The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-03-14
. The Maine Law in Maine.


To the Editor of the Press.
On the principle "Qui n'entedd ou'an Dnrf3e
la'entend rien" hope you may allow a few
lines in reply to Mr.. Dow. Enthusiasts are apt
to be careless about their facts aud incorrect in
hsures; like lew converts their zeal outruus
ther discretion. Mr. Dow. asserts that $3.50,
ooo'Vuo cost OF liquor is consumed in these
0tites yearly. do not learn where his figures
are oOtaine5, or If this represents the total con-
SUMPTION Oh all kinds, for manufactures arts
medicines, etc., etc., or drink only; but asum-
lug II drank, this he considers all waste. maxi
ing no allowance for any good it may do some
or harmless enjoyment it may give Others. |
could take issue with him if space allowed, ,as to
the proportion of crime and Incidence fairly at
tnputable to drunkenness; think he overstates
TINS, we all know it is used as a cloak for crime
and IS frequently made the scape-goat. The
bad man will be bad still, suber or drunk. As
an excuse it may be said like patriotism, often
to be the last refuge of the scoundrel Mr.. Dow
places Names proportion of the cousumption
at S1O,O0O0O0 and then adds that every dollar
spert for drink means another dollar wasted in
idleness, so that he foots up his little bill at
S2O,OOO,OOO cash aud loss to the peoule each
year.
am one prepared to deny that the dollar
spent means always another dollar lost, and 1
am not without experience IN life or "kuowl-
edge OF the world," either. He should know
there are millions at home aud abroad who not
only do not waste in addition, as much in time
or labor as they spend in drink, bit such as
will not can not, do their work without it-I
ns teief now 70 the people IN the wine growing,
peer drinking countries abroad Take France,
SPAN, Italy, Germany, Austria, Belgium ETC.,
Wnere 100 there Is not one Case of drunkenness
TO ten In this city which he has had so many
years under his assumed guardianship, and
which, with the State be and his like
has bull dozed for quarter of a CEN
tury; or in Englsnd, Wales, Ireland
or Scotland. will select the last two
as an example. There the laboring
man goes to his work early, returns to his break.
Iass OF milk and porridge has his luncheon at
midday OF milk or pint of some nutritious
peer, and bread, potatoes and meat, his supper
consisting (rarely of meat) of milk bread and
potatoes with another pint of beer or tea if he
prefers 1t, and is off again to his work next
morning before Mr.. Dow perhaps, turns in his
bed; il he wants drop of ''barley bree' with a
friend or hs'wife on Saturday evening or any
evening if he can afford it, he has it. And as q
result we have loyal, law abiding, industrious
people, as thrifty as this planet can show, as
human specimens mentally and physically of
which any nation may be proud. In the grape
growing countries wine takes the place of beer
and whiskey; nowhere is it crime to use these
things.
But $780, 1000 is large sum. abont
Sl9 to each individual. Suppose however. wa
were to live on the Scotch plan have asserted
they are admirable specimens of mankind, long
llved too. How much might we save in
meats without harm? would twice Sl9 each be
too much? say 81, 500 100000 year? The peo-
pie OF Europe generally, of Britain especially
walk i've miles to our one. What could we save
by footing IL more. doing away with our car
rages, horses and cars to some extent, would
SIG be too much per capita? Or suppose in
stead of the luxurious gliding in our drawing
rooms, our extravagant expenditure in jewelrg,
In all the Injuries in which this country is so
profuse, we were to return to the simplicity of
our fathers, the rum days" as Mr.. Dow calls
those glorious times when persons minded their
own business and Maine bred men! Suppose
we were to do this, say, and then stop tea and
coffee, and candy, and ginger-pop, and pop
corn and hop beer, with fifty other things we
should be better without, how much would be
saved? Shall we say enough 10 pay off the Ma
tional debt in six monthS-or one month?
do not think such ideas practicable. If possi-
BILE, millions of artizans and honest workers
would be pauDers, hut it is OF piece conceive
with saving $3.50, 900 on liquors and just ss
likely to be carried out. Or 10 come home with
his argument, suppose his law allowed no cider
made in the State. We now have the time
consumed in making the perncious stuff, ,idlers
waiting for the apples to grow, then we have
the money spent by those who drink il, and
their lost time according to this gentleman,
and we get sum that would release this tax
burdened city of all its debt in single year,
with large surplus over BY the bye imag-
me Mr.. Dow is not Que who can speak with
authoiry as TO tI,r dssIs uttI rfr
(Gn rfT7ss-afa nro bono publac0. A drunk" on
nls hard cider " II Cost him mere than the
investment for tipple. Let him try it,an1 l will
wager he will lay up for repairs three days at
least.
1t may be added that we would undoubtedly
be healthier if we were to give up maoy of the
pleasures and uxuries of this life, "a mans chill
dren need no candy, and he no tea or coffee We
could save in many ways. Abolish our holi-
days and we would have more time for labo-
aud less for expenditure; perhaps he wonld not
advocate such things, certainly L would not.
We caunot take our of this world with us our
material accumulatlons-our good deeds es-
peciaily-charity for others may serve US heraf-
Ter and leave pleasant fragrance behind, 1
myself advocate the reasonable enjoy ment of
any good thing, even the social glass at the
proper time and place, to such as can use it
without abuse l advocate temperance in all
things; in this country especially we need tenn
perance in the use of Spirituous drinks, but
would arrive at it by eDureiy, different way
from that proposed.
Men like Mr.. Dow have for long time been
experimenting at euOTuOuS COSL 10 Jlls people,
yet there were in this CITY the past year 1852
arrests for runkenness ou of a tptL of 2421
for all causes. Is 1t not time he should stsod
aside aud let some one else try their plan?
Whilst as L conceive, he and his party have
achieved no good, they have, in my judgment,
done immense injury to every material interest
of the State. Portland to-day, would think,
be double its present size, and every town and
village be more fiourishing, had Mr.. Dow and
his followers never been heard Of
You may remember, Mr.. Editor, when your
splenli harbor was filed with West India
vessels, bringing US among other things mo-
lasses, out of which rum and alcohol were man
ufactured, bearing away the products of the
state in return. You might have this trade
again. You could supply hundr-ds-yes, thous-
az DIS in brewing ale and beer from Canada bar
ley (tbe best grown). No one need drink these
things here if they did not desire. but they
could be sent to other states-the Provinces and
Atlantic ports Instead of seeing in hundreds
of places, in Boston, New York and other cities
Milwaukee, st. Paul and Chicago lager adver-
tised-Canada malt, ale and whiskey-Medford
rum, etc you could supply their demand from
Portland, as well as your own, aud even supply
the whiskey which will surely be needed to for
tify Mr.. Dows cider.
COMMON SENSE.