Polynesian., 1854-08-26
From the Alta California.
Thoughts for the Thoughtful.

From the Alta California.
Thoughts for the Thoughtful.
The MAINE IhQUoR LAW IN MAINE.-An ar
tcle in Hunts Magazine of June, in relation to
the practical operations of the Maine Liquor Law
IN Maine, contains some facts of much interest,
and particularly to those who have argued either
side or the question upon grounds of expedency
and effectiveness. The writer at least perfectly
to his own satisfaction demonstrates the right of
the people to suppress the liquor traffic, placing it
in the same category as the right to suppress gam
bling, lotteries, or any acknowledged evil. He
then enters upon the question of expediency, and
the probabilities of enforcing the law. Upon this
point he gives interesting facts. He says:
At the time of the enactment of the law, the
traffic was carried on extensively all over the
State, by wholesale and retai in cities towns and
villages by the hogshead, barrel, and the glass,
intoxicating liquors were freely sold to all comers
These liquors were manufactured in great quanti-
ties IN Maine, and were imported from other States
by the vessel-load and steamboat load, into all our
seaport towns, and into all the towns and villages
lying upon our great rivers, from which points
they were distributed in innumerabe diverging
streams IN every hamlet in the State.
Immediately upon the enactment of the law, the
wholesale trade in liquors ceased, and has never
been revived The large stock in the hands of
the dealers sent off to those other States the
governments of which allowed them TO be sold 10
their people. The strange spectacle was seen in
all our cities and larger towns, of the flight Of
great quantities Of liquors, from the operation of
the Maine Law. The retail trade was Immediate
ly abandoned by every dealer in the State, who
had any character to lose, or who desired the good
opinion of his fellow citizens. So far as the trade
continued at all, it was carried on with great Sc
crecy and caution, and was confined entirely to the
hands of the lowest and yilest part of the people,
chiefly to this class of foreign population. The
change in the habits of great numbers of our peo-
pie was instantaneous and wonderful ; they were
reformed of their Incorporate habits, because
temptation was put out of the way.
In the city of Portland, where the law was en-
forced with considerable rigor, the change was
very great 1t was apparent to the most casual
observer and was the theme of continual remark
among all classes of our people. Our streets were
as quiet by night those of country village, and
our police and watchmen remarked that their du-
ties were nearly at an end. The effects of the
suppression of grog-shops Immediately seen
In diminished vagrancy, pauperism and crime, and
increased comforts among the poorer part of the
people.
The Mayor of Portland, at the end of the NUM-
cipal year 1872, after the law had been in oper-
alton only nine months, in his report to the City
Council, which was ordered to be printed and cir
culated through the city, gave an abstract from
the returns of the departments connected with pow
erty and crime, as follows:
There was committed to the Aims House from
June l. 1850, to March 20, 1851, (before the law,l
252; from June l, 1851, to March 20, 1852, (after
the law,l I46-dilference in months, 1O5. Num-
her in Aims House March 20, 1851, I2 number
in Aims House March 20, 1852, 90-diference
%. Number of families assisted cut of the Aims
House from June |, 1850, to March 20, 1852, l35;
from June /, 1851, to March 20, 1852, 9I-dIffer-
ence in nine months, Gust one-third,) 40. Seven
ty-five of the 80 in the Aims House March 20,
1852, came there through intemperance four of
the ninety were not brought there through that
cause; the history of the remaining eleven is not
known.
Committed to the House of Correction for in
temperance from June l. 1850, to March 30, 1851,
46; for larceny, &c. &c, I2-in all 5S from
June lst, 1851, to March 20 1852. for intemper-
ance, TO- for larceny, &c. &C., Sin all l3
difference in nine months of more than three
fourths! Committed in April, 1851, 9; in May,
l0-l9. The Maine Law was enacted June 3
1851, and from the lst of that month to March 20
1852, ten months, the number committed was only
10, although great activity displayed by the
police in arresting all offenders.
At the term of the District Court in Portland
March 1859, but one indictment found for
larceny, and that was the result of malicious
prosecution; while at the March Term of 1851,
seventeen indictments were found. These re-
suits have been obtained, Notwithstanding an in
creased vigilance in arresting persons found under
the influence of strong drinks
The Mayors report continues:
Committed to Jail for drunkenness, larceny, &C.,
from June l, 1850, to March 20, 1851, 279; for
period of 1872, l35-difference,
IA. Deduct liquor sellers t72) imprisoned in the
latter term, and we have 63 for drunkenness, lar
ceny, &c. &C., against 279 for the corresponding
period before the enactment of the Maine Law
deduction Of a -nInfhS m tho Short
Rod of nine months! There were in Jail on the
both March, 1851, % persons; on the Goth March,
1852, 8 persons, 3 of whom were liquor sellers
without them the number would be against % of
the corresponding day of 1851, falling off of
than SO per cent. in the short period of nine
months
The jails of Kenpebec, Franklin and Somerset
counties were empty, and that of Penobscot county
was nearly so, while the Aims houses of the State
were rapidly undergoing the process of depopuIa-
ton. The aims house of Portland was built when
the city contained about 10000 inhabitants and at
$4,000, it was densely crowded. The authorities
were considering the erection of a new one, to
cost not less than $4,000. But after the Maine
Law had been IN operation a-few months only,
ranges of apartments were empty there; and the
as it now stands will be sufficient,
under vigorous enforcement of the Maine Law,
until the city shall contain 1000 inhabitants"
The writer says, at the time of the enactment of
the Maine law, the number of open rumshops was
estimated to be-from 800 to 400-notc there is not
one. There is not a shop or place in the city
where respectable looking stranger can call for
glass of liquor and get it The keepers of the Sc
cret rum-shops nuSe few ~ell-known customers,
and no stranger is admitted, except under the pat
ronage of an habitue. These shops contain but
small quantities of liquors, and are fitted up with
an apparatus which, on touching spring, will
smash the bottles containing them, that they may
not be seized by the police. After this satisfacto
ry statement of facts, the writer proceeds as fol-