Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-05-02
SOMETHING HUMOROUS.

Under the head Of Congressman Ding
ley's Humorous Appeal" the Gazette ap-
provingly copies from the New York Sun
(Dem. an article opposing bill intro
duced into Congress by Mr. ID. which pro-
vides that the payment Of duty on i'm
ported liquors shall not authorize the sale
OF such liquors contrary to the laws Of any
State, and which is entitled, "A Bill 10
place the Sale OF Imported Liquors on the
same basis as the Sale OF Domestic Ii
quors."
The Sun and Gd.eue think ''there is
something humorous" in this appeal to
Congress, and ask If 1t would not be better
To enforce the laws OF Maine, under which
T9l dealers in liquor paid tax to the Tn
tied States, last year, before asking Con-
gress for aid. II may encourage these pa
pers to know that the liquor dealers on
the Province line, who make 1t business
to import into this State and sell liquors
in the original packages, in which condi-
ton the United States Courts have decid-
ed 1t can be sold in the face OF State laws,
agree with them. one of these rum-sell-
ers, (whose name we omit, has recently
scattered over the State the following cir
cuar:
"- would say to his friends that he
has now on hand In Iloulton, and for sale,
, Ia. Of EA lam
Liquors ever imported into Maine, and
will forward to parties anywhere within
the United States by Express, c. o. d.,
aud guarantee safe delivery in the original
package at fair price | make this offer in
good faith, believing that the law gives me
the clearly defined right to Import and
Sell in the Original Packages without re-
strlction OF State law. Neither can the
States require me 70 take out license, nor
can the property be taxed, as such, under
State law. Icontend this right grows out
OF that clause Of the United States Consti-
tuition which gives Congress the right to
regulate commerce with foreign nations
also between the several States otherwise
the right 10 import would be of no value,
and States could virtually annul the power
accorded TO the general government by the
Constitution. -, L. .. Address, Houl-
ton, Me.
"P. S.-Should Mr.. DiDgley's bill pro-
viding that the payment OF duties on i'm
ported liquors should not entltle the i'm
porter TO sell 10 the original packages-and
should Mr. Robinson OF New York, per-
suade the President TO send over TO Eng
land troops enough TO take criminals out
OF prison and lay London in ashes, be fav-
orably considered by Congress, we respect
fully ask II 1t would be best TO surrender
before the first gun Is fred, or prepare to
defend our rights as free-born American
citizen
TO our mind there is something more
than "humor in the above successful at
tempt TO evade our prohibitory law, and
something more than humor in the sug-
gestion that we better enforce our laws so
as to prevent any secret rumsellers from
plying their business in Maine, before call
on Congress for aid. II Is certainly
humorous" proposition that we omit ask.
ing Congress to close the loop-hole by
which large number OF our rum-sellers
obtain their supplies, and large number
are enabled To sell in the face OF the law.
When this loop-hole is closed by Congress
large part of the present sales in Maine
will be shut Off.
The Sun and Gazette seem TO think that
so long As 79l persons in Maine pay tax
as liquor dealers TO the United States, we
may as we'll confess that prohibition Is
failure. Supposing these gentlemen Apply
the same logic to other laws, and argue
that so long as $4,000 thefts are commit
ted in Kew York, the laws prohibiting and
Furnishing larceny are a failure, and ought
TO be repealed. No one expects that any
law will absolutely prohibit the offence
against which 1t Is aimed. The Divine law
even does not absolutely prohibit. The
only practical question is what kind OF
legislation exerts the most beneficial iniiu-
ence.
Let prohibition in Maine be compared
with license in other States, and see What
the result Is. In the Union there Is one
retail liquor dealer 10 every 225 inhabit-
ants. In Massachusetts one TO 300; in IL
cense Connecticut, New Yoik and New
Jersey, one to 200; in California one to
100. In prohibjtory Maine, on he other
hand, there is only one drdm-shop to erery
500 inhabitants. And it should be borne
in mind, too, that dram-shop in Maine is
generally q secret affair, with small hid
den stock in trade, and with sales not one
twentieth as large as the sales Of an open
gilded license grog.shop in New York.
Great as is Names advantage to-day, we
intend to 90 still better from year TO year.
And the bill before Congress, offered ear
nestly by the political friends of the San
and Gazette, will aid US much if 1t becomes
a law.-Journdi.