The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-04-23
The Maine Liquor Law.
BY REV. CYRUS HAMBL!N, d. D.
Some Interesting Facts About the
ProbibitOry Movement.

Interesting Facts About the
P]rohibitory Movement.
BY tn above term Is designated that pro-
hIpil0ry temperance law WINCH WAS passsu
IN the Legislature OF the State Of Mhinc, III
the year lh1l. For more than twenty years
the subject Of the Use Of alcoholic drinks had
been warmly discussed, numerous TcN'pcr-
ance Societies had been formed, and ycs the
evil was but little abntrd. with soipe the
moral and social evils were chiefly dweIt up
on, and moral Su;lSIOn WAS the only force
they would resort TO ~ ~ remedy others, fu!-
ly agreeing with them rs to the evils, went
one step further. to show that intemperancc
and moderate drinking were together de-
strOyiug the wealth OF the STATE. At the
COMMENCEMENT OF the century, Maine WAS
believed to have untold wealth In her Nah1
and noble forest OF pine. The winters OF the
hnrI-workiny and stalwart farmers are unl-
forInly given to logging and the summers
to their farms. This winter industry wns
prosecuted with amazing energy, and the
magnificent forests rapidly disappeared. By
the middle OF the century "Iosging" became
difficult and comparatively mcagre In IFS re-
suits. The noble forests from all the larger
streams had been cut away, and the tnibe!
must be dragged over greater distances and
10 the smaller streams. Now what had be-
coIne OF all this vast wealth: The fact was
undcnitblc that the forests were gone and
the State was hone the richer. Yet the men
Of Maine had performed the labor and receiv-
ell the money. The truth al length burst up
on their threats; Or, rather they had drunk
up their noble forests. Every MAN, and
many II woman, had swallowed hundreds Of
pine trees six feet In diameter and sixty feet
TO tho f1rst limb. Business men OF the larX-
est experience and widest Obscr walton attest
cd that the Maine forests had not in fact,
brought wealth to tho State. They had dis
appeared, AMI might us well never existed. 80
far rs Maine herself was concerned.
But there were thirteen distiller!cs in the
State. doing an Immense business, besides all
tinf truS nirhFfnH rNp 1l,rn.ft IpNna q
cry store sold Intoxicating liquors BY tho
glass or by the jug. The Temperance SOci.S
ties could not stem the tide. Tn crime, tho
wrstri:a h fn" R"Hitfs'S ii; s s.sme afT TO- asm AND
that the tcmpter should be put out Of tho
way. The pulpit, the press, and the platform
lifted up their mighty voices against It. They
denied that the true principles OF liberty Sc
cured 10 this nc(arlous industry the right to-
prey upon all the most sacred interests and
rights OF society. The liquor interest saw the
impending storm, and armed for the night.
All that money and rhetoric and false reason:
ing could, WAS brought into r%equlMti0n.
SympatiIiscrs from Massachusetts, made COM
mon cause with them, and opened both their
mouths and their purses. But the people OF
Maine have 4 way 0f looking ut a thing pref
ty steadily and deliberately. and then dccid-
ing tor themselves whether to do 1t or not.
They are eminently a practical people; and
attained. they go for II without being at all
frightened by prcccdcnts or theories. After
twenty years OF discussion and fruitlcSs cx-
pcrimcntS with license laws, they resolved To
put the hateful thing away.
They had an inlelittignble, valiant nnd en-
thuSiaStic leader In the Hon. Neal Dow OF
Portland, and in ISL the prohibitory law was
passed. The following Is the text Of the first
Section, and shows with sufficient cleHrncss
the object In view:
"SECTIoS list. No person shall DO allowed
~ any time to manufacture Or sell. BY hlni-
self, his clerk, servant. or agent, directly or
triirtctlS ANY Intoxicating pr HDirittiOllS
liquUts, or any mixed liquors, q part OF which
is intoxicating, except IN hereinafter proNid
cd
Sectiod 2d provides for the appointment Of
an agent On salary, with defined powers and
limitations, to sell alcliohol and other liquors
for medical and mechanical purposes alone.
other sections there arc - In alb define thc
mode OF prosecutions, the duties Of Sherins,
the penalties and fines TO be inflicted, the
powers and duties Of municipal governments
with regard to the trarlc and to the manuiac'
turc OF Intoxicating liquors, So that any de-
cent execution Of the law closes all dram
shops. all tiplinS places, all bars Mt hotels,
and drives the use Of rum, whiskcy. and all
their relations. Into secret places. Any nun
can import from another state any quantity
hr plcasr< Tor his own use, and all prctcnce
at Iivin. it away Is futile in law.
Now how WAS this very stringent law re-
ccived by the people of the state? Could II
bc executed? We answer, 4 minority OF tho
people were ready for 1t. The matter had
been earnestly and universally discussed.
