Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-20


sum proposed-SloOU-be raised by the EXecu
tive committee.
Hon. A. G.. Jewett of 4, fast said the reform
movement in his city was suffering from the effect
of the city rum shops the liquors bad once beer
seized and the temperance men there asked Tor le
gal redress. The shop was making drunkards IL
countless numbers, and the Mayor and majority
in the Board Of Aldermen sustained 1t. All Ms
hired men that drank got their rum at that shop
He wanted the law so amended that the agency
could be indicted One of the best ways we car
help forward the reform clubs is by resolving tina
no lquor shop shall be sustained by city or town
Gen Dow from the committee on address, re-
ported the following
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF MAINE.
Twenty-Five wears ago, the people of Maine re-
solved that the liquor traffic should, in their terri
tory, be forbidden and suppressed by law. This
conclusion was not hastily adopted, but was the
result Of many years Of discussion and anxious
thought. They were led to adopt this line Of pol
icy for the reason that the liquor traffic was abso
utey inconsistent with the general welfare il
was In deadly hostility to every public and socia
interest. There and must be, as they be
eved, an irreconcable conflict between thai
traffic and the happiness and welfare OF the com.
munity. The inevitable and only influence and
effect of that trade was to drive out from among
the people everything good, and to substitute for II
everything that is bad in every degree oil wicked
ness and atrocity.
The influence of that traffic was and Is. to
! spread poverty, paupeflslll, lSuoldnCe, ue5 auo
ton, suffering, insanity, and crime through the
community. TO the full extent of its influence !,
accomplished this and more, at the same time
that no good came from it, nor can come from II
to the State or the people. We do not stop here to
| give facts and figures to substantiate this state
ment, because no intelligent man doubts 1t, no
good man denies it-every body knows it to be
true. The people Of Maine, therefore, placed the
liquor trade under the ban OF the law. The pro-
! lection oil the law has been absolutely withdrawn
from Iptn Hpnnr mt
property in this State; it is not recognized 10
our courts, and stands in the same category with
wild beasts and noxious reptiles, which no one
can claim as property and which every one may
destroy, and in so doing any one Is pubic bene-
factor.
The peorle of Maine have seen no reason to
change modify their opinions or policy In reia'
ton to this traffic, but on the contrary, every
years experience and observation have led them
10 the settled conviction that their opinions and
policy right, and in the highest degree ex-
pedent and wise =.
No man of ordinary powers Of observation can
fail to that Maine, IN all its interests, public
and private, has derived vast benefits from the
prohibition of the liquor trade Ia large
part of the State that traffic is now entirely
unknown where formerly it was carried on
freely. In all the rural districts, in the
smaller towns and villages, it has been thoroughly
| suppressed, while it is continued only on small
scale coyertly, in the larger towns and cities The
results Of this policy of prohibition are to be seen
| in the improved condition of the people, better
| farms. better houses, better modes OF life. more
attention to education and better teaching and
more oft to the young; better school houses and
better attendance at them, better houses OF wor-
ship and better attendance at them.
Throughout the State the industry Of the peo
pie has been improved, and the products OF theiT
work not being squandered as formerly, IN strong
drink and appropriated to providing more largely
the comforts and even the Injuries Of life
Throughout the State, there is higher condition
of civilization among the people Of all classes, as
the result Of the suppression of the degrading and
brutalzing traffic in strong drink. The people are
better livers and are surrounded by comforts that
| were formerly unknown to large numbers of them,
while the thirty millions of money in the Savings
| Banks prove that the people are laying up every
year a considerable share of their earnings which
| was never done in the old time. The liquor
traffic is at war with every Legitimate industry
and in proportion it hourishes all honest and use
ful work languishes and dies. The money which
goes 10 the grog shop, but for it, would 20 to the
butcher, the baker, halter, tailor, grocer farmer
| 10 short to every trade .man whose work Is useful
or necessary to the well being of society. The
money which gees TO the tipping shops is not on
ly dead loss to those who spend it there and to
society, but the individuals who squander it in
those haunts of vice and debauchery receive in
exchange for it, blighted morals, wasted health
| and shortened lite but in the meantime they be
came indisposed to honest work and are soon rem.
dered incapable of it. Their evil passions are
| stimulated 10 the mad commission of every crime
known among men. To society is left the shame
and the burden of supporting the paupers and
| keeping the criminals and the insane, made such
by that dreadful trade.
In all this we say nothing that is not perfectly
well known to every intelligent man. There is nc
other side to this question, no brighter better
view of it. The liquor traffic, however or where
ever conducted is all bad, aud SO bad that nothing
can be worse; it is impossible to exaggerate the
1 m O 10
the people, 1t is impossible even for the magma
ton to stretch away over the full extent of the
evil coming from that trade.
In spite of the outawry of this horrible traffic,
it yet fingers more or less secretly in some parts
of the state, carried mostly by foreigners oil
the lowest character, who have no lear of God or
love Of their fellow men in their hearts. This
arises from the fact that while the law as it now
stands, has driven all decent people out of the
trade, its penalties are not sufficient to deter I'M
scrupuous and bad men from continuing in it.
1t is the right Of the people, that their will de-
lbe,ately expressed in this matter many years ago.
and reatfrmed many times since, should be re-
| spected and that the law should be observed and
ooeyed. The people have a right to call upon the
legislature, and they do most respectfully request
Of it, that such further penalties of fine ana i'm
prsonment shall be promptly supplied, as will
speedily and etfectually suppress the manufacture
Of and traffic in intoxicating liquors.
There are now in active and efficient operation
in Maine, many powerful and influential agencies
which are helping in a wonderful way to accom-
plish the great end at which aim. The great
reform movement which began in Gardiner four
years ago this day, has now spread all over Maine
and is making rapid progress throughout New
England, ard in many Of the northern and west
ern States. Many able men, who were formerly
addicted to the free use of strong drink, aband
oned that habit almost simultaneously, and are
now devotng themselves with great earnestness
and effect to the work Of spreading their principle:
and practices all over the country. And these
clubs constitute powerful wing in the great tenn
perance army.
The won of Maine also, have formed many
societies called Womens Temperance Leagues
and in some localities, Womens Temperance
Crusades, which are in active work, producing a
powerful eject in educating the people, especially
the young, to the injurious and demoralizing
effect of strong drinks. and in firing the hearts o
our people with a burning Indignation against thc
manufacture of and traffic in those liquors.
There was formed last summer at Orchard
Beach great society called the Women's Chris
tan Temperance Union of Maine, auxiliary to the
National " omen's Christian Temperance Union
The cause of Temperance and Prohibition nov
holds a vantage ground which it has never befor,
occupied. Al its friends are encouraged anl
stimulated by success, to greater Efforts, having
reason to effect the speedy and hnal triumph o
the great work which they have undertaken,