Of the law not one.
The wholesale trade in liquors was at
once annihilated throughout the State,
and the retail trade, SO far as it existed
at all, was carried On with great secre-
cy and caution.
In Portland, intemperance almost en-
tirely disappeared, and large numbers
of men were reformed. So thoroughly
did the law accomplish its objects, that
temptations to intemperance were in a
great measure removed out of the path
Of the young and inexperienced. In
PROOF OF this, cite TACT:
A MIR. Carlton came to Portland to
attend a law suit ana brought witness ),
who was very Incorporate man. MIR.
G. feared his witness would become in
toxicated. and be of no use to him.
They arrived in town at Z o'clock P.
NJ, and from that time until IL at nigh,
Mr.. e. saw nothing of him. At that
hour, the witness came TO the hotel
perfectly sober, and said to Mr.. G. that
he had travelled more than five miles
ana couldn't find q drop" And the rel
Of more or less Incorporate
men of Portland is within the knowl-
edge of almost every citizen.
1t was the unanimous declaration of
all the watchmen and police, that the CT
ty was like an entirely new place, so
quiet and free from all indications of in
temperance were the streets both by day
and night. Many shops which before
were rum-shops, were converted to 9TH
er branches Of trade, and almost every
indication of intemperance was Danish
ed from the city.
AT the end of the municipal year,
1882, the Mayor made an official re.
port to the City Council on the opera
ton Of the law in Portland. This was
ordered TO be printed and distributed
through the city, which was done; and
its statements were not at the time, nor
have they since been, denied. Parts Of
that report were afterwards printed in
tract, by the Central Executive Temper
ance Committee of Maine, and distribu-
ted extensively through the State. The
following extracts are taken from that
report:
"a great many families situated thus
(poor and miserable) year since, are
now comfortable and happy, being en-
iirely relieved by the suppression of
the grog-shops from their former troub
les. The extinguishment of the traffic
in intoxicating drinks will not only be
the means Of saving great amount of
money to the poorer part of the people,
but the productive industry of the coun-
try will be stimulated to an extent that
we cannot at present foresee. The
whole of the great sum which was for
nerly expended for strong drinks by
the people of this City and State, viii.
henceforth be expended for the necessa
ries and comforts of life, with the addi-
tional amount which will be added year