Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-01-06
MILITARY.


The last legislature elected Joshua l..
Chamberlain, Major General OF Militia,
TO whose command the military compan.
les OF the State have been assigned.
In The report of the Adiutant General
which includes the reports OF the Major
General and Inspector General. some inn
porlan, suggestions and recommenda.
lions AFRO made in regard to Our military
organizations, 10 which / invite the At
tcntion OF the Legislature.
An expensive military organization III
this State is not deemed necessary. We
do need however an effective force which
can DC relied upon 10 meet such cmer-
gencios as are liable to arise. You will
be called upon 10 consider whether The
necessary interest and efficiency can be
sustained by the militia of The State with
out offering some opportunity for batlal'
lion OF regimental inspection and drill.
STATE PENSIONS,
Eigh. hundred and thirteen appllca.
tons for State pensions have Oson recciy-
ed during the year. OF these six hund
rcd have been allowed and two hundred
and niue rejected.
Whole amount allowed for pensions
S22, 1858. So 4 decrease OF S4,4S2.92 since
last year.
The distribution OF this fund is n grsat
blessing 10 such OF our disabled soldiers
and the dependents of those who lost
their lives in the service Us are unable,
by reason OF special mistotunes, to
avoid dcslitulion without the aid of chart
ty.
Their number is gradually decreasing,
but while they are with US the State Will
honor itsel! 10y providing for their ne
cessitos.
ENFORCEMENT OF rHE PRouIRITuRY LAWS.
All agree that intemperancc IL ono oil the
greatest oYils that aillct the people. How
to eradicate il, is = question that address
es itself TO all lovers Of sobricty and GOOD
order; and involves the highest interests
OF the State The legislator who Is com
pollsd TO aid in levying taxes upon his
constituents for the support oil criminal
courts, jails, Prisons. poor houses ana TO-
lormatOry institutions, two thirds ui which
are made necessary 10y the liquor Traffic,
cannot ghore the duty oi removing, -
far rs possible, these heavy burdens Our
State suilers greatly by this evil, and .tlll
no ono oan 20 out of the State in amy di'
rccliou without noticing contrast IN tins
regard, highly commcndablc to our poo
Pile. Ii is probable that less intoxicating
liquors arc drank in Nxiuu than in any
other place OF equal population IN the
country, perhaps in the civilized world;
This eifyiaLlc position has boon reached
through many years Of Individual and or
ganized moral effort, supplemented ny
efficient prohibitory laws; neither means
could have been equally successful alone.
Other States have temperance men and
women rs devoted and efficient rs ours,
but having no laws TO aid them. or licking
the public sentiment necessary to sustain
and enforce them, tho success ihcy TO
serve is not achieved.
While some doubt the wisdom OF pro
hibition, il has been go often and so en-
phatically approved by the people that II
may he regarded ~ part OF the settled
policy of The State The law of the last
Legislature, making it the duty oi Shori!l'
and their deputies to institute legal pro-
ceedings against violations OF the laws
prohibiting the sale OF intoxicating liquors
has secured more effective enforcement
OF these laws. The effects arc pcrccpLiblc
in the decrease OF drunkenness, and con.
sequcntly in less arrests o. that account;
in the reduction OF criminal business gen
orally, and in thousands OF comforts and
blessings brought TO homes whore pow
erty and misery reigued before. Ii II Ice
said that il has destroyed An important
business, and lett tho vendors OF liquor
without employment, and their shops un
occupied. il is answered that the money
formerly paid TO support their business
has been turned into other and more use
full channels of trade, or into the families
of those whose hard earned money sup.
ported the traffic.
The law prohibiting the sale OF cider.
same as other Intoxicating drinks, except
when sold by tho manufacturer, has, /; IS
believed, failed 10 meet the expectation.
OF its friends Ii has. however demon
stratcd the Tact, CT any demonstration
WAS necessary that cider in any OF It's
forms, is no less injurious when sold by
the manufacturer or his agent than when
sold by any other man. The difficulty OF
discriminate. between cider in lis harm
less and huitu conditions, is such that
the most OF the temperance organizations
alter much experience aud careful con-
sidsralion, have found it necessary to IN
cudo cider with other intoNicants IN their
pledges. 1t must he remembered, how
ever, that majority Of CUR people do
not view the subject from this standpoint,
and have not come TO regard the sale OF
cider as an evil equal TO the sale "l other
drink, that are held TO DO Intoxicating by
the Law. 1t must also be remembered
that any law To DC effective and pcrma-
nent. must express. not simply what liz
friends deem To he visa, hut what the as
glegate moral sense OF tho people rccog-
niZe as right. II will not be denied that
many shops where, ptOiessediy, nolhlng
stronger than cider is sold. either IN con.
sequence of the age OF the cider, Or OF It's
being mixed with stronger liquors, are
anon. the worst drinking places in the
State. This is especially observable at
the present time. in places whore the CHI
forcement of the law makes it difficult TO
obtain other liquors.
Many young men surprising INC ocNol'
age sold to be harmless, take their first
departure towards lie OF shame aud
disgrace, in these places. Against the
sale Of cider, when it is simply harmless
beverage, there is, | presume, no dssirc
to interfere, but when by ago or adulter-
alton it becomes Intoxicating, and is re-
tailed and drank Tor its intoxicating quail
tiles, and tends to educate tho appetite
for stronger liquors, the sale becomes
positive evil.
Conscious OF the difficulties attending
legislation upon this oubjsct, | submit
these suggestions for your consideration,