The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1875-07-09
Is PROHIBITION A FAILURBf

IS PROHIBITION A FAILURBf
Last Thursday evening we were
panied to hear Good Templar af-
firm that prohibitory laws had al
WAYS failed in their object We
propose in this article to give facts
showing them successful. The POI
litical press of the county is so tied
to party that they are not willing to
do anything that will tend to lose
them a vote. A paper friendly to
the liquor interests makes a false
statement of the failure of the Maine
law ana all the papers copy it
Proof is produced showing how false
the statement is and none can be
persuaded to copy. The public
read the first statement and never
hearing it contradicted and having
no access to the facts they take il
for truth. What we give below are
facts.
Hon. Woodbury. Davis, Judge O
the Supreme Court of Maine, says
"Tte Maine law, even now, is en-.
forced far more thoroughly than the
license laws ever were." He says
further: "Men helpIessly drunk il
the streets and by the waySide, were
a common sight, and at elections, a
military trainings and musterS, anC
at other public gatherings, there
were scenes of debauchery and rio
enough to make one ashamed of hi
race. What has become Of this mas
of corruption and disgusting vice
Il seems so much like horric
dream of the past that we can hard
" realize that it was real and visl
Bile, until twenty years ago. hi
Maine law has swept it away" "N'
observing man." he says, "who ha
lived in the State for twenty years
and has had an opportunity to know
the facts, can doubt that the Maine
law has produced a hundred times
more visible Improvement in thu
character, condition, and prosperity
of our people than any other law
that was ever enacted" In this
connection we might repeat the ties
timony Of the Canada Commission Of
Inquiry, which we published last
week, in which they say that during
their extended tour, keeping con
family in view their object, and at
ter attending largo and excited
gatherings, from first to last they
did not observe ten drunken men,
This too after an extended tour
through two States-Maine and
Massachusetts.
In 1872, Gov. Parham of Maine
wrote that the liquor trade of tina
State was "probably not one tent
as large as before the enactmen
Of the law. "ln SEINE places, h
says, liquor is sold secretly in viola
ton of law, as many other offence
are committed against the statute
end the peace and good order of so
ciety." The readers must remem
Der that all this was done in the fac,
Of Inadequate penalties. Tho deal
er, says Judge Davia, could pay hi
fines as he paid his rents and have
large margin Of profits left.
The Hon. w. p. Frye, member
OF Congress and ex-Attorney Gen
eral Of Maine (lS72) writes, The
law itself, under a vigorous enforce
ment Of its provisions, has created a
temperance sentiment which is mar
vclous and TO which opposition is
powerless. In my opinion, our re-
markable temperance reform Of to-
day IS the legitimate child of the
law Hon. l.. NJ. Morrill,, u. S
Senator from Maine and Hon. j. G
Blaine write: IL concur in the fore
going statement"
Twelve well known clergymen Of
Portland, representing the Congre-
gational, Baptist, Protestant Episco
pal, Methodist Episcopal and other
churches, unite in the declaration
that "lf the trade exists at all here,
it his carried on with secrecy and
caution, as other unlawful practice;
are Hon. VIM. S. Putnam, ex-
Mayor of Portland, avowedly oppos
ell to the principles of prohibitory
liquor laws says 81 must in candol
state | have had good opportunity tc
observe the condition of this State il
the matter of the use and sale of in
toxicating liquors for several years
past and am certain that the rura
portions of Maine are, and have
been, in an infinitely better condi
ton with reference to the use and
sale of such liquors than similar por'
tions of other States, and are, and
have been, moreover, comparative
ly free from both the sale and use
and this must fairly be considered
the result Of prohibitory legislation.
The law is probably enforced: even
in large towns and cities, as thor
oughiy, at least, as any other penal
statute"
The Oyerseers Of the Poor OF
Portland, Hon. Jno. Bradford, chair