Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-03-05
State News.
State Temperance Convention.

lions ever hei0 IN Name, assembled at
City Hall. Portland, Friday at 10 A. NJ.
DIR. George +. Brickett OF Augusta, was
chosen temporary chairman.
Governor Dingley was chosen President
and spoke substantially as follows =
lie was gratihcd to see 81 large and
respectable n gathering OF friends OF TEN.
perance for the purpose Of consuting to-
gcther with reference TO the interests OF
the cause in Maine. Such meetings as
this. and that recently held at Augusta,
served TO arouse new interest and to mani
Test the public sentiment already existing
The foundation work which Is so essen
tiai IN persuading men not to touch the in
toxicating cup, and in making effective
those laws which are designed to suppress
the temptations of the dram shop, must be
done through such gatherings a. this.
through the pulpit and press and through
individual moral effort. The larger por-
ton OF the work in promoting the cause OF
temperance must be accomplished by
moral means. but there Is also an i'm, ,or-
tant work to be done by Iaw-that OF re-
moving the temptations Of the dram shop
so far as possible. Moral and legal means
20 together, and one is powerless 10 IA GER
tain extent for permanent good without
the other. Ii there has recently been a
tendency to rely too much on law, that
error should be corrected, aud law put In
its proper place as a supplement- of moral
agencies.
He believed that so far as experience
has as yet shown, Maine has the most eff
fective laws for the suppression of drink
Ing houses and tippling shops yet devised
Wherever faithfully and constantly en(orc-
ed, 1t has accomplished wonderful results.
In threefourths of the State especially in
the rural sections. there are few open
dram-shops, and drunkardncss has greatly
decreased. Compared with most other
States. the advantage In favor of temper
ance Is striking. la many counties open
bars are unknown. In his own county
(Audrosco.gin) there were none {: and in
the cities OF Lewiston and Auburn, with n
population of - 900, the sale of liquor rad
for years been largely driven into secret
corners and shanties where the stock in
trade consisted of a bottle buried In the
cellar. In many OF the cities and larger
villages. there j. no. so favorable 4 con-
ditlon OF things; but this results from \
failure TO secure proper enforcement of
the law.
Referring To This question OF enforce
ment OF the law in such places. the Cover
nor said that the primary duty In this d.
rection Is upon local officers and he WAS
surprised al the statement Of "A previous
speaker. that any City Marshal should
claim that the act requiring Sheriff. also
10 enforce the laws in any manner ex-
empted local officers. The laws relating
TO drinking houses and ,ippling shops eX-
pres'ly make 1t the duty Of local officers
to enforce them. The Shcrifs enforce
ment act is supplementary TO this and In
no manner liits any responsibility from the
AhnnlIAF. nj of ~.
quired 10 enforce the laws against theft ;
but upon the police Of cities are also i'm
posed similar duty, and there Is Just as
much reason for local officer TO refuse to
prosecute then as . keeper OF dram
shop And IL IL highly important the To-
cal officers be held to their responsibility
Ia. iss' 'ts- s-refssfs- anti t,e orr snnv.
the secret hAunts Of vice. This does NOT
relieve the responsibility of Sherins also,
out Their work will usually only be SIM.
p'cmentary, or at most concurrent. with
'"at OF the local police. Immediately on
entering upon the discharge OF his dutie,
rs 'o'ernor. he had issued an order 10 the
several Sherf> in the State to DISCHARGE
tnc uuties Imposed upon them by the
SherihS enforcement act: aud Whenever
evidence was presented 10 him ,ba, ,r,
oilcer had In any instance so wilfully ne1.
iccted or refused to discharge hi, duti.,
under the act. as to make IL reasonably
certain that the dercliction of duty could
oe fastened upon the officer in a trial he
iore the Legislature, he should lay the
oouy a. The earliest practical day. That
eAhaisteu MS power "a executive but he
should add TO this all the moral support
that was possible
While he was criticsing officers, IL
should not be forgotten that law, aoain.,
drain-shops. gambling saloons and houses
oi III frame are peculiarly difficult OF EN-.
iorceinent. This difficulty arises from tn.
iact 'hat we ar. contcnding not only
against profitable interest and vast
'iioheyeu power, but also because il Is a
Struggle against debased appetite In
other crimes. the victim makes complain,
against the one who has Injured him In
these crimes. the victim avoids MAKING
complaint and in many cases De riurcs him,
sell rather than testify against his DESTROY
or. ms difficulty is inherent in any efii.
cient attempt to restrict the liquor traffic.
anu IS not peculiar to the prohbitory law.
AGAIN, Notwithstanding no officer can
properly excuse himself from the perfor
nance OF duty on the alleged ground that
the public sentiment of the locality will
not support him, yet it is useless to DENY
the iact that under our system Of govern.
ihent the public sentiment OF a locality al.
ways VIII effect the measure of enforc
ment OF any law. Illogical As it NAV be
lhe TACT IS TOO patent to be ignored.
Hehce the ultimate remedy must be in
elevating public sentiment: or az least in
so organizing and manifestiny IL a. r.
make it felt. He thought there w,,.
much better state OF public opinion on tbi.
question than many admitted. The friends
Vi law and order are quiet; the enemies
are NOISY at the street corners, and seem |
stronger than they really are. In MANY |
places IN the State, the public sentiment |
n FAVOR or suppressing dram shop is he. |
ng powerfully manifested through nett.
.ions 70 officers, pledging the support of |
ne sighers to support the officers in a
aithfui enforcement of the law. Mani
estation OF public opinion on the side Of
emPerahce Is a necessity. Then, again.
.itlzens as individuals can do much to push
orwaru omcers and strengthen them by
requently expressing to them sympathv
'nu tehuetihg support or information.
No one has any right as a citizen in
'uch contest as this, to withdraw from
ne line OF battle, and keep his mouth clos.
ID when words of sympathy and express.
oIs on the right side, can do so much
go'd. Neither Is it well to discouraoe IN.
'rirds oy dwelling always upon failures:
le. ne great progress made In this cause
wigin forty years rather serve to cheer
In the struggles yet ahead.
resolutions were reported az follows:
Mkeas, we have not realized what we and an
go en- nave desired in the cause OF temoer
80. tne Pas.. We nevertheless have full cour
@s,n oenei tnat persevering in the right use OF |
Re1 are sure TO conquer; therefore
s.r,o Ied' W must We believe that all true re-
.incer ae part OF the Incorporate must be the
Gnd,. ~ OF Tue heart, with determination bv |
S"rw 70 eolndon the use Of alcohol in every
.eformt w Deieye that in order to succeed in |
nav. m nuivtu4AIs and communities We must :
iherefoH VI inc cish authorities. And We
Resol\ That ve d.mra.
the law Iests tne responsibility OF enforcing
are detE VOL 90 the fullest extent, and We
tore, ' ~eeoueAoie there | ,
hss rt;est hat we give such officers our .
onrsek es tr. snd encouragement, and pledge d
sointy III IwOrk. VI "ur U
vnsre one nt we recommend that In all cities y
and where atlQn OF t4e pyohibitory law exist.
suthorit,e eAefson on the part OF tbs local
a leral row .1rce He same n not made thai =
| he called Il slnx Of tue voters Of such cities =
| nal authOri pu,Pose OF instructing munic,.
.nce Con vel he action Of the State Temper D
nation Of a Mueesta. IN regard to the for. d
| An ths STATE finance similar 70 that existins
l q by this " !" nearsaiy endors-
BesOiyed, m raco.., =,