Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-10-09
AN APPEAL
TO THE PEOPLE OF MAINE.

ICuptIaulC
par, at a meeting of friends of temper
auce organizations in Maine, take this
opportunity to call your attention to the
constitutional amendment which has been
su admitted to the people to be voted up
on in Sept, lss4-the constitution re-
curing that all proposed amendments
shall be voted upon at the re gular State
election next succeeding their submis-
sion.
The reasons which led many thousand
petitioners to ask the legislature TO sub
nit this amendment were first to strength
en- the policy of prohibiting dram shops
by making it part Of the fundamental
law of the State, so firmly intrenched as
20 longer invite assault, encourage resis-
tenee or foster hopes of its overthrow !;
and secondly TO elevate prohibition above
party issues and complications, as has
been the result in the case of all other
principles and policies that have been
solemnly incorporated into the consttu-
ton of state and nation.
Whether or not these reasons were
sufficiently well grounded to justify such
a step, it is not now necessary to inquire,
for the reason that the fact of the sub
mission Of the amendment to popular
vote makes it necessary to vote IT up or
vote it down; and it is impossible to pre-
vent the influence Of the vote from pass
ing beyond the question Of whether pro-
hibition shall be in the constitution, to
the other question of whether prohibition
shall stand or give way to license. In
deed both at home and abroad almost
the only question which will be regarded
a. involved in the submission viii be
tina, Of prohibition or license.
Practically, therefore, the vote on the
prohibitory amendment in September,
1884. viii be poll Of the voters of Maine
on the question Of prohibition or license
and every voter should cas-, his vote in
view Of this practical fact 1t is for this
reason that the mere form of the amend
ment Is Of little consequence. The
amendment Is not legislation. 1t does
not add 70 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 settled policy of the State of
Maine, and that no legislature shall
ever give the dram.shop the protec
ton Of the law. Now, any Legislature
may substitute license for prohibition.
This simple fact encourages the liquor
interest 10 hope for the overthrow Of
prohibition, and 70 maintain an agitation
in that direction. With the adoption OF
the amendment all inducement 70 agitate
for the overthrow Of prohibition would
be taken away. The exception Of cider
from the operation of the amendment
does no, in any manner change existing
laws relating to it, but simply reserves
70 the legislature the same discretionary
right to deal with It that this body now
has.
Il must be eviden, to every rejecting
mind tha, defeat Of the smedment can
not leave the prohibitory cause where it
stands now Il would not to be sure,
Immediately repeal our prohibitory laws.
but it would at once paralyze their en-
forcement and deal them a most injurious
blow. It would be accepted at home,
as well as abroad. as a proof that the
people Of Maine are tired Of prohibition
and ready to try license. 1t would en-
courage every enemy Of prohibition in
and out Of the state to At once labor for
its overthrow. II would correspondingly
discourage every friend Of the prohibitory
policy aud make the desperate contest for
repeal which would follow, one Of the
severest ever known. II would renew
the severe political conflicts over this
question which prevailed in this state
from 1850 10 1855, with a new factor Of
opposition, viz, the corruption funds OF
the national liquor dealers associations
Of the country, solicitous 70 break what
they regard as the head and front of leg
islstion adverse TO their interests.
On the other hand, a strong afirma-
tive 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 years, regard the
policy Of prohibiting the dram shop as 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 new
impetus to the cause. II viii also great
J strengthen our prOhibitOry laws in
dsine, will make their enforcement cas-
sr, and viii weaken opposition to them
: mas been claimed, and Is believed by