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

To The Ed2tor of the Press:

@%Nst'N' "
Slr-Tne manufacture aud sele of liquors of
whatever kind aud to whatever extent, creates
no wealth in any community where that busi-
ness is carried on. The wealth of the country
is only the earnings and savings OF the indus
try of the people, over and above the consump-
ton of the products of their work. But the
liquor trade, in whatever branch of it, wastes
wealth and destroys the products of iudustry.
The whole course of the liquor traffic, from the
moment when the grain aud sugar are taken
into the distillery or brewery, is waste and de-
structon, to the moment when the products of
the still on the mash tub are poured down the
throats of those who consume them.
The grain and sugar, most useful and neces-
sary products of agriculture, are destroyed in
the process of fermentation-and the labor also
employed in every branch of the trade, whole
sale and retail, is dn absolute loss to the couu-
try. Not penny of all this vast amount of
material aud labor goes to swell the am cunt of
accommodating wealth of the country. So far as
that is concerned it is all dead loss to the ma
tian. A man is worth to the country-as so
much capital-that sum, the interest of which
he earns by useful work. A man earning in
any useful mode, six hundred dollars year, is
worth to the city, state and nation ten thousand
dollars. Precisely as horse, OK or ship is
worth the sum of which the interest is pro-
duced annually, by honest, useful work
But the liquor manufacture. the liquor trade
and the liquor seller are of no value whatever
to the city, state or nation, but are tremen-
dous mischief to every legitimate interest, pub
nc, social or prvats. The ship engaged in le-
gitimata commerce occupies an important and
useful place in the worlds work; whatever she
earns is so much added to private and public
wealth. But the liquor trade and the liquor
seller are the pirate ship which prey upon the
hard earnings of honest industry; she earns
nothing, she produces nothing. but plumbers
the most valuable parts of the cargo and then
burns Or scuGtles the vessel that has been so un-
lucky as to fall into her power That and only
that is the part played in the community by the
liquor trade and the liquor seller.
;. Whatsver property may be possessed by the
liquor seller has been taken, is plundered-too
harsh word?-from those who earned it by
honest industry. If this process were merely
transfer of so much wealth from those who
drink to those who sell-that and nothing else
the harm aud wrong would be mostly personal
and private, not interesting the public so much
But this is the smallest part OF the evil. The
pirate ship plumbers the captured vessel and
then scuttles her; the rumseller in similar
manner plumbers and destroys his victims. The
pundered ship after life OF profitable work
for her owner and the world goes down, cut off
IN the midst of her usefulness. 1t is precisely
so with the liquor seller and his victims. The
owners of the ship have suffered loss-so much
and the country has also suffered exactly the
same loSs--so much-taken from the national
wealth. 1t is precisely the same with the VIC
tim of the liquor trade. The family has lost its
bread winner. society and the country have lost
the capital, the interest of which had been
earned by honest, useful work; and society
must now step in and take the place of bread
winner to the family, because the other has
been plundered and scuttled by the liquor seller
And so every victim of the liquor trade becomes
burden to the community.
Every liquor shop is centre ofimmeasurable
decentralization to society. Every evil thing,
| every evil influence cones from it, but never a
possible good III any way nor to any extent,
| however minute. We spend large sums of
money OF our schools, academies and colleges
for the education of our children, that thew NAV
be intelligent, wise and good members of the
| community. The liquor shop comes in between
us and our children to undo our work, aud to
| make them bad and worthless members of So
clety. Every liquor shop of whatever sort,
l whether dirty Irish den, the liquor kept in a
dirty bed or IN the pocket of the foul and BIAS
phemouS dealer-or whether 1t be in splendid
| " fitted saloon, with mirrors, cut glass aud
/ marble counters, is school, academy or col
lege to train its pupils fCL the devil and to tit
| them only to do the devils work. The people
| of Maine have resolved to change all that
| Where is the good man wh0 dare object?
1t has been the custom in Portlaod for sever
al years for persons gagged in particular trades
| to have plcnic of their own and a pleasau t
day aJ the islands in our harbor. The shoe
and leather trade, the carpenters or what NOT
Some years ago boat was overset in our har-
bor and many useful lives were lost. Suppose
vessel should go down with the shoemakers,
carpenters, tailors, painters, sailmakers, ma.
sons, plssterers on eoard, or men Of any other
use1ul occupation; the disaster would not be
only toat OF the families of th-se men, but
Wouid be also great public Ca aity.. 1t
would be disaster to the city, ST. I'd ma
uon. But if the vessel had on boa 0ly
gamblers, thieves rumsell RS or b;othel ke> ers
| what then? There would be no public loss,
out an Infinite public gain, proyidei that their
| vacant places should remaIn unoccupled
| 1t IS the purpose of the Maine Law 10 vacate
the place occupied by the rum trade, by any aud
l every nstrumentality necessary TO tnat end, and
to see to 1t that the place shall remain vacant
| forever more. NEAL Dow.