The Republican journal., 1883-10-11
An Appeal to the People of Maine

Il
ance Committee, appointed in part at a meeting of
friends of temperance and in part by the several
temperance organizations in Maine, take this op-
portunlty to call your attention to the prohbiory
constitutional amendment which has been sub
mlted to the people to be voted upon in Sept. 1884
the constitution requiring that all proposed
amendments shall be voted upon at the regular
State election next succeeding their submission.
The reasons which led many thousand petition
er5 to ask the legislature to submit this amend
inent, were first to strengthen the policy of pro
hibltins dram shops by making it part of the
fundamental law of the state, so firmly nrenched
as TO no longer invite assault encourage resistance
or foster hopes of its overthrow; and secondly to
elevate prohibition above party issues and com
pcations, has been the result in the case of all
other principles ana policies that have been solemn
~ Incorporated into the constitution of state and
nation.
well grounded to justify such step, it is not
necessary to inquire, for the reason that the fact
OF the submission of the amendment to a popular
vote makes it necessary to vote it up or vote it
down; and it is impossible to prevent the influence
OF the vote from passing beyond the question of
whether prohibition shall be in the constitution, to
the other question of whether prohibition shall
stand or give way to license. Indeed both at home
and abroad almost the only question which will be
regarded as involved in the submission will be that
OF prohibition or license.
Practically, therefore, the vote on the prohi l.
tory s amendment in September, 1884, will be a poll
OF the voters of Maine on the question Of prohih
ton 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 consequence. The amendment is not egis-
latlon. 1t does not add to subtract from the
text of any law now on the statute book. In effect
1t simply declares that the policy Of prohibiting
the liquor traffic shall be the settled policy Of the
state OF Maine, and that no legislature shall ever
give the 0ramshop the protection Of the law
Now, any legislature may substitute license for
prohibition. This simple facI encourages the
liquor interest to hope for the overthrow of pro
hlbitlOn, and to maintain an agitation in that Ill
rcction. With the adoption of the amendment all
inducement to agitate for the overthrow Of pro-
hlGltion would be taken away. The exception OF
tho
not IN any manner change existing laws relating to
1t, but simply reserves to the legislature the same
discretionary right to deal with j. that this body
now has.
i must be evident to every rejecting mind that
defeat of the amendment cannot leave the pro
hibitory cause where it stands now 1t would not,
to be sure, immediately repeal our prohbtory
laws, but it would at paralyze their enforce
ment AMI deal them most injurious blow. 1t
Wouiu ne accepted at home as well as abroad,
proof that the people OF Maine tired of prohibit
ton AMI 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
correSpondingly discourage every friend of the
prohlbltory policy and make the desperate contest
for repeal which would follow one of the Seyerest
ever known, 1t would renew the severe political
conflicts over this question which prevailed in
this state from 1850 to 1S55, with new factor Of
opposition, viz, the corruption funds of the na-
lonal liquor dealers associations of the country,
soilcitous 10 break mat tley regard is the ie;td
and front of legislation adverse to their interests
On the other hand, strong Affirmative majority
| for the amendment will be accepted, at home and
abroad, as evidence that the great body of the
people of Maine after trial of thirty wears regard
| the policy of prohibiting the dram Shop 4, on the
| whole more successful than that of license
and propose to hold to it. Such 4 result will
strengthen the friends of prohibition everywhere,
| and give Is" impetus to the cause. 1t VIII also
greatly strengthen our prohibitory laws in Maine,
VIII make their enforcement easier, and will weak
en- opposition to them. 1t has been claimed, and is
helleve'i by many, that our prohibition laws are
sustained by the people, and this belief encourages
| opposition to them and wcakens their enforcement
| sections q the no ot4 IN