Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-07-16

We have been asked by candid in
quirer what General Roberts meant when
he said in his Bangor speech that prohbi-
ton sis clog to the wheels of business. y
In what way does the prohibition of rum
selling interfere with business? What
business does it interfere with beside that
of the rumseller or manufacturer of ardent
spirits? We know no business that it in
jures except these. Ask the farmers if it
Injuries them, and they will reply that they
can carry on their work better without ar
dent spirits than with it. They neither
want it in planting, haying or harvesting.
Manufacturers, laborers. shipbuilders, me-
chanics, lumbermen. all agree that the
vending of intoxicating liquors is no adj
vantage to them And so all classes of
people in the State except the dealers in
and manufactures Of rum, gin, brandy and
whiskey, make no objection to prohibI-
ton as clog to their business. Even the
poor victim of an ungovernable appetite
which has brought ruin upon himself and
family will say in his sober moments that
the more effectually prohibition is enforced
the better for him and all others like him
who are subjects of intemperance.
There is no business then done within
the borders of the State to which prohibit
ton is clog, which it interferes with or
checks, except the business ofrum-selling
or Mountaineering. And this, there
fore, must be the business which General
Roberts, the democratic candidate for
governor had reference to in his speech.
lie is opposed to prohibition because it
checks rum-selling. He would have the
business of rum selling increase and there
fore he is against the prohibitory law. He
would have ardent spirits sold we pre-
sumo at every four corners in the coun-
try, in every grocery store, in fact release
the business from all clogs that would him
der its spread into every part of our State.
He would raise a large revenue from it
for the State, as the Argus suggested the
other day. Free rum would make business
brisk around the grog shops, and increase
the business of the policemen and police
courts. of sheritfs, jailors and ,hangmen,
and yet when we think of the terrible cost
in money, comfort, and happiness. of the
degradation, misery and crime. connected
with such increase of business, we would
much prefer to have none of it. AS an
example of what the State of Maine might
come to under the free rum administra.
ton of General Roberts if he could be
elected, we cite the case of the Alaska In.
dams, who have recently discovered how
to make Ho0chnoO, q kind of crooked
whiskey, and have gone extensively into
the sale and manufacture of it. From an ar
ticle in the Tribune we copy the following
concerning H0ochnoo and Alaska:
Since the accidental discovery of an illicit dis
tillery run by a convict within the walls of Sing
Sing prison, we have heard of nothing more gro
tesque than the information conveyed to the
United States Government by the officials of Brit
ish Columbia, that the manufacture and sale OF
crooked whiskey has become thriving industry
among the noble red men ofAlaska. The process
was discovered at a place called Hoochnoo and
from this euphonious geographical term the pro-
duct derives its name. We can imagine the per-
piexity and perseverance with which the untu-
tored savage must have pursued his researches in
this branch of chemistry, and the exquisite enjoy
ment of his final triumph. The liquor is made
principally of molasses, sugar, and potatoes, and
the machinery is constructed of two old coal-oil
cans. There must have been many vain expert
ments before these humble utensils were brought
TO such a noble use, and many horrible dccoctions
must have smoked and stewed and smelt loud
over the wigwam fire, poisoning the air of all the
foggy coast from Behring Strait to Vancouver
Island, before the savages learned the best way to
cook molasses and potatoes. But one day the
great secret was solved, and the whole settlement
Of Hoochnoo drank itself glorious. The news ran
from village to village. All TIE coal oil in the
territory was at once emptied out, and the cans
were applied to higher purposes -for it is an in.
teresting fact that the same sort OF vessel en-
ployed by the original discoyerer was retained
with scrupulons fidelity by all the subsequent
manufacturers. 1t must have impaired delicious
pungency to the spirit, and an aroma to the
breath of the habitual consumer which is all a
Stiika Indian wanted to make him lovely. At any
rate the communication received from the British
officials reports that the product ''meets all the
Requirements Of frst-class fre-water," being
within five per cent OF proof. All the children OF
the forest in the entire country have gone into the
whisky business, and as they cannot buy molasses
enough from Alaska traders they are trudging of
in mass to the ports Of the Hudson's Bay Compa-
ny, and there bartering off their furs and oils for
treacle and kerosene cans
These red men of Alaska are but one
step in advance Of General Roberts. They
have gone into the business of manulac-
turing and selling hoochnoo, 10 earnest
while he as the candidate of the demo.
cratic party for governor has announced
that he will follow their example if cleo
ted. As the General will hardly succeed
In being elected this year in Maine on hi.
platform, we shall probably learn by-and
by that he has emigrated to Alaska, where
the habits and civilization of the people
better accord with his ideas in relation Il