The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-01-20

with him, but if he means when wine
and beer are used as daily beverage,
people continue sob er and healthy, l
would remark, that these and such
like. are the daily beverage of all the
old topers and confirmed sots in the
country. How is it they are not So
ber and healthy! Respecting the
rest of the article, which consisted
chiefly of quotations from men who
are not fanatics. intended to throw
discredit on the Maine law, and which
ssD'' is pleased to style ':samples of
the revised temperance sentiment of
New England I would say, I too
could fill your columns with opinions
from men of equally high standing
and reliability, showing that the
'sMaine law'' is grand success.
Hear what the Hon. Eugene Hale
said only last winter in a debate in
the Maine Legislature on this ques-
tion: s'The idea that held many
years ago, that a license law would
answer in this state, would meet the
the demands of the earnest friends of
temperance, has long since been ex-
ploded. / know I at one time almost
had that view. My observation and
experience has cured me. I believe
fully, that the prohibitory law, as it
has operated in our State, has been of
great benefit. Under the
law, Mr.. Speaker, rum selling has been
actually vanished from scores and per-
haps hundreds Of towns in the State,
and to-day the traveller may pass
through a large portion of the coun-
try towns Of Maine, as far as my OBJ
servation goes, and from border to
border no liquor selling shops can be
found, and temperance. and the prin-
ciple of prohibition, has become not
only matter of practice, but it has
become social rule, and it is SO i'm
bodied in the habits of our people.
There are a thousands thinge upon
which our State has to congratulate
itself, brought about by our prohibi.
tory law Etc.. Etc.
EN-Govenor Dingley. of Maine. said
in a speech at Portland, sometime ago,
I'VE can afford to set down the amount
spent in drink now in the State at one
million dollars, and still the difference
would over :'helmingly vindicate the
policy of prohibition and the wisdom
of the law.'' Under license the
amount would have been. according
to the rest of the country, thirteen
millions instead of one million.
An eminent Presbyterian clergy
man, of Newark, N. j., said he spent
six weeks of the preceding summer at
Kennebunkport, Maine, at q large ho-
tel. In the old rum time that town
was a very drunken place, rs all great
ship-building towns in Maine were.-
mark this, D.--he says he took special
pains to observe, but he saw no indi-
cation of drink anywhere. He took
special pains to inquire, but could not
learn that Intoxicating liquors were
sold in the town. and he did not be-
there was a grog shop there, either
secret or open. could fill the editor
ial vast basket, and ''D's'' pockets in
to the bargain with just such evil
dence as this, from men of all shades
of religious belief and political opin-
ion were it necessary, but one little
fact will carry more weight to most
minds, than Il bushel of opinions; and
it is this, that the whole liquor MAX
ing and liquor selling fraternity, big
and little, hate the Maine law worse
than cat hates mustard, and if this
is not proof of it's efficiency. where
will we find it!.
But ''D's'' logic is q little at fault;
at another point lie finds fault with
the Maine law because it does not
suppress drunkenness, and would have
it repealed. Would he also repeal
the law against theft, murder, ETC.,
because they do not entirely suppress
these crimes? If somebody stole
"D's' nightcap. would he repeal the
law against theft? 1 guess not; he
would say, catch the thief and punish
him, but when some lazy lout who
would rather sell, beer than. work for