Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-08-01
What Prohibition has Done,

Ex-Gov. Dingley's speech at Maranocook
last week in favor of Prohibition was very
clear and exhaustive argument. He said
L. Prohibition has closed every distillery
and brewery in Maine. This is admitted
Some think this loss: but those who hold
that the capital grain and labor employed in
making what will injure the community, can
be devoted more advantagcouslv to industries
which benefit State. believe the change a
gain.
=. Prohibition has not simply transformed
the open dram shops seen in license communi-
ties into secret groggeries in Maine, without
any diminution of them. 1t has largely re-
duced their number Ii would be a gain if
the traffic had been driven under ground, for
this would hide the temptation from those
who were not seeking it. But it has done
more, the census of 1870 (and the census of
1850 will give similar fgures) showed that
there is one dram shop in the United States
to every $50 inhabitants In the same pro-
portion Maine should have 1850. In 1888,
according to the reliable statistics of Secretary
Pond. this State under license had one dram
shop to every 225 inhabitants. Now it is not
believed that there are here over 700 dram
shops, mainly secret, outside of few places
Nobody places them more than 900 and
those mainly in cities and the larger villages.
Nearly all the secret dealers prefer to pay the
small United States tax rather than run the
risk of the heavy penalties of the United
States law. But only $50 paid tax last year,
and 200 of these were drug-stores, which are
obliged to pay the tax in the prosecution of
their legitsmate business.
That there are not one-half of the number
of secret and open dram shops in Maine. pro-
portionately, that there are open dram-s shops
in license States. is shown by more critical
examination. The average for license States
would give 40 dram-shops in Oxford county,
but it is doubtful if there are actually 25
Androscoggin would have POO, but there are
not 80. Cumberland would have 800. but
notwithstanding the chief commercial city of
the State is in that county. she has not, or
had not, up to last January, more than halt
this number. Franklin would have so, bu,
I am informed she has less than a dozen.
More than half the towns Of Maine have no,
even a secret groggery. Durham. for ex.
ample. which in 1888. had licensed dram
shops, has not had single dram shop fol
years. Readfeld had open bars at tina,
time; now. none.
Indeed, it is admitted that prohibition ha.
well-nigh driven the liquor traffic from the
rural towns and concentrated it in the cite,
and larger villages; but il is claimed that i
has iuCItaSeu tue saves III Tue CITIES MS l:
not true, except possibly in two or three cite,
where the law is not enforced although from
the fact that the traffic is concentrated in cit.
les, the progress there has not been so marked
The average number of open dram shops il
license cities, is one to every 200 inhabitants
Portland. according to license authority, hat
last January 1876 secret dram shops, which i
one to every $50 inhabitants, and Augusta
Biddeford and Rockland the same; but Lew
iston and Auburn have only one to ever,
1000 inhabitants. Only one city in Maine (iI
Bangor, where the law is not enforced) is a
high as the average of license cities, and al
the rest are below--and this, too. notwi it'll
standing the traffic is driven from the rura
regions into the cities.
3. The sales of the secre: dram-shop il
Maine are far less than the sales of a license,
bar. The whole 1855 secret dram-shops il
Portland last January. did not sell As mucl
u % open bars in Boston. Most of the sc
cret dram-shops in Maine have as their stool
in trade few bottles, or at most gallons O
liquor, concealed in some out of the wa
place. The whole 200 to 1000 secret bars i
this State do not sell . million and quartz