St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-02-07
Prohibition in Maine.

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Two communications which have ap,
peared recently in newspapers of totally
different characters upon the Maine
law and its effects, have been widely
copied, and as both are, confessedly
the results of Il hasty survey of the
system and its operation, am inclined
to offer the readers of the CaledORiar
some reflections resulting from persona
observations in different parts of the
state, and at various times during sew,
eral years.
First, us to the communications il
question One of these was from the
pen of a New Hampshire politician
and published in Il leading Democratic
newspaper; and the other the work OF
a clerical correspondent of Boston re-
ligious journal.
1.-The Maine law the legal CORE
spOndent assures us, sis an utter failure.
in that it is evadcd, and detied. thus il
Is blot upon the statute books, and
an insult to the liberty of the citizen. .
And he goes on to say that there is as
much drinking in the state now as there
cretly, and immense quantities of liquor
are sent into the state from abroad.
have seen this statement, and others
like it widely copied, and there seems
to be general impression, and fear
among temperance men that this may
be true; an impression carefully fos-
tered by the opponents of temperance
legislation.
The clergyman takes different view.
and gives a glowing picture of the
happy results that flow from the ell
forcement of the law, and argues that
similar law in Massachusetts would
have an effect precisely similar. He
travelled, he tells us, sup and down the
length and breadth of the state and did
not see single drunken person-not
one. The simple enactment of pro-
hibitory law has worked this change
The gentleman certainly used his
eyes with cOmmendable discretion If
he had taken an evening walk in the
back streets of Portland, Bangor, OF
any large village, he would have made
IA different report. Such statements in
Jure the cause; being incorrect they
mislead.
The writer has talked within the last
few months, with men of all occupa-
tions, parties, and shades of religious
belief, and has arrived at certain con
clusiOns: An earnest public sentiment
finding expression in a carefully de-
fined law has produced results that are
not to be mistaken. There is liquor
selling and liquor drinking in Maine,
and one sees now and then a drunken
man, and in some places there is scarce
ly any honest temperance sentiment,
and yet the overwhelming current of
public opinion is in favor of the law.
and is much deeper and stronger than
five years ago.
had talk with an old farmer, quite
an intelligent man, who avowed that
he took glass now and then, and
hated the law that made it hard to pro-
cure his beverage and yet few close
questions made him admit it was a
good thing, and for the sake of his bows
he would not like to see the law re-
pealed. He could get liquor, he said,
most anywhere in some villages there
were several places where the initiated
could get "a sight of the critter.n "Can
you get liquor in -?' asked. eyes
-yes," he said hesitatingly, and added
with a grimace and sly look as he
gave the information, "but / wouldn't
want you to see were it is kept" l did
not need any stronger testimony. In
temperance is driven into holes and
corners, and there is no open tempta-
ton.
But to obtain satisfactory view of
the results of prohibition, one must
study its effects, and hasty glimpse is
good for nothing. In most of the viii
lagos in the state great pressure is
brought to bear upon drinking man.
and l know several men in a single
village respected members of society
and the church, who were hard drinkers
four years ago. And the best temper
ance workers in the state rely more