The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-04-24
LIQUOR AGENCIES.
The Views of the Grand Lodge L. u u
CT.

The following resolution and report concern
ing the maintenance of authorized agencies 1or
the sale of liquors for medicinal and mechani-
cal purposes, was adopted at the session Oh 'ho
Grand Lodge of the Good Templars in Bangor
on Wednesday:
Resolved, As the sentiment of the 5000
Tempars of Maine, in Grand L odge assenlDi taD
that we heartily re-affirm the expression OF Tue
Grand Lodge at its annual session In loI4'
adopting the following able, comprehensive re-
mort of the Committee on "Liqnor Agencies,
as presented by Rev. d. b. Randall .,,
The committee to whom was referred SO Hull H
of the G. W. G.. T. report as relates to Llquo,
Agencies" have attended to their duty anu
submit the following as their report: IL Is oD-
yious to every rejecting mind, that IN the pres
ent state of public opinion, the medicinal us S
of Intoxicating liquors cannot be dlspen st'
with, However much this is desired oy Tue
friends of temperance and humanity, its at
tainment at present is impossible. we mus'
graphic public opinion as it exists, and SO con-
duct the warfare as to prevent as much evil 40
possible and ensure final victory. we must
shape our efforts as to correct PUBIC opluf1 or
and bring the sale of intoxicating liquors ior
medicinal and mechanical purposes under
control La accordance with this design law
upon the Statute Book of our state proVlulns
for the appointment OF commissioner WIZ
hall furnish pure and unadulteIat liquors ioi
and also agents are to be appointed IN the seve-
raj towns and cities, who are to procure theii
liquors Of the above commissioner, ana 10 sou e
the same only for the purposes provided ID INC
law Moreover the law throws around the
| agent such restraints, and subjects him TO SUCH
inspections as to ensure, as far as human law
can do so, fidelity to the purposes OF ms az,
| pointment 1t provides that record snail 10
kept of the quantity aud kind OF liquor puii-
chased and where bought, and to whom soiu,
fhn
| it is sod and furthermore, this BOOK IS al d.,
| times open to the inspection OF all VINO lnay
| wish to look after the matter.
| We are aware that the law has been abused
| in many instances by the appointment OF I'M 9
proper men to the office, and by an ABUSE OF
| their office; so that in many instances our
| agencies have become licensed rum shops. But
| in most such instances the response olllty is
with the Temperance men of the town. They
| do not look alter the matter as they should
Rnt vour committee are aware that in spite of all
the care than can be exercised, abuse VIII some
| time occur. This, however, IS only another
| evidence of the imperfection of all human
| efforts and institutions Shall we, therefore,
abolish the system because 1T is somesl nass
| abused? This would be unwise and is contrary
| to our practice in other things:
The continuance of the Maine law IS depen-
dent upon the wise provision it contains 1or Iur
| nshing alcoholic liquors for the purposes
named in that provision. In the present slao os
Il
been found for alcohol, for compromising GER
| tain medicines and for other scientific purposes
| and also in mechanics. OF course the people
| demand and will have it. But the law forDtds
it's sale, except for these purposes. Ii, tnere-
| fore this provision of the law is repealed, OF
/ agents for its sale are not appointed, the com,
| munity will either purchase of those VINO sell
| in violation of law or they will demand the re-
i peal of the law. In either case the law rails:
We cannot too strongly express our views o1
Il A. ae FOIL tom
| temperance lecturers, too who by repudiating
| the system of agencies and aboring to have
| them abolished, join with the enemies OF tenn
| perance in their crusade against the MAINE
law often using the same arguments WINCH
| wounded in the house of our friends, and oui
| enemies have been embOldened in their attacks
| upon the prohibitory law. While we would
| exercise all due charity. and make the allow
| apce for difference Of views upon this subject
| we must be allowed to enter our solemn protest
against such wholesale denunciation OF what IS
| obviously the saving clause in the MAINE
| law" We fully believe that vastly more al
| coholic liquor Rs used for medicinal purposes
than is necessary; that the cases are exceeoing
| ly rare where it is ever necessary as me9lca
| prescription. We must be allowed, therefore,
| to enter our protest against the so common ust
of it by the medical faculty. And we exhor
| all our members to discontinue the practice
| and suggest to them to seriously inquire II the
SO general use of it is not violation of thu
pledge But, since public opinion is not ye
| up to the point of its abandonment, and While
science has not yet furnished a substitute ii
these instances where its demand is absolute
we urge all our members to see that only suita
BILE men are appointed agents, aid also to ire
| quentlyslook after such as may be appointed
| to INSPECT their books and by all possible mean
to encourage them to keep faithfully within tn
| provisions of the law. But should any wilfull.
violate the law, either by purchasing outside
the commission, or selling wrongfuy, let then
be prosecuted to the extent of the law.