New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-16
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
PROHIBITION NOT A FAILURE.

FROM NEAL DOW IN hffLt III
wEKD--sUCCEss OF PROHIBITION IN MAINE.
TO the Editor Of rae Tribune
SHIN your issue of the 9th inst, is an
article by Thuriow Weed entitled Wine as Remedy
Intemperance" TO which think myself entitled to
reply, since he mentions my name in @ connection IN
which would like IL TO stand before the public He
says: Maine Laws have been generally either vo-
lated evaded to satisfy calm thinkers that drunk
ards not 10 be reformed by prOhibory enacments
The champion OF Prohib tion Neal Dow worn out
by long Of ndomitable efforts has announced his
intention To retire"
Mr.. Weed is by means solitary instance Of an able
man talking writing upon the subject OF Prohibition,
being entirely ignorant Of its principles its purposes and
results. | do not think there any other question
upon which able will freely write and talk without
first knowing something about it, but upon this they do
not hesitate to do Mr. Woods whole article OF half
a column is wide of the facts as is the paragraph
which have quoted am so far from being worn out
in temperance work that was active In 1t
than now and far from any intention OF retiring
that was never before full Of heart hope and conf
dent expectation OF in the future gen
eral would incompetent leader he were to retire
from the field at when he sees the enemy in
confusion and dsnay all aon the line; then OF all Others
would be the time TO initiate General Taylor when ne
said to Captain Bragg "A little more grape!"
Mr.. Weed continues Legislation having proved
abortlve in Maine, Kansas and Iowa resort to an
amendment or Its constitution ltne US Is HIS "viu hoe
mine prohibiting not only the sale bur the disaton Of
intoxicating liquors" Let examine this sentence
It arns that Prohibition has proved TO be abortve In
Maine therefore Kansas and Iowa have resoed 10 con-
stitutional prohibition. do not know any words In
which TO the facts in the case, which Mr. Weed
ought know, except say in the mdest possible way
tnat he il entirely misinformedin short, that he has
stated the thing that is not Prohibition and has
been from the day OF its enactment IN Maine great sue
and it for that that Kansas and Iowa have
initiated our example and have resOrted TO Prohibition
by their constitutions, In which line OF policy Maine will
Immediately follow their lead, as will Michigan aud
Indiana.
1 confess to a little impotence when 1 see such
men as Mr. Weed attempting to teach the people
OF this country to the best and easiest
wav 70 manage the temperance cause, without know
ing even Its first rudiments. 1t Is quite inexcusaoe
in him to be entirely ignorant Of this question, because
he keeps sharp lookout upon the political complexion
Of the country and upon the relation Of parties to each
other and upon their relative strength and their prob
able future He ought to be Ignorant OF the fact
that prohibition il the settled policy OF Name New
Hampshire, Vermont Kansas and Iowa. where 1t Is the
dominant political question: and that 1t Is rapidly com
ing to the front in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Maryland, Delaware and III
many her he puts it, because 1t has proved
TO be abortve" IN Maine. but for the that is
triumphant success In all these States and IN Others
the elections within four years will turn upon this ques
tion and the party that opposes IL Will go down in the
fight the great Democratic party IL Maine dd-never
even fragment Of it coming to the surface since except
a bit Of "dunnage" in the shape OF Governor Garceon
The Democratic party in Maine great and strong
having had the control Of state for many years. but
it's leaders put upon this question IN the position which
many leaders Republican party wish II 10 occupy
The temperance OF the party abandoned IT, anu IL
has been a miserable minority since until now
it dare make nominations in its own name
bntrn rlv OF n
assume that even Mr.. Weed will not deny that the
Republicans OF Maine know something about the re-
Prohibition In the state why should ne NOT
admit that they know or II all that Is 20 De known Al
every convention or the party there mas Deen some
upon this subject. have copies OF few OF
them only Here they are:
1873. Temperance among the people may be greatly
promoted ny wise prohoit4ry egsaO a. ~, Tn hn
hcen results and Il ID source OF congratualOh lnaC
principle OF Prohibition, which has always been up
held by Republicans Is now cOncufred III ny 80 d &c
majority or the people that III ID no longer parry qes
ton tho Democrats aVlng Tor several years declined 10
Is7e Ne recognize temperance as a cause which has
tam tue principle Prohibition which its operation
so largely suppressed nquOr-seing ana added meal
people.
pOucy of Prohibition auxiliary 10 temperance re-
form and contributing To the material wealth. nAppl
mes ana prosperity OF te state and we refer with con-
and pride undertaking support Of tAe same
one OF the cardinal principles OF the Republican
party Of Milne. ~
give;
We refer with confidence and pride TO the
general record or the Republican party
the traIlc in intoxicating liquors, the wisdom and
efhceney of winch legislation IN promoting tue moral
material interests OF Name have Deen demonstrated
through the practical humiliation OF ha traffic III alsrge
portion OF The state ana we favor sucn legislation and
enforcement Of law as Will secure 10 every portion
OF our territory freedom from mat trahc. We mrtnSr
recommend the submission 10 the people OF consttu
tiOnal proniDitOry Amendment
IL oT gTIFnd 10
the world, OF which shrewd politician should be
ignorant that Mr.. Weed has ventured to affirm ProAi
bition in Maine to be AL abortion. There dlslery
OF brewery MainenOt one; all have been suppressed
by the law. Three-fourths of territory
is now practically free from the liquor
traffic, 30 that The Portland Press said
little while ago: In large part Of our territory
entire generation has up practically unacquanted
with the liquor traffic and its effects" Our State
prosperous by far than II ever was before The
iauor traffic which myers here IL the sly and
small scale and Is confined 10 our Larger towns ana
cities from which it will soon be expelled by
amendments law that necessary 70 that end
The whole face Of tie state has been wonderfully
changed for the better by the policy which has largely
driven the liquor traffic out thereby saving 10 the peo
pie wages their labor and the pronts OF their bust
ness which now 10 10 build up stimulate every le
Ultimate industry Formerly The entire valuation OF all
properly VI every KIND was spent in strong drink IN
every period OF less than twenty years max
ing Maine the poorest state in the Union,
while is one OF the most prosperous There are
great many districts many states not yet having
Prohibition liquor traffic Is under the ban OF
the law by virtue local option Of special enact
ments The thing true u the Dominion VI Can
ada aud in England there more tnan fourteen hun
dred parishes under Prohibition while In Scotland,
Wales aud Ireland there is Prohibition for the sunday.
and tle policy Prohibition rapidly extending IN the
United Kingdom As to MP. Weeds suggestion that
wine remedy for ntemperance 1t Is as VIDE OF the
III ark a. declaration PROM bltOn IA an abortion
IN Maine and therefore Kansas and Iowa put that policy
INTO their constitutions. do not care 10 write line.
even upon matter II il Old piece OF lumber, laid
AWAY with dry-rot and worm-eaten long ago
Portland, He, July IL, 1852. NEAL Dow.
THE RUSSIAN JEWS.
LONG RECORD OF PERSECUTION BY RUSSIANS
To the Editor OF the Trtbune.