Not n township or village in the State had re-
manned Indifferent. Earnest men had call
va>srd Tic State many times during tlH nf-
teen years preceding tho law. There WAS -
general feeling that something more efficient
must be done To save the State from the raw
ages Of ntcmprrInct. and when the law was
Imposed. the great body Of the farInin. lnpu-
I:,tIOu welcomed II, and there wns no difli.
Guilty IN lis execution. Among them II wax
impossible to evude It.. 4 vast majority were
determined II should have 4 full and fair tri-
n) Those. Whn lttcfluteI tn tyllr SIDn
found IT, i losing business. Ten dollars flir
and costs for the first offence twenty dollars.
and u months Imprisonment for the third.
and SO ON. Moreover, liquors In stores were
forfeited. Against such u law no man could
long max" n stand, and all the liquor shops
Disappeared throughout the State.
In W respects The effect was marvellous.
The first and greatest WAS The sudden disap-
p%rarancc OF thrcc-fOurths "f the drunkenness
which had afflicted 50 many families. There
being no draln->hopS, no places OF gathering,
Of "trratiuG.' no daily temptation thrown In
the way, the greater part would moi take the
trouble to obtain their ruin or wlliskcy from
abroad. Thousands Of Incorporate men re-
jOicrd that the rum holes were out Of tho way
and they could now easily return 10 teinpcr-
ate habits. OF course some would find the
means OF Incorporate indulgence still; but
in all the rural districts the law fully an
swcret the expectation OF It's friends. With
regard to the dininution Of drunkenness,
Tie =. cOid surprising effect WAS In the dimi-
mutton Dl crime. some Oh tue county JallS
b-rilne absolutely empty. This WAS sisnniiy
true OF oxford County, one Of the lnrgeht
counties %! the State. and having much terri
tory spar>cly unlimited. IL was n!so true OF
FcI!OhscDt. kcuncbcc, Franklin and York.
In Cumberland County, the most popuIOus
county in the state. there were but i've prIs-
nHcrs fOur months after the passage OF tho
law. and three of these were liquor dealers,
who were Imprisoned for violation Of the pro-
hibit"ry law. This Jail had been usually
ovcrcrowl"d. In many places paupcrism
has entirety ceased, and In all the work hOu>-
eS and almS-hou>cS have, been greatly light
eicu Ui their heavy burdens.
In the cities the law could be more SUCCESS
fully rvadrd by fraud or force, but even In
them tho change for the better WAS very
marked
, The liquor interest In the mean time had
organized for Il general move against the law.
The question fen INTO party politics. and ahcr
fivc years OF successful execution, the law
WAS revoked, and The licensed dram-slop
again appeared IN every village, almost In
every street. The liquor interest had won
what they called ~ glorious victory They
had buried the Maine Law so deep the ARCH
angels trumpet would never rouse it,"
but the truth WAS, their triumph brought
about their worst defeat. They rushed into
the liquor business rs though all the people
of Maine would now rise and drink revenge
for their five years OF abstinence. The pPo-
pie, however were soon UNNECESSARILY dis
gusted with the results. Rescued men return
ed to drunken habits. Homes that had be-
come pthceIui anu happy, were again SceIc6
Of unnatural cruelty and outrage. Fathers
and mothers saw their sonS yielding TO temp
tation. crime multiplied, and disorder follow
eel upon years of peace and quiet.
But the people again dcthroned the liquor
lords. They had had enough OF poverty and
crime ut their hands. But tur them the state
wOtld never have'lOSt its noble forests, worth
hundreds of millions OF dollars, without be-
ing one penny the richer. But for them. the
poor and miserable homes o6 the State would
have Ibcrn the abOdcs Of happiness
and comfort. hut for them. many thou
sands would never have gone down to drunk
ards graves or the cuiprits disgrace and
doom. iilling the hearts of their friends with
shame and sorrow, and the hearts OF their
households with anguish unuttcrable. The
people, always slow to rise. were ut length
aroused, We're rather forced to view the sub
ject in relation To their own immediate ind
best Interests. and they resolved TO put away
the accur$rd thing forever. The law was re-
established with more stringent provisions
than before. ana II has become much more c-
irctivr in the cities. II is probably At this
day as well executed in them w. any law is.
There is far more private drinking In the
cities than III the country. But this the law
does not profess To reach. IL stops the manu-
faclurr and the sale. Any man may get his
drInijUlln or ca>k of liquor from Boston, and
ii he uses il in his own house in 4 legitimate
way, no body will disturb him. But II he
torIis IL club and gf'ts ii army. the Sheriff
will take him and his liquor in charge. Clubs
formed In that way have recently been brok-
on up in the city Of Bangor.