Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-01-09

shops. The true test OF the merits of such
legislation, of whatever character, is not
whether it entirely uproots the evils prohibit
ed; but whether on the whole it does not re-
press them as effectually as any system that
can be devised.
Where our prohibitory laws have been we'll
enforced, few will deny that they have &C.
complished great good. In more than three
fourths OF the State, especially in the rural
portions, where forty years since intoxicating
liquors were as freely and commonly sold as
any article of merchandise, public sentiment
has secured such an enforcement of these
laws, that there are now in these districts few
open bars; and even secret sales are so much
reduced as to make drunkenness in the rural
towns comparatively rare. The exceptions
to this state of things are mainly in some of
the cities and larger villages, where public
sentiment on this question is usually not so
we'll sustained as in towns more remote from
the tide of immigration. But even in these
places our prohibitory legislation has always
been enforced to some extent, and not infre-
quently with much thoroughness and has
never been without that important influence
for good which all laws in moral directions
exert Constant, uniform and impartial en-
forcement, to the highest practicable standard,
Is required in any municipality, in order to
obtain the full benefit Of any system of legis-
lation in restraint of the liquor traffic. Under
our system Of government, where the public
sentiment of municipalities even will have
great influence in controlling the measure of
enforcement of this as well as other laws, the
only permanent remedy for any laxity in this
direction in exceptional localities, ultimately
lies in such quickening of public opinion as
will either give new energy and purpose to
local officers in power, or will secure the cleo
tion of other men in their places. For it
should be remembered that local officers are
primarily required to enforce the laws against
and tippling- shops, and can
do this work, if they will, much more salts
tactorily and effectively than any others.
In addition to the duties thus imposed on
local officers, the act of 1872, and the execu-
tive orders issued in compliance Herewith,
make it the duty of sheriffs to inquire into all
violations of these and other laws of the State,
within their respective counties, and to insti-
tute legal proceedings against such violations.
The act also imposes upon County Attorneys
the duty of directing inquiries before the
grand jury into such violations, and of prose.
cutting persons indicted and securing the
prompt sentence of such as shall be convicted.
If either of these officers shall wilfully refuse
or neglect to discharge the duties imposed up
on him, evidence Of the specific instances of
such refusal or neglect as contemplated by
the act and the constitution, may be presented
to the executive, and if he is satisfied that the
charges are sustained, it will be his duty to
bring such fact to the attention of the Legis-
lature at the earliest practical day, whereupon
that body may request the removal of the de-
linquent officer.
While such a remedy as this is provided for
exceptional cases of delinquency, yet it will
rarely be found that any of these officers will
nr 70 do Int,
where he is made to feel that the public senti-
ment will sustain him. Where this sentiment
is not strong enough in a county either to urge
existing officers to faithful discharge of their
duty, or, in case of their neglect, to secure
the election of men who will do their duty,
the ultimate remedy must be sought, under
our system, through such instrumentalities 40
will arouse and elevate public opinion.
Valuable and indispensable as is the pro-
hibitory system of legislation for the repres-
sion OF drinking-houses and tipplng shops,
whose fruits are drunkenness, ignorance, bru-
tality, waste, pauperism, crime, impaired
health, shattered intellect, premature decay
and untimely death, it should not be forgotten
that the efficiency of law, as well as the pow
er of those moral instrumentalities which law
only supplements, depend on the constancy
and energy with which labors are directed to
maintain high standard of public sentiment
on this question. In so glorious moral
work as this, every good citizen should unite
MS sympathies and efforts.
The MILITARY DEPARTMENT..
Tie reports of the Adjutant General, and of
Major General Chamberlain as commander
Of the first Division of Maine Militia. furnish
ull information AS to the condition of the Mil
tary Department of the State; and their rec
and suggestions are COM
nended to your favorable consideration.
There are ten companies of Infantry and one
Of Artillery, uniformed as well as equipped
by the State and two additional companies
Of Infantry armed and equipped by the State,
but uniformed at their own expense. The
expense Of uniforming these companies was
about eleven thousand dollars; the expense
Of the encampment held near Portland in the
month Of August, about six thousand dollars,
and other incidental expenses of the depart
nent about two thousand dollars. Probably
the annual expense Of supporting the existing
military establishment, with an encampment,
" ould not hereafter exceed nine thousand
dollars. The State could hardly meet the
reasonable expectations of the national gov
or exercise common prudence in
itself with force to meet any in
lernal exigency, without maintaining volun-
.eer militia at least as numerous as that now
existing, Whlcn IN case or necessity could be
promptly expanded from one regiment into
ten or more. And it seems to me clear that
our present volunteer companies cannot be
well maintained without an annual encamp-
nent.
SOLDIERS OF TIE LATE WAR.
Among the obligations which a grateful
State and nation recognize as peculiarly sa-
cred, is that OF generously caring for the des-
itute families of soldiers who lost their lives
Or were disabled in the late war TO preserve
he national existence. With what fidelity
his debt of gratitude is being met by this
State, as well as by the American people, il
known to all And yet our obligations to the
men who took their lives in their hands and
went forth at the call of their country, will
not be redeemed so long as there shall remain
a destitute ''boy in blue" or an INDECENT fam
lily Of living or dead soldier, whose necess-
ties are not supplied; and supplied, too, not
as paupers, but as citizens who are only re-
ceiving what they have more than earned.
To this end, the national government has
during the past year paid the generous sum
of Si.224 ,640 to 10, $50 pensioners in Maine;
and this State, under the direction of the Ad-
jutant General, the sum of S2l GAG to aid sol
diers' families; 50, All to aid in the support of