Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-29
Prohibition Does Prohibit.

The question whether the Maine liquor
law is successful in its operations seems at
least to have been settled in manner which
should satisfy every fair-minded man. A
very earnest discussion pro and con has been
conducted by correspondents the past winter
in the columns of the Toronto Globe, the
leading paper in Canada, on the subject of
mperance-especially the actual effect of
the Maine law. The claims made by its
friends were strenuously denied by the par
tisans of the liquor traffic.
10 settle this point, upon which so much
depended, the Globe determined upon an in.
genius e&pedient. IL selected two expert
enced journalists, one of whom was person
ally in favor of prohibition and the other
opposed to it, and sent them TO Maine as spe-
cial commissioners TO enquire into the work
ings OF the prohibitory law. The two men
were to travel together, interview leading
persons together, try to get liquor together
in city and country, ascertain the effect of
prohibition in every way they could in COM
pany, and then report their observations sep
arately. In this way it was hoped that the
friends and foes Of prohibition in Canada
would find their respective sides well repre-
sented, while wherever the conclusions of
the two men conceded it would be impossi-
BILE to deny that they had arrived at the
truth.
The plan was carried out. The two COM
missioners entered upon very thorough in
vestigation and wrote voluminous letters TO
the Globe, which appeared day after day
under the words, from our prohibitory cor
respondent, and from our anti-prohibitory
correspondent. At the end of the tour they
summed up results and it is interesting to
compare their conclusions. We quote from
the New York Witness:
The Prohibition" correspondent says
that after all he had heard of the alleged
failure of the Maine law, he was surprised
to find how well it worked. The moment
he entered the state he was struck with
the evidences of thrift and prosperity in the
agricultural districts, though the land seemed
for the most part to be naturally very light
and unproductive." And this he continued
to notice wherever he journeyed through the
rural districts. Notwithstanding all that
had been said to the contrary, he saw enough
in Portland, Augusta, Lewiston, Auburn
and Bangor, to assure him that "prohibi-
ton, If backed up by a sound and healthy
public opinion, can be successfully enforced
even in crowded cities" In Bangor, the
worst city for drinking, though not so bad
as represented, the custom appeared to have
become questionable and disreputabe In
Portland, though he stayed there more than
week, he saw only one drunken man,
sand he was of type that one is usually
surprised to see sober" Though liquor was
to be had, the trade had been "driven into
such holes and corners that there was no
open or attractive display to tempt reformed
drunkards or inexperienced boys" lie
found remarkable unanimity of opinion
among leading men in favor of the law.
Governor Piaisted, though his name had
been claimed by the whiskey orators, was
one of the most able and eloquent of its ad-
vocates.
And now what does the "Anti Prohibit
ton correspondent say2 To his honor
be it recorded that not only were his opin-
ions materially changed by what he learned,
but that he has the candor to say so. In
the cities, he reports the law has been a
partial failure, but that failure has been
greatly exaggerated "by quoting excep-
tional places or periods as typical of the
state and by the ingenious perversion of
statistics" Nevertheless, seven where laxly
administered, the law has decreased the vol
une of drinking, and done much to make
the practice unpopular and disreputable."
BY the admission of both parties, it has
driven all respectable men out of the traf-
ic." "The facilities for drinking are not
presented in such form or under such sur
roundings as to tempt those who had not
acquired the drinking habit to do So" ain
the rural portions of the state the Maine
law has suppressed open drinking, and re-
duced secret drinking to a minimum, aud
may therefore be considered as effective as
any other measure on the statute book"
"The general prosperity, good order and
comfort observable both in city and country,
despite the scanty resources of the state
plainly indicate that the abstinence of the
people, whether voluntary or compulsory, has
conduced greatly TO their welfare" While
these good results are largely attributable to
the widespread reformation in the habits of
the people on moral and economical grounds,
prohibition has done much to assist this re-
form and educate public sentiment" "Af.
ter thirty years experience, the public opin-
ion of the state is so strongly in favor Of the
law that no political party is willing to risk
its future by advocating reversion to Ii
cense; on the contrary the legislature is con-
tinually strengthening the law by more
stringent amendments" "The best ele-
ments of society, the old residents, the prom
inent citizens, and the farming community
are pronouncedly in its favor, and even
many who oppose some of its features would
oppose its abrogation still more strongly"
/" The class of liquor sellers who defy the
law are the same class of men who, under
the license law would sell liquor without
license"
We also append, in addition, summary
of the Globe on the reception of their first
report First, There is little or no drink
ing, such as is too common on Canadian
railways, on board the cars of passenger
trains. Second, Nowhere are liquors of any
kind publicly exhibited or offered for sale.
Third, In respectable hotel in the little
town of Island Pond bad rum, gin and
whiskey could be procured by travellers in a
dark, dingy, closet, carefully kept under
lock and key. Fourth, In one, and probably
others, of the best hotels in Portland a fair
article of "Bourbon and other liquors