Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-06-03


These are not new facts to the people of
Maine and so twcnty-eight years ago the
people here took the matter into their own
hands, and resolved to suppress the liquor
traffic, which then they found established by
the law. Public opinion was changed. They
saw we had on our statute book a law legal
izing II dcvilish trade. They saw the liquor
traffic was terrible evil, and the license law
was swept away. He thought the hand of
God was in this. The matter was brought
up very late in the season, passing on the
very last day of the brief session.
thus measure passed reversing the
whole practice on the matter up to
that time. All the immense amount of prop
erty in liquors at that time was liable to sci
zurc and confiscation. Had the bill been laid
upon the table, it would have given the rum
power opportunity to rally, but the whole
thing was carried through rapidly on Satur-
day, Nav 3d. and signed by the Governor on
Monday, June ID.
Other States followed the example of
Maine, and everywhere among all English
speaking people, this question is coming into
great prominence. The Dominion of Cana
da is being agitated. He related many in
cidents relating to the preliminary
movements in regard to getting the law on
the statute books--thc gradual change that
had taken place in public sentiment. Before
the law there was the open sale of liquor
throughout the State. Liquors were now sold
in secret, and the enforcement of the law de
pended a great deal upon the character
Of the municipal officers. The story has
gone abroad that the Maine law was failure
But find out the extent of the drunkenness
and crime in Maine before the law was enact
ed, and compare the same with the present
time and If there has been no decrease. then
the law is failure But it i, not proved Il
failure because once in while n man can
buy glass of grog He spoke of numerous
instances of the large sales of liquor before
the law, and Of its entire absence now.
Once in twenty years, appalling as it may
seem, the people of the United States spend
their entire valuation for intoxicating liquors
Take Names proportion, and the Maine Law
has saved the State Sl3, 900 a year. He
remembered distinctly, when making his lee
ture tours, working up the temperance senti-
mcnt the squalld appearance of the
homes of the people; now there is peace
and plenty and contentment. Then two
third, of the entire sales Of many of the
large merchants were of liquor. one
large dealer. whose solcs extended into
the country. said he could trace the course of
il as distinctly marked As the course of fire
through the forests. The large lumber bust
ness in Maine has never made the State
dollar richer. As it had been poured down the
throats of the people in the shape ofrum. He
was glad that the meeting had been held to
strengthen the people in the principle of pro-
hibtion.
DR. Buzzcll gave a review of the history of
the prohbitory law The bill was brought
into a democratic legislature, with a demo
c-atic governor. The democratic party at
that time was composed of two factions
the "Wild Cats" and the "Woolly Heads"
He found himself acting with the latter. a.
they were generally temperance men. Had
the question of temperance been up in the
election they would probably not have been
chosen. There was a Providence in it. The
"Wild Cats made war against our noble
Governor. and sworc they would cut off his
head. They succeeded in disrupting the
party--the temperance element Of the party
bIlted and with the wings and frccsoilers
united and formed the republican party. and
they became the party OF temperance. which
they have since remained II the democrats
had been true TO the temperance principle,
they might have been in power to-day.
DR.. Buzzcll proceeded to speak in a most
humorous and telling manner on the various
phases of the temperance question. His re-
marks, a well as those of Gen. Dow, were
heartily appauded.
The meeting then adjourned.
The attendance at this reunion was not
large but when we consider the fact that
there remain upon the shores of time but
about thirty of the members who voted Eyes"
on the liquor bill. that many are aged and in
firm, and that Monday is always poor day
to hold general convention, we NAV regard
the attendance very satisfactory. and the meet
ings were interesting throughout.