The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-01-12
Why Temperance Democrats Oppose Pro-
hlbltion,

Why Temperance Democrats Oppose Pro-
hlbltion.
II we have prohibitory law that will prohibit,
why should il not work as steadily and etfectually
as do the laws prohibiting burglary and arson I
But our brother says the men whose duty it Is TO
enforce the Law fail to do so And here he stops
tor he edits political newspaper 1t is precisely
here every pdrtg temperance man stops Oh
whichever side he may be. To our mind this is
just where the real trouble begins [Osspee Val
icy News
To the enquiry of the News we reply
that is claimed the prohibitory laws are
as effective as those against burglary, ar
son and other crimes. Gen Neal Dow
says this is the case, and so does the
Lewiston Journal, nd statistics have
been presented in support of the asser-
ton. SO far as Belfast is concerned the
crime of arson was carried to such an eX-
tent here for years that life and property
were Insecure. but no one found fault
with the law or the law officers, and since
the arrest and conviction of two Youthful
incendlaries year or more ago, alarms
Of fire have been infrequent. We do not
hesitate to say, however, that the pro-
hibitory laws are not so generally and
thoroughly enforced as they should be,
and the News in the article from which
we have quoted furnishes the best of
reasons why this is So 1t says that the
prohibtory law has been the pet measure
Of the Republican party for years, ''for
the reason that it was deemed a success
ful party eXpedient" and that
A. in duty bound the Democratic party ha,
zealously opposed it. early and late, IN Legislature
and out-uot because there no Temperance
element iu that party. bat because, as the off.
spring Of the opposite party, it was purely pr
htcal act, ana such received their coadenna
ton
This is surprising admission. And to
what does it lead: Most of the laws on
our statute books are the offspring of the
Republican party and may as we'll be SET
down as political acts, and as such re-
ceiye the condemnation of the Demo
cratic party. In national legislation We
have the protective tariff, the consttu-
tiOnal amendments and the resumption
act, among others, which were opposed
by the Democratic party when enacted,
and which that party might as we'll re-
fuse TO accept as the laws for suppressing
the evils of incompetence. The Demo-
Gratis would not enact prOhibitory legisla
ton themselves, and because the law il
of Republican origin, even the temper
ancc men ID the Democratic party. ac-
cordng 10 the News, refuse to obey it OF
to aid in its enforcement. As we'll mighI
The Republicans refuse to obey laws
placed on the statute books by Demo-
crats--a policy which if carried out by
both parties, would inevitably result il
the destruction Of our system Of govern
nent
The duty of enforcing the prohibitory
laws ID this State devolves upon the city
ana NtuHtN tlICtlS. ltSt dlt VI al
parties. In this county most OF the Off
GERS are FusiOnists, but We do not charge
and have not charged that they fail to
enforce the law. We do not expect them
70 devote all their time to terreting gu,
rum shops. to the neglect of other du-
ties, and we hold it to be the duty of ali
temperance men and women who art
cugnlZant Of sales of liquor to make com
plant to these officers that the law MAY
be enforced, as We are confident it would
be So far as the journal is concerned il
does propose to ''stop" anywhere in this
matter because il is a political newspa-
per It does not regard the temperance
question as party question, but as ont
Of vital Importance TO the people at large,
and in this spirit proposes to discuss it,