Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-07-27
In Erer Present Vital Issue.


The question of restraining the use OF
alcoholic liquors by law is now as vital
and rs fully aliye-calling tor considera-
ton, aud action IS it has been At any
time during the last fifty or a hundred
years. 1, will not down at the bidding
of party or philanthropisls or statesmen
or sanitarians. All these have employed
their wits upon il, at different periods +;
bat no result has been arrived at which
has received The general sanction Of all
candid and jud:cious men. Forty years
ago license law was in operation in this
State. It might, if executed, have re-
suited in some good but like all license
laws. where the balance oil good is an
estimated quaniiiy-coniectural and not
certain-it wholly failed 10 meet the case
and was abandoned.
With a great many quite judicious and
shong men there is total repugnance
to making this question political issue.
They declare il is iooishness and non
sense. But there are others equally as
cool aud judicious who believe that it is
expedienI aud right 10 make it political
issue. And furthermore these latter as.
sert that you must make i, political
issue or all efforts 10 restrain will be
nugstory. Thus IL will be seen at the
outset that mems minds are so differently
constituted that agreement of opinion is
impossible. So. therefore. one says, 10
here is the gospel OF temperance. while
another says, THAT is mistake-il is
somewhere else"
1t would not be thought an i'm possibili-
ty that all men aud all women should
agree in the opinion that all alcoholic
liquors as beverage could and should
be abandoned. When on every hand
and at every age one and another and yet
another commence the habit OF drinking
and are discovered 10 cling to it with
ever increasing tenacily. and eventually
| fall out by the way, as unit even for
earthly use-with mind and body Il
wreck-it seems like an impossibility
that men OF average judgment should
disagree as to the treacherous nature Of
strong drink. 1t seems impossible that
they could hesitate in pronouncing the
strongest and irmest Judgment against
this universal and constant foe. And
farther. it seems impossible. after having
witnessed with his own eyes the physica
and moral degradation which follows the
habit OF drinking. as night follows day,
that any man should fail 10 adopt the
correct example for mis- own safety. or tn
law which has q tendency 10 restrain the
evil
The republican party is committed on
this question TO the doctrine OF restraint.
The democratic party is committed
against il. The former contains large
number of the men who have labored
arduously and sincerely for the promo.
ton OF temperance. and for the restric.
ton and suppression of the traffic in in.
toxicating liquors. They think their
efforts have not been in vain. They
think and believe that discussion and
persuasion and law have been instru.
mental in turning back the tide of intern.
perance, and that continuance of the
same efforts 10 the same direction will do
more good than the method of license
which the democratic party would sub.
stitute in their place. There cannot he @
doubt in the mind of any man that pro.
hibition as generally understood, does
lessen and curtail the sale of intoxicating
beverages in almost all parts of the State.
and it is equally certain that any license
law that can be passed will have but little
moral or legal power in this direction.