Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-10-02
An Appeal
To THE PEOPLE OF MAINE.

meeting OF friends OF temperance, anu IN
part by the several temperance organizations
10 Maine. take this opportunity to call your
attention to the prohibitory constitutional
amendment which has been submitted to the
people to be voted upon in September, 1884
the constitution requiring that all proposed
amendments shall be voted upon at the regular
State election next succeeding their submis-
sion.
The reasons which led many thousand pc
titioners to ask the legislature to submit this
amendment, were first to strengthen the poll
cy Of prohibiting dram shops by making it
part Of the fundamental law of the State, so
firmly intrenched as to no longer invite as
sault, encourage resistance or foster hopes Of
its overthrow and secondly to elevate prohi-
bition above party issues and complications,
a. has been the result in the case Of all other
principles and policies that have been solemn
ly incorporated into the constitution of State
and nation.
Whether or not these reasons were suf-
fcicently well grounded to justify such a
step, it is not now necessary to inquire, for
the reason that the fact of the submission Of
the amendment to a popular vote makes il
necessary to vote il up or vote it down; and
il il impossible to prevent the influence Of
the vote from passing beyond the question of
whether prohibition shall be in the consttu-
ton, to the other question of whether pro-
hibition shall stand or give way to license.
Indeed both at home and abroad almost the
only question which will be regarded in
volved in the submission will be that of pro-
hibiti0n or license.
Practically, therefore, the vote on the pro-
hibitory amendment in September, 1884,
will be poll of the voters of Maine on the
question Of prohibition or license; and every
voter should cast his vote in view of this
practical fact. 1t is for this reason that the
mere form of the amendment is of little con-
sequence. The amendment is not legisla-
ton. Ii does not add to nor subtract from
the text of any law now on the statute book.
In effect it simply declares that the policy of
prohibiting the liquor traffic shall be the set
tied policy Of the State of Maine, and that
NO Legislature shall ever give the dram-shop
the protection ofthe law. Now, any Legisla-
ture may substitute license for prohibition.
This simple fact encourages the liquor in
terest to hope for the overthrow of prohibi-
ton, and to maintain an agitation in that d.
rection. With the adoption of the amend
ment all inducement to agitate for the over
throw of prohibition would be taken away.
The exception of cider from the operation of
the amendment does not in any manner
change existing laws relating to it, but sim
ply reserves to the Legislature the same dis
cretiOnary right to deal with it that this body
now has.
1t must be evident to every rejecting mind
that defeat of the amendment cannot leave
the prohbitory cause where it stands now. 1t
would not, to be sure, Immediately repeal our
prohibitory laws, but it would at once para
lie their enforcement and deal them most
injurious blow. 1t would be accepted at
home. as well as abroad. as a proof that the
l. H.. 4 II
ready to try license. 1t would encourage
every enemy of prohibition in and out Of the
State to at once labor for its overthrow. 1t
would correspondin9ly discourage every
friend of the prohibtory policy and make the
desperate contest for repeal which would
follow. one of the severest ever known. 1t
would renew the severe political
conflicts over this question which pre-
vailed in this State from 1850 to
1855 with new factor Of opposition, viz. the
corruption funds of the national liquor deal
ers associations of the country, solicitous to
break what they regard as the head and front
Of legislation adverse to their interests.
On the other hand, strong affirmative ma
jority for the amendment will be accepted at
home and abroad rs evidence that the great
thirty years, regard the policy of prohibiting
the dram shop as on the whole more success
full than that of license, and propose to hold
lit. Such result will strengthen the friends
Of prohibition everywhere, and give new i'm
petus to the cause. IL will also greatly
strengthen our prohbitory laws in Maine.
will make their enforcement easier, and will
weaken opposition to them. 1t has been
claimed. and Is believed by many, that our
prohibition laws are not sustained BY the
people, and this belief encourages opposition
to them and weakens their enforcement in
many sections Of the State. II the vote on
the amendment should show, A. we confident
ly believe 1t will, that our prohibitory policy
has the support of the large majority Of our
people, such result will do much to increase
its popularity and efficiency.
We do not propose at this time to present
in detail those facts which conclusively de-
monstrate that our prohibitory laws have
been productive Of great good in mitigating
the temptation, of the dram-shop in Maine.
No one clsims that they have extinguished
the secret dran-shop. Laws prohibiting
murder and robbery do not absolutely pre-
vent these crimes; they simply lessen and
mitigate them. That our prohibitory laws
have diminished the dram-shop evils more
than license has done in other States, and more
than license did when tried in this State,-is
within the personal observation Of q large
number of our citizens.
Replies to circulars, addressed to each
town in Maine indicate that, in a large pro-
portion of the towns, intoxicating liquors are
not even secretly sold. Inasmuch a. before
the advent Of prohibition there we're from
three to dozen open dram-shops in nearly
al Of these towns, this great change for the
better Of itself demonstrates the success of
our prohibitory laws.
In all but a very few Of the towns and
cities. there 10 no free. open, undisguised
sale of liquors; and the secret sale Is con
Quoted under more or less difficulties, vary
ing with the degree Of efficiency Of the en-
forcement Of the Law, 90 as for the most part
to offer little temptation to persons not seek.
ing for an opportunity to crafty their appe-
titoe.
1t 10 well-nigh the universal testimony of
those who have engaged in temperance work
that our prohibitory laws are an important
adjunct of moral agencies in the promotion
Of temperance, not only by diminishing the
dram-shop temptations, but also BY their edu-
cational influence. The great improvement
in the drinking habits and the general condi-
tions Of our people during the past forty
vears, AFFORD abundant evidence of this
But no cause, however good, can triumph
over error unless its friends labor to secure