The Portland daily press., 1883-10-01
AN APPEAL
To the People OF Maine.

The undersigned, constituting State Tenn
perance Committee, appointed in part at
meeting of friends of temperance, and In part
by the several temperance organizations in
Maine, take this opportunity to call your atten-
tion to the prohibitory constitutional amend
ment which has been submitted to the people
to be voted on in September, 1884-the consti-
tuition requiring that all proposed amendments
shall be voted on at the regular State election
next succeeding their submission.
The reasons which led many thousand petit
tioners to ask the Legislature TO submit this
amendment, were first to strengthen the policy
of prohibiting dram shops BY making it part
of the fundamental law of the State, so firmly
intrenched as to no longer invite assault, en-
courage resistance or foster hopes of its over
throw; and secondly to elevate prohibition
above party issues and complications, as has
been the result in the case of all other prin-
ciples and policies that have been solemnly
incorporated into the constitution of State and
nation.
Whether or not these reasons were sufficient
ly 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 amend
ment to popular vote makes 1t necessary to
vote it up or vote it down; and it is impossible
to prevent the influence of the vote from pass
ing beyond the question of whether prohibit
tion 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 pro-
hibitory amendment in September, 1884, will
be poll of the voters of Maine on the ques-
tion 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 consequences.
The amendment is not legislation. 1t 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 settled policy Of the
State OF Maine, and that no Legislature shall
ever give the dram-shop the protection OF the
law. Now, any Legislature may substitute
license for prohibition. This simple fact en-
coufsges the liquor interest to hope for the
overthrow OF prohibition, and to maintain an
agitation in that direction. With the adoption
of the amendment all inducement to agitate
for the overthrow 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 simply reserves to the Legislature the same
discretionary 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 prohibitory cause where it stands now. 1t
would not, to be sure, Immediately repeal our
prohibitory laws, but it would at once paralyze
their enforcement and deal them a most in
jurious blow. 1t would be accepted at home,
well as abroad, as proof that the people of
of and
try license. 1t would encourage every enemy
of prohibition in and out of the State to at
once labor for its overthrow. 1t would
correspondingy discourage every friend
OF the prohlbitory policy and make the desper-
ate contest for repeal which would follow, one
of the severest ever known. 1t would renew
the severe political conflicts which prevailed in
this State from 1850 to 1855, with new factor
OF opposition, viz, the corruption funds of the
national liquor dealers 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
homo and abroad, as evidence that the great
body OF the people OF Maine, after a trial of
thirty years, regard the policy of prohibiting
the dram shop as on the whole more success.
ful than that OF license, and propose to hold to
1t. Such result will strengthen the friends
OF prohibition everywhere, and give new I'M
petus to the cause 1t will also greatly
strengthen our prohibitory laws in Maine
will make their enforcement easier, and will
weaken opposition to them. 1t bas 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 weskens their enforcement in MANY
sections of the State. If the vote on the
amendment should show, as we confidently be-.
lieve it will that our prohibitory policy has the
support OF the large majority of our people
suoh result Will do much to increase its pop
ularity and efficiency.
We do not propose at this time to present In
detail those facts which conclusiyely demon
strate that our prohbitory laws have been pro-
ductive OF great good in mitigating the temp
tations OF the dram-shop in Maine. No one
Claims that they have extinguished the secret
dram-shop. Laws prohibiting murder and
robbery do not absolutely prevent these crimes
they simply lessen and mitigate them. That
our prohibitory laws have diminished the
dram-shup evils more than license has done in
other States, and more than license did when
tried in this State,-is within the personal OBJ
servation OF large number of our citizens.
Replies to circulars addressed to each to en
IN Maine indicate that, in large proportion of
the towns, intoxicating liquors are not even
secretly soid Inasmuch as before the advent
of prohibition there were from three to dozen
open dram-shops in nearly all of these towns.
this great change for the better of itself de-
moDstrates the success of our prohibitorv laws
In all but very few OF the towns and cities,
there is no free, open, undisguised sale OF
liquors; and tle secret sale is conducted under
more or less difficulties, varying with the de-
gree of efficiency of the enforcement of the
law, SO as for the most part to offer little temp
tations to persons not seeking for an oppor-
tunity to crafty their appetites.
Itis 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 temper
ance, not only by diminishing the dram-shop
temptations, but also by their educational in
fuence. The great improvement in the drink
ing habits and the general conditions of our
people during tne past forty years, affords
abundant evidence of this.
But no cause, however good, can triumph
over error unless its friends labor to secure src-
cess We appeal, therefore, to every friend OF
temperance to give his active efforts and his
influence TO make the vote in favor of prohibj.
tion one year hence so strong that no one can
misunderstood the position of Maine on this
question.
1t is highly important that there be SO strone
a vote OF the people of Maine of all political
organizations as to lift the question OF temper
ance and prohibition above partisanship into
the sphere OF common morality. 1t is to ac
complish this result-one most earnestly desir
ed by every friend of temperance-that thf
undersigned State committee, composed OF
gentlemen connected with each of the politi
Cal partes III Malne, appeal TO each lnd1 vldua
voter without regard TO his party affiliations,
to sustain the cause of temperance and prohi
bition by an affirmative vote on the amend
ment, and thus make the principle of prohibit
ing dram shops the policy, not of any rarty
but that of the people of Maine without regard
to party names or associations,
Nelson Dingley, Jr., Lewiston, State Lodge
| T. r. Simonton, Camden, of Good
H. A. Shorey, Brilgton, Templars.
J. ". Donegan, Bangor,l Sons
| j. *. Osgood, Gardiner, of
S. l.. Carleton, Portland, Temperance.
| Naal Dow Portland CAn4n ra.......