The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-04-17
The Grog Shops-No. VIII.

Our friends-over the left-the dethroned
rumsellers, do not consider themselves en-
tirely "squelched" they have lively hope
of better times V-One of them said to me,
TITS long lane that has no turn" Yes, re-
piled, but this lane will not turn just yet; 1
think it will keep straight on long enough to
demonstrate to the people the advantages, ev-
cry way, Of the suppression of your trade
The hope of these people is to procure the
abolition of the town agencies, SO that no
liquors can be had for medical purposes, and
no alcohol for mechanical uses and for use in
the arts and this, they think, would rouse op-
position to the Maine Law. Now, these agen-
cies are distinct and important feature of
that enactment, and do not think tn e friends
of the law will consent that its enemies shall
come in and dictate as to the manner of its ex-
ecution. If criminal, just about to be swung
off, should ask to have the knot placed just
little one way or the other of a sore spot, the
sheriff should accommodate him to that ex-
tent-but not to dispense with the rope alto
gether, because it hurt him. Such a request
would be as reasonable and proper from a con-
demned man as it is now for these rumsellers
and their sympathizers to come up full of pious
indignation against the 'city rumshop," as
they call it, and ask for its abolition. They
give it that bad name because they know that
the word rumshop is stencil in the nostrils of
all the better part of our people
There is in town drummer from a New
York liquor establishment, organizing the
forces here for an attack on the Agency; he is
the same man who has been at Augusta for
two years. lobbying with the member from
Blancheville for the abolition of the State
Agency This man has lots of money-rum
money-with which to carry on operations here
against our Age1cy. The puppets who dance
and pipe to his wire pulling-most of them-do
not know that they are his tools. These New
York and Boston liquor drummers have had
great field in Maine for their operations, and
they do not like to give up all hope for rich har-
vests in the future, like those they have had in
the past. Our State Constable once had this
drummer in his grip for violation of law, and
could send him to prison; but on his promise
never to come to the State again on such busi-
ness, the Constable let him off
There is great clamor against our agency,
in the first place, because these rumsellers hate
it for being able to sell liquor at all, while they
cannot, and because they say, "it sells too
much" Why, they put the quantity at $140
day, for Friday night and Saturday! and that
seems astounding to people who know nothing
of the liquor business. If we consider that the
people-a great many of them--who used to
obtain liquors for legitimate purposes at the
druggists, and do so no longer, but go now to
the Agency; and that the country people who
used to go the rumshops or the apothecaries'
shops for the same purpose-and they are many
ami if we consider the numerous calls for al
cohol for the arts and mechanical purposes-in
view of all this, the trade at the Agency is not
so very great More than year ago, heard
it said, on what supposed good authority, that
one bar in this city often sold $500 worth day,
and sometimes, ON extra occasions, as much as
$1,000 worth day. 1t is amusing to hear those
red-faced, grimy grog-sellers lamenting over
the Generalization of the people by this ''city
rumshop!'
81 want that shop shat up" one of them
said to me. 81 don't believe in rum as medi-
cine" he continued, ''it's all - humbug,
do you believe in it?" No, said, don't
''Then why not help shut it up?" Because, 1
replied, there are a great many respectable and
intelligent people, who do believe in liquor as a
medicine, and their. wants must be provided
for in some way, as little mischievous as possi-
BILE to the general good. OF course, the City
Agent will be imposed upon sometimes, by the
false pretenses of many who go to him for liq-
uor-no man can avoid that The very nature
of this liquor is lying and deceit; men whose
breath reeks with whiskey, will solemnly de-
clare that they never drink. I've heard them
say so many times; men who reel in theil
walk will swear they have not taken strong
drink for three months, I've often heard them
then don't charge the lying and deceit to the
| City Agency ND