The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-08
Kansas, Iowa, and the Maine Law

Kansas, iowa, ana tne MAINE Law.
To the Editor Of the Press:
have recently had a letter from Gov. st.
John Of Kansas giving NE information as to
the result of the recent State election, so far as
it affected prohibition and the Republican par
ty. He sent me at the same time copy of The
Capital of Topeka of Nov. 25th, a leading Re-
publican paper of the State. The leader is as
follows:
''sIoNs OF THE TIMES.
We call the attention Of political ghost-seers
and other timid people to the following editori-
al taken from the Wichita Beacon OF the 10th
inst. The editor of the Beacon has ranked
among the most violent of the aDti-prohibition-
lists in the State, and 1t cannot be denied that
he has brains and the courage OF his conyic-
tions."
The Beacon Is leading Democratic paper.
The editor says:
1--WE BOW TO THE WILL or THE PEOPLE.
The Beacon is entitled t, the credit or dis
credit of raising throughout the State the issue
on the repeal of the prohibition law. Upon
this issue we expected the support of the en-
tire liberal element, which unfortunately for
its moral standing, includes the saloon and
whiskey elements. The Republicans raised no
issue on the law. To secure the prohibition
vote they proudly pointed to their past record
as the party of the constitutional prohibitory
amendment and of the law.
The issue we raised on repeal was adopted in
every county in the State whore there exists
Democratic organization. We said some weeks
ago that If the question of prohibition should
in any form come before the people after a fair
triat of the law, and if the popular will direct
ly or indirectly endorsed the law, we should
cease all further efforts to have it removed from
the statute books. We have submitted the
question of repeal, and have been beaten.
We did not advocate repeal for the sake of
saloons, but because we have been and are now
most thoroughly opposed to prohibition. But
If the people want the law, and have had
fair chance to make up their minds after am
pie trial We bow to their will. The
law has nothing to do with and should not be
conscious of the individual but only of the So
cial factor, the integer of the State. Henceforth
we are in favor Of the law, and we shall adyo.
cate any amendment in the future that will
make 1t more thoroughly efficacious in per-
forming its work."
IN IOWA.
The result Of the late election has been no
less decisive in its indication of the will of the
people as to the liquor traffic. I have before
me leader from an Iowa Democratic paper,
which says:
"The result Is obvious. Democrats over the
State have become Indifferent to the result.
The Republicans can vote the constitutional
amendment up or vote IL down as they please.
Democrats have made strenuous efforts TO stem
the tide against it, but their efforts have not
been appreciated by those most interested, and
we will now let it take its course. In fact it
will do that at any rate. The Democrats now
have but four members Of the State Senate
and twenty members Of the House. We are
too weak in each branch to be counted as much
of factor in results
"It is stated that the Legislature is over
whelmingly in favor Of the Constitutional
Prohibitory Amendment. In this case, which
Is undoubtedly correct, it will have large ma
iority of the Legislature, and when submitted
to vote of the people next year, will be over
whelmingly adopted. We are opposed to the
adoption of the amendment on principle, as
we always have been, but we hear of Demo
Gratis on all sides who will vote direct for the
amendment, and If they do not vote directly
for it, will at least view its adoption with COM
placency. Those who are most interested in
its defeat have made mistake in deserting
their well known and tried friends"
The people of thirty States are now actively
at work to obtain the adoption of constitu-
tional amendment prohibiting the manufacture
and sale of intoxicating liquors. In Canada
and Great Britain the same agitation is going
on with great system and persistence.
NEAL Dow.