Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-10
HEARING ON THE TEMPERANCE
QUESTION $3.50

| liquors.
Mr.. LANG remarked that the bill properly
enforced would efiectually close seven eighths
of the rum-shops in the State.
/ Mr.. SHAW, State liquor agent, said if it is
important that the public have pure liquors
| for medicinal or mechanical purposes, the sale
of coniscated liquors at town agencies must
be prohibited Town agents are not proper
! judges of liquors.
/ Hon. NELSON DINGLEY of Lewiston, was
called upon and gave his views on the subject
! under consideration. Mr.. Dingley said he
understood the object of the committee to be
to consider if any legislation can be had to
advance the temperance reform. There can
be no doubt that the State has a duty to do.
Legislation can do something to further this
reform. 1t is said an attempt to suppress the
liquor traffic is an attempt to make men vir-
tuous by law. Any attempt to prevent crime
is an attempt to make men virtuous by law.
The suppression of houses of i'll fame is an
attempt to make men virtuous by law. The
policy of the State on this question has been
settled, that it is the duty of the State to pro-
hibit the liquor traffic. The prohibitory law
of this State is one Of the wisest and best ever
put upon the statute books.
California produces and consumes more
wine than any other State in the Union. She
likewise consumes more whiskey and the
use of the weaker liquors creates demand
for the stronger.
He thought important changes should be
be made in the present law. Officers should
be empowered to seize liquors without a war
rant and detain them until a warrant could
be obtained. In many cases while the officer
is obtaining a warrant the liquors are removed
and seizure prevented. Large quantities of
liquors are seized in Lewiston, but it rarely
occurs that any are seized which are suitable
for any man to take who did not expect to fall
dead before going forty rods.
Our prohibiipry laws are not enforced as
faithfully as other laws against crime. Has
the State no duty in the premises! She has
placed the law upon the statute books. Can
she now fold her hands and claim she has no
further duty to do? Does she do her duty
when she allows signs to be displayed in the
capital of State advertising the open whole
sale violation of the law:
1t seemed to him the constitutional duty
of the State to provide that the laws be faith
fully executed Has the Governor any officer
at his hand with which TO enforce them? He
has not a single officer to do his bidding.
Twenty four years ago we had State police.
The sherifs were appointed by the Governor
and were responsible to him for the faithful
discharge of their duties. Such u force is
important in the execution of every criminal
law, as well as to enforce prohibition.
There is a peculiar difficulty attending the
enforcement of laws against liquor-selling,
houses of ill-fame, &c. There is a false sense
of honor which intervenes to suppress evil
dence against the violators of these laws.
Mr. LANG said he had been assailed by the
radical press. and held up as being unfit to be
member of the committee. He therefore
wished to define his views that the committee
and the people might understand how he stood
upon this question
joint committee of the House and Sem
ate was raised to consider such portion of the
Governors Address as refers to the subject
of Temperance and report what changes in
the law, if any, are necessary to ensure to
the State the benefit of prohibition consistent
with the resolve unanimously passed in the
State Convention at Bangor.
1t has been the custom Of political parties
to publish at their inception and from time to
time manifesto of principles, or rule OF ae-
ton in the spirit Of which the party expect
ed to be governed. In other words, plant
ing banner. around which the friends of
such manifesto or sentiments and principles
involved in it might safely rally in support OF
such laws and officers to execute them as in
their opinion the good of the State and ext
gencies of the times might demand.
In pursuance of this custom, resolves were
prepared and submitted to the Republican
Convention at Bangor, and adopted as the
platform of the party.
These resolves were published over the
State as the policy of the party, and men vot-
ed for them in good faith, believing that they
embraced the true settlements of the party.
Among these resolves was the following
"That ace rener our adhesion to the princi-
piles of prohibition and the "a gorous enforce
ment of lars to that End"
There were many honest and earnest men
in the State who were represented in this con-
vention who were DESTROYS that the law for
prohibition should be assisted by a special
police bill to ensure its faithful execution.
Failing to nominate man committed to
their ultra views, they were filled with disap-
pointment, which feeling was taken advan-
tage of by designing men who were willing
to break up the party if in establishing new
one they might as leaders be brought into
prominence.
There can be no doubt that these men be-
lieved that the principle of prohibition was
of more i'm portance than any question OF the
hour; and that party interests and issues
should all be made subscrvient to this inter-
est. ftt
would not by intimation even do injustice
to citizens who were actuated as l believe they
were by a keen sense of the necessity of an
active and vigorous war upon an evil which
never rests, but constantly by hundreds OF
secret avenues winds its way into the heart
of society. HJt
Under such leadership, assisted by opposi-
ton journals which never before spoke word
for the true advancement of Temperance,
the devotees of extreme measures saw no
way short of breaking for season the bands
of party organization, and with this single
purpose place such men in office as were in
sympathy with them.
l need not speak of the result; the men
who famed the flame Of disorganization for
their own selfish ends have been rebuked,
and the republican party in Maine stands to-
day firm in its chosen field of steady, moral,
and political progress. 1t is history that all
reformations of great magnitude have from
time to time thrown out pioneers into the
enemy's country faster than the main army
could protect from disaster, So in 1867 the
enthusiastic temperance reformers made the
'scoup d'etat The grand advance in the
form of the constabulary bill the extraordi.
nary and effective enginery Of which alarmed
the public. After trial of one year it was
believed to be in advance of public sentiment