Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-05-10
The Change in the Liquor Law

The people in this state are to vote OH a
change in the liquor law in June. The
question to be decided is whether the law
shall be more severe in its penalties than it
now is. We have always been of the opin-
ion that the law has been in advance of
public opinion. and more stringent than
could well be carried into effect. 1t is not
the law that needs amending and revising
bu; the views ofthe people. Let the pres
ent law be enforced in its utmost rigor and
half of the temperance people would ask
that its victims be let off, and they have
another opportunity to reform. This is
not weakness to be condemned, necessa-
riy and always, but it is to be put down to
the credit of our common humanity. Nei-
ther does it prove case. to show the
evils of intcmperance, for these are admit
ted. The question to be decided is not
whether intemperancc is great evil. and
:unl-sellng crime against humanity, nor
that the necessary results of all this is of
the most damaging kind not at all. but it l.. J..
what will best subserve the cause of tenn
pcrance. We see that one political party
Ii the state, will be crrayed against a
change. We know enough of the past to
understand that with its party machinery
and the catch words, that did such good
service in 1855 that it will vote solid against
the change, or what is more likely, stay
away from the polls and then charge the
Republican party, as in 1855, with being 4
party in favor of abridging the liberties OF
the people, and III favor of thri,stng their
fellow citizens into prison because of the
selling of a glass of cider. We look Oh
and sec merchants selling tobacco and OPT
un, two articles that are becoming more
freely used than ever before, and which
are ruiaing whole armies of our fellow be-
inGs. and we do not as much as ask for q
law regulating its sale, while We demand
that the vender of ale. cider. wine. ant
rum be imprisoned. But we do not car,
to say anything against measure which
is friends may even think promotive of thu
cause oftemperance, and will only say this
that the temperance people have not We,
done work enough to get the people to sane.
ton law of the severity of the one to be
voted Oh in june. We may say more in
this direction, that the present law is SC
stringent that it cannot, or is not. put into
execution all over the state. We cannot
forget the Dow, Peck and Weaver con-
test in 1855, and how the temperance peo
pie were badly beaten, and the temper
aDce cause retarded instead of its gaining
an advance. We fear such a result i'm tht
coming summer. We fear that but few
will vote for the law. and none against il
and then the cry will be rung all over the
state that minority have passed upon and
made operative most unjust law and
therefore it must be repealed and the par.
ty voting on it put down. We fear that the
temperance people will be sadly disappoint-
ed at the result and that the temperance
cause will have political party acting
solidly against it. We therefore hope that
all the people will vote Oh the law in June
one way or the other. Let him that think
eth that change is necessary for the fur
therance of the temperance cause vote, and
him that thinketh differently also vote. 1t
may be that we are mistaken, and that a
majority of the people demand a change.
II so I'VE are more than content.