The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-01-25
Resolutions of the State Temperance Con.
venti0n.


The following is the full text of the resolu-
ton adopted by the State Temperance Conven-
ton at Augusta, Wednesday:
Resolued, That the friends of temperance in
Maine, in mass convention assembled, render
thanks to Almighty God for the large measure
of success which has attended the efforts to
Danish from the state the gigantic evils arising
from the use and sale of intoxicating liquors.
To the various secret and open temperance or
CARNATIONS; TO the temperance reform clubs
which have done so grand work within few
years; to the churches and ministers of the
state, and the hosts OF temperance workers and
temperance friends-a debt of gratitude is due
for their earnest and self-sacrifcing labors to
advance cause SO closely identified with the
well being of the people.
Resoloed That the too prevalent belief that
Intoxicating liquors are not only Indispensable
as remedy in serious diseases, but also benefi-
cial a5 restorative in slight indisposition, is
one of the most serious obstacles to the COM
plete triumph of the temperance movement.
We rejoice to know that SO manyeminent medi
cal men are coming to the conclusion that the
cases in which alcohol can be administered to
advantage are few, and the abuses to which it
is subjected in its use as medicine as well as
beverage, are so many that it ought to be adj
ministered as cautiously as any other poison,
even if not discarded entirely from the list of
remedies in diseases; and we appeal to phys-
clans and all Others who desire the triumph of
the temperance cause, to give the weight of
their influence to the formation of an improved
public sentiment in this direction.
Resolved, That whenever preponderatng
public sentiment regards alcoholic liquors in
dispensable as medicine, and it is thought
necessary to provide for It's legal sale for such
purpose, no provision can be devised liable to
so few abuses as the system of town agencies,
by which one place of sale is allowed in any
town, and this under the management of an
agent appointed by the municipal officers and
removable by them whenever he abuses his
trust without any pecuniary interest in the
profits of sales, and required to keep record
of every sale open to public inspection.
ResolUed, That we earnestly protest against
the passage of the bill now before the legisla-
ture, authorizing druggists to sell malt and in
toxicating liquors for medical purposes. No
law, however guarded, which authorizes any
class of men to sell, for their own profit, in
toxicating liquors, whether mixed or unmixed,
under the guise of medicine, can guard against
wholesale abuses which will dangerously i'm
pair the efficiency Of the prohibitory law. And
a law like the one representation legalizes
large number of places of sale in every city,
which exacts no bond of the person SO author
lied, which does not allow the withdrawal of
any license by municipal officers which re-
quires no registration OF sales open to public in
spection, which contemplates no analysis by a
State Assayer of liquors sold, and above all
which makes it for the pecuniary interest of
every druggist to sell all that his conscience
will permit-will eventually iniure the stand
ing of druggists, and open this state to dram
shop evils from which it has largely escaped
after forty years. fight against King Alcohol