The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-01-09
Gov. Perham's Message.

tue which in the estimation of new spaper
men is the browning one reyity. AL
most five long columns OF fine type is
more than the reader ought to be called
upon to grapple with, and twice the space
needed to call attention to all the proper
subjects of comment. The long recital
OF national affairs and the state of politi-
| cal parties Is out of place, even if it were
not stale. 1t is required that the Governor
'shal from time to time give the legisa-
tnre information of the condition of the
State"-not Of the nation The President
has very recently gone over the latter
ground.
The finances Of Maine, as exhibited in
! the message, are in excellent condition
and show that in present hands they are
carefully and skiltully managed. The
decrease of the debt by the accommodating
sinking fund, and consequent diminished
taxation, are all gratifying assurances
The cutting of OF $4,000 from the State
tax of 1872 will be a relief now, and al
indication, we trust, of the future
Perhaps the subject of greatest import
ance in the message, next to the finances
is that OF prohibitory liquor laws. 1t i
! undoubted so, if not the superior one il
the executive mind, from the manner il
which it is handled. Intemperance is
charged with creating two-thirds Of the
crime and paupersm of the State, and yel
we are told that less intoxicating liquor i,
drank in Maine than in any other place OF
equal population. The amount Of eyi
| produced in those other places from these
causes must be fearfuly great and the
| problem one that will tax feartully all the
known rules OF arithmetic As great AZ
| the evil of intoxication is, and no one will
| dispute that it is great, it has not gener-
ally been supposed to have reached these
proportions.
The remarks of the Governor upon thf
cider clause of the law are pervaded by d
doubt, we think. whether the law is wise
one. He says, in speaking OF cider as
classed among intoxicants-
| 1t must be remembered, however that ma
| iorlty Of our people do not view the subject
| from this stand point, and have not come TO re
gard the sale of cider AS an evil equal to the sale
of other drinks that are held to be Intoxicating
by the law. 1t must also be remembered, that
any law TO be effective and permanent must
wise. but what the aggregate moral sense of The
people recognize as right
This reasoning is sound and forcible
If the majority OF the people do not ap-
prove the cider law and the law cannot
be effective without popular approval, i
should clearly be wiped ont The cont les
with the evil of intemperance IA thc
| Governor observes. is attended with dif
cuites. Human appetite is constant in it,
demands for indulgence, while the vigi
lance of the law often sleeps But whel
to these difficulties are added the mistake:
of the over Jealous friends of Temperance
and the selfish persistence OF those who
Join the ranks from motives of gain o.
ambition, the work of reform becomes no.
only difficult hut nearly impossible.
One OF the most important recommen'
| dations of Gov. Perham is that Of 3
change of the sessions of the Legislature
so that they be holden every other year
Once in two years is quite often enough
for our law givers to get together and We
| feel certain that much needless if rot posi-
lively harmful legislation would thereby
be avoided. Certainly heavy bill of ex-
| pense to the State would be saved O
course it would follow that all elective
officers would hold for term Of at eas
| two years, which would he likewise al
| improvement. The change of the day o.
State election to the Tuesday after the first
Monday OF November, is also desirable
as it would then fall on the same day witt
the Presidential election. No good rea
son can be given for calling the people OF
the State twice to the polls within sixty
| days every fourth year; and besides that,
November is every way better and more
convenient season for holding elections
There are other topics in the message
to which we may hereafter refer As q
whole, the document is good one |,
does not have the verbal exactness anc
rhetorical grace which marked the mes
sages Of Governor Chamberlain but i,
generally well and forrbly expressed