The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-05-05
Esr sa .fsssf.s:t.. 1zsz-sler. THE HISTORY OF PROHIBITION
64 NER>oN \. [ MES.

From ISso 70 1884 prohibition pre- vailed in many of he northern states. The spirit of puIitanism ran riot with as much recklessness as in the colonial days. During that period of fanaticism. Ohio. Michigan. Massachusetts. Connecticut. New Hampshire. Rhode Island. Yer mont and Maine. all adopted prohibition. Ohio and Michigan. whose constitutions were adopted in 1850 and 1851, ,imbedded prohibition in their organic law. They still have these same constitutions. but their courts have long ago ceased to try to enforce them on this subject. The courts m Michigan got around the con- s;itu,ion by deciding, many years ago, tha, the place. where liquor was sold. could betaxed. The courts in Ohio de- oided just the opposite. A jug of liquor now, in the great state of Ohio. is sold as freely as jug of nolasses. According to the governors last message there were on the first of last January, 10000 saloons in that s;ate-f6.ooo bright stars sparkle there n the Armament of prohibition.
 Prohibition in Vermont. Maine and New Hampshire was adopted by statute laws. New Hampshire. like Ohio and Michigan. many years ago saw the hurt ful influences of this despotic law. and gave up all effort to enforce it. But Yer mon, and Maine. with ,ireless malignity during :ll the past thirty-two years. have used ali the combined powers of their government 10 crush the wine and liquor merchants. Cotton Ma,her and Increa SC Mather never burned witches with more malicious pleasure. than has been dis r,iax->I f,.. tlu nf ,L states. in breaking up families and send ing men and women to prison for the artificial crime of selling wine to their fellow-citizens. The children of the brutal old Puritans. like the poets re- ligious crow. !" still keep the creed of their kiad.' Kansas and Iowa. during the past two years, have adopted cons,i- tuiional amendments against granting lig1or license. l, has been rendered n- operative in the former, by the election of officers opposed 10 its enforcement,
 and has been decided unconstitutional n the latter state. Now. according so the last official report Of the commissioner of internal revenue. there are c5.7i6 saloons in these Seven states, viz: Ohio. Mich isan. Iowa, Kansas. New Hampshire. Vermont and Maine. despite of all their exploits in the field of prohibition. Ac- oording to the same authority there are only 2I.c5S retail liquor dealers in the thirteen southern states. Now, as Maine has tried prohibition for one generation, or thirty-;wo years, and as the Maine liquor law Is known all over the civilized world. will analyze the civilization ofihat state, and compare her with her three sister New Enga and states. which grant license. and thcs see how far she may be ahead. or behind. these same states. take il. that fl there be anything good or great m prohibition. that It should now be clearly evolved. and made s,rikingly manifest Tn the sober state of Maine. 1 will trs. compare the increase in population. m the three prohibitoy states, Maine. Vermont and New Hampshire, under the last thirty years o' prohibition fw i,h .,he increase ef population n thothree license states. Massachusetts. Rhode Island and Connect.cg,. Vermont. New Hamp- shire and Maine had d combined popG- lation in iS5o the year before they adopted these sumptuary laws. of I.,Is-,6,. and. only I.5.S.,I, iEsIsSo. a gam of only II, 9-s m three states ir thirty years. under ,he benign influence of prohibition. Massachusetts. Rhode Island and Conn ec,icui had a combined population in 1850 cf isI2sss. ard osc.5io -in Isso. a gain of .iee l6f. Mark Ire mighty difference. l; seems as
 the Arrsricsn people have no, rushed there wi.h ihfir Asnes ard little ores. to bask in the .'felieiises oi their earthly par adise- l wiii notice he wezl,h-ws stisg argumeu., asci with so much vehemenoe by these strange rTohibiitonis's- They confidently claim that ihe granting of liquor license in state. ksepS,he labor ing men in il poor. In 1880 ;he citizens of Massachusetts had s,IS.oi7.9,, good 1 dollars laid up in the savings banks i