The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-09
The GrOg Shops.
The AUTHOR OF THE MAINE LAW ON THE
ATTITUDE OF THE DEMOCRATIC parry TO-
WARD PROHIBITION. 1a tl- .frlii-

THE AUTHOR OF THE MAINE LAW ON THE
ATTITUDE OF THE DEMOCRATIC Parry TO-
WARD PROHIBITION. 17d t-1- III ,ffllt-a
was acoOsted the other day by one of our
most respectable and influential citizens, a
democrat, with the query:-'sWhat are you
going to do with the new law against the
grog shops ?"-Execute it, to be sure, what
else should be done with it ? ''Will it be done
fairly and squarely?' Certainly, how else
should it be done? ''Then there are thous-
and democrats of us who will go with you
heartily" His horse was restless and trou-
blesome all this time, so / could not detain
him to inquire what he meant by saying that
a thousand democrats would go with us.
But 1 ask it now, and here. What did this
gentleman mean-and others who talk in the
same strain, what,do they mean by declaring
that they will go with us in the suppression
of the grog shops? am bound to believe
that they say it and mean it in good faith;
that they agree with us in the conviction that
these shops are boundless mischief in the
community; that they waste the wages of the
people, that they impoverish and degrade the
people, and fill our work houses and our jails
with their wretched Victims am bound to
believe that they see and know as we do, that
there are thousands offamilies sitting this day
crushed by the dreadful influence of these
shops; that they know as we do, that these
shops fill the land with misery and wretch
edness that is in quantity and degree, beyond
all human power of computation, and that
they will unite with us in the earnest, honest
endeavor to change all that, by putting away
and putting down the inevitable cause of it,
Such understand to be the wish and pur-
pose of these gentlemen. laa lr
But when my friend said there were
thousand democrats who would go with us
in an honest endeavor to suppress the grog
shops, thought he was little fowery, a
little rhetorical. do not think there are
thousand democrats in Portland who object
to grog shops in any conceivable number or
any conceivable quality. I should be glad to
find myself mistaken, but do not think 1 am.
That there are many democrats in the city
who do object to grog shops and will go with
us honestly in the suppression of them, be-
lieve, for many have told me this Of them
selves. But my inquiry was, what did my
friend really mean by the declaration that
there were thousand democrats who would
go with us in putting down this dreadful
trade? -3...-,
l have been assured not by them, that the
meaning was no more than this that the
complete suppression of grog shops, brothels
and gambling houses would drive off from the
Republican check list on to the Democratic
SO many voters, that the latter party would
have some hope Of coming into power. ) Il do
not think it; would be slow to believe that
my friend and others like him, would be will
ing that their party should come into power
on the votes of brothels, grog shops and gam
bling houses-that question being in issue,
judge of them by myself
am warmly and thoroughly in favor of
protection to home labor-to "American
Manufactures believe that policy
the best for all American interests. l have
no doubt of it. I very much desire that such
policy shall be continued in the country
with such notifications as experience shall
suggest, and would not object that keepers
and haunters of all the bad places have
spoken of, should come and vote that way.
But would make no bargain with them;
would have no understanding with them,
that for their votes and influence in favor of
protection to home industry, they should
have my. vote and influence in favor of their
views on those matters. l would not even
be neutral; the grog shops are doing thou
sand times more mischief in the country than
protection to American Manufactures can do
good. So judge my Democratic friend and
others like him by myself and do not believe
their expectations and hopes are to ride into
power on grog shops, brothels and gambling
houses.
But if that should be their purpose, they
viii be grievously disappointed. think so,
because / have faith in the people. do not
believe the majority to be bad, and indifferent
to the highest interests of the community
If that issue were actually made the result of
it would depend entirely on the part taken in
the contest by the church. One of our most
beloved pastors said to me yesterday, ''in
that contest you shall have our support and
best endeavors; we are timid now;'' some
of them, said as class we are timid," he
resumed; when we look down into our pews
and see rich and influential men who are in
favor of grog shops, it requires as much cour-
age as we can muster, to enable us to speak
plainly and honestly; but in that contest, you
shall have our prayers and cooperation"
Then we shall certainly win, / replied.
suppose many of our people remember
that when that desperate battle between us
and the grog shops, was fought some years
ago, the grog shops obtained as their candi
date. one of the most prominent members of