Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-07


;. S. Brooks, j.. j. Eveleth. Russell Eaton,
Howard Owen, A. Sprague. George F. Hawes,
John Dorr, la ID. Sturgls, Rev J. II Ecoh, Rev.
Chas. A. Curtis, Hon. j. IL. Williams, William
, Csldwe J, Harvey Chsam, John Wheeler, Wm.
II. Libby, Rev. Samuel Upjohn Deane Pray,
Benz. F.'Davs, EnOch Lbbcy, c. II. Mason aud
Dr. Duling ham.
am not ashamed to stand 10 that company any
day, and b, fore any men or assembly Of men, wo-
men OF children. Go into your street and find
better set of men 10 the capital of your State than
they are. Find a more temperate set of men,
flud set OF men that are more devoted to the
cause OF tempr rance than they are. Why do they
come heiet shall have occasion to show you
And that, believe to be tue character of the
men all over the State who have signed
tins petition. And when a gentleman comes
here and says 1t Is amazing etfrontely" on
the part of the druggists, say IT is not the drug
gi,t-. But behind them STANDS this great army Of
temperance men who believe that wrong exists
IN this state, and they ask to have II righted. |
have nothing to say about these rcmonstlants. !
care nothing about them.
Ms. Nye-Over twelve thousand.
Mr.. Baker-l don't care If there are over twelve
millions OF names. 1t makes no difference. If
the easure which We ask = one OF right and pro-
prety and public safety and convenience, why
then no matter about the names. This committee
is not to be governed and directed by that. only
read these names on the part OF the petitioners be-
cause we are assailed here by a class of meu
who extremists, aud say 1t is "amazing efiront
ryl" And that il i based on "lie!" IIeect it
aud vindlcdte the character Of these petitioners
from any such grave charges! have nothing to
say about tue other side. They may present their
case here in your hearing rs they please. But
when You come to question of law, of great
pubic policy, as this Is, which grave men like this
commitee ar. to determine, you would not wish to
consult chi6fyen IN tie primary sctoois, to know
what WAS hest or not. You would 20 TO Class of
mstute men who have looked out upon your
state and studied its policy, and better able to
give you some light upon tnis subject.
Now, MIR. Chairman, is int9xcatlng liquor nee,
e.-aty for medical Purposes Does the state of
VI Mainc demand that it shall be sold for
those purposes Is ii a matter of common use
| do not propose to argue that question
extensively at all. But do >ay that these gentle.
men who pave been here upon the stand, medical
mer, doctors and apOthecaries of experience and
practice they tell YOU that II j., And they tell
YOU that the public requires it. And know that
the public requires IT. Aud my friend, Mr. Nye,
conceded that point if he did not upon his own
pcr-oIsl opinion that the public demands 1t. And
when | come 10 read you some Statistics by
and-hy YOU will see what the extent of that de-
mand Is. For 10 1851 the commissioner Of Maine
sold to agencies Sl31 900 worth of this quor for
med dCine Last year II was S66 600 for mediciuc.
Now ttl> ,hows the necessity for II. Know ten.
Dow SAYS II i "humhug' and a fraud, and that
there j, 10 necessity for 1t. Let him 20 and argue
it to the people. When he can satisfy the medi
cal fraternity and the people of the state of
Isti hat M L.
can fud come solvent agency that will accom-
nl,.h tl4 .,ue rurno.es without the same DANGER
then we wal coucede II and strike this provision
from ouI Jaw. But until they do that they eau
not come here and say II Is not necessary that
some provis ION should be made by which citizens
or yot,r st.ta can ohtsin Iiouors for a medicine
I 10 M, beNeve tb,,e !. one nerson out of five
hundred in all this state OF Maine, let him be in
what position he will, let him be in what temper
snce organization he WILL who does not some time
medicine in his family or for himself nersonallv
I heIi,vs / an, a. fyce' from thai a. the gentlemen
VINO snnke here. do not use it, Not tina, |
MIGHT moi use il INIT bec.nse have no occasion
10 Nc II ~, ,bn rnitorn health ,Yhich I eniov
kpt nsonle will have il 'rhnv do n.e il use II 70
a grt.at evten,. and !, is a o,,ter or common de-
rnard
Nav what more; 7 take nv stand there. 7
have tbat one.t;on "a dxrd fact mat the neonle
vu have !, th.t thev have a II ,lt ia have intnyi
carr, Lonn,. a, - aI,,ine
No,y y,otnext la we see, How do we show
TN. aps,n2 We shov II in the Maine Law The
Name / .,v roc ,gni1e. tLi nrinc,ne and i. fnund
eI unon if The Maine I.sw come and inst rms
n .,rai,,ht limo ri,,ht ,brongb The uees of ntoyi-
catipy houoIs. II saws thai all tha, are on one
side sre had ali th,t are ON the other are good
1t Is a p ohbtory law for drinking purposes 1t
is a liceu>e law for medicinal purposes, and it is
based on that fundamental principle. 1t stated
with the law of 1916. 1t was found in the law of
of 81. AMI then the law with this provision in
it. was submitted TO the people in 1853 and adopt
ed by an overwha lining. vote of tle State. And
that law !, incorporated in the revision of 1871,
and stands the law OF this State. The Que
sid, the prohihitory side, is bI,tng all over with
paiu> penalties and impri>onments; aud while the
state has taken that policy, 1t nurses aud fosters
the her branch OF the law the permissivc branch,
the medicinal branch and has made most ample
provi.ions for carrying 1t out. And when that
law was first passed it was imperative on the part
of every city. town and plantation in the State to
establish agencies by which this liquor could be
furnished for medicinal purposes, to the commun-
tv and sold according to law. That was its fun
dameutal principle much as the ptohibitory
part was. These two branches of the law ran
together one holding out the olive biauch and
the other the thunder bolt They are bound to-
gether and make the Maine Law. And flom the
time the law was Iilst adopted in 1916 down to the
present time, period OF thlrty-two years, the
State has made provision Tor the sale OF intoxi-
eating liquor as medicine through town agen-
cies and city agencies. Now the question Is how
does this matter stand? We see that the State
to-day authorizes the establish hment Of four hun
dred and ninety seven town agencies. For that Is
the number Of cities, towns and plantations in the
State.
Now want IN asl; vonr careful attention 70 This
point The gentlemen on the Other side who have
aad,nra,ed their cause somewhat conround these