New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-20

THE MAINE Law IN MINE.

NEAL DOW DEPBECATEs RA. ! STATEMENTS BY ANTI
TYtToTAGLERs. AND CONTENDS THAT PRoHlBI-
HOS DbEs PROHIBIT
70 the Edttor Of The Tribune.
SIR: see in recent copy Of The TRIB-
USE The following IaraEraph
statement Hk,ly 70 attract wide attention il made
b. The Portland Press article Opposing move
ucus 10 give additional stungency 10 the Maine prohbl'
tory tqnor aT u says that during Tue twenty YEAR
alarming iucr'asr crimes of kind usually attributed
drukinx saIoons IN Por land than ever On the
authority ~ Seal Dow the number Is given as 100.
Any statement either original quoted, made by TIE
TRinrNE u sue TO wide attention. and 1t Is for
that reason wish remark upon the you have
taken from Tie Press 1t not true that crime in Maine
bas crcased-f at aas result OF the suppression
OF tie lfqcor traffic here. The law has extinguished
fully of the iUm trade In Maine and
the one eueth remaining only be reached III tile
ca by small additions 10 tho law, which anti
temperance people rot favor We shall have Thorn
by.andby; In the meantime we must be patient. The
Portland Press little 81 the comparative
magnitude Of the iduOr traffic Ia this city, for the rea-
con among others. that u was not yet born In the old
rum time II saws that there more rum shops In
Portland now than ever before. That Is very Wild
statement OF matter the writer knew nothing about
In the old time there were many establishments IN
Portland any one OF winch sold liquor than Is
sold hy all that exit here.
.DnukiYg saloons; what do people understand by
that phia-c Now, there Is not one drinking saloon III
Portland m the most universally accepted meaning OF
that term We have some low secret rum dens In the
lowest part OF hccty Their stock OF liquors generally
consist OF hat pint. possibly pint bottle OF rum
aud one whskr IN each coat pocket Of the rumseler
OR the slock may half dozen Hat hatpint bottles
hidden IN the ASH under the cooking stove oven
II may he IN a pitcher OF whskey and sprnkng pot OF
beer standing over tub II dirty water into which both
ore a-tlly dumped the entrance Of tue officers,
or n the officers are seen In the streets; or II
may be even barrel OF beer hidden under the floor Of
pigpen or in manure heap, buried IN the elrthen
or of cellar or built INTO thS house under tue stairs
or bottle or lug may be hidden bed or under the
or the trap being under the bed or the stock may be
mint bottle OF whskey ADD Of rum suspended 10 the
waist OF The run selling woman, beneath the outer SKIRT
All these dodges have been resOred to- aud many others
10 conceal the auors aud that Is the character OF the
saloons" IN Portland.
In Bangor liquors openly sold. through the perjury
M the officials who refuse to execute the law
which they hnye sworn enforce. But New
Workers are In condition TO throw stones
at these rascala because they have plenty OF the same
sort home. unless city paper niisei outsuors'
"a Name pa ers do whom talking ON this question.
do moi know how II may be IN NrW-1Ork' But mere IL
IA proVerb that men who drink are ho 10 DC oeioNeu
when speaklnR of tie liquor question IL Is most inter
eating TO ms Of Maine 10 tue papers IN other States 80
auXIons l,s ne Maine law should marin the temper
ance calse. hope they NAV not ne awake o nRh.s VI
deyi-ing remedy Tor danger That uoes NOT eAlsJ
bnt Which seem. To them 20 imminent and dreadful
WV NEAL DOW.
VgrHfnd Ne, Feb. IA. 1881.