The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-03-20

What could the legislature do under tile umen,l"l
constitution (as to prohibitory lcgsiation) that it
cannot DO now: Argus.
In one sense nothing; in another sense much
Inc prlnclpie Of prohibition, once written in
our fundamental! law settles for alt time the
polcy of the State as TO the liquor traffic. No
longer dependent upon the domination of either
political party. our lawmakers could address
themselves to the task of providing suitable
measures for the enforcement of the mandate
of the constitution without patI,n4 to INQUIRE
as to the effect of such action upon the political
party which happened to be dominant in the
legislature for She time being. Having thus
outiaWed the liquor traffic it could courageous
~ utal With laW-3rcakers as ii has done in the
paNt-and by wise and discreet LEGISLATION well
supported by the better sentiment of all partic,
II might render rum-seing in Maine us intrc-
qutht ae murder, arson, OF robbery.
But the main consideration with the friends
of temperance III this campaign is not so much
a. TO lhe positive benefits ACQUIRING from the
adoption OF the amendment, a. the disastrous
results which would inevitably follow is dp-
feat. not only III Maine but throughout the
Wofiu. Maine, for thirty years regarded as the
beacon-llSht OF temperance reform ana the pio-
neef III prohlbltorS legislation, must il Septem-
Der next pass anew upon the question of pro-
hblllon. The principle rs applied to the liquor
lra1hc must he ''Voted up or voted down" If
voted down, the returns proclaim to the world
That MAINE REPJDIArFS Prohibitions
announcement winch would be hailed with
pHans OF JOY in every Gin palace and groggery
throughout the world. Such verdict might
well make ''angel~ weep and devils rejoice" aS
1t would be the practical reversal of the temper
ance teachings of thirty years, and the setting
back OF the >un-dlal of temperance progress for
at least Il quarter Of century. The friend, of
temperance long since agreed upOn two vital
principles rs cOrner->tonc> of the temperance
strucure-total abstinence for the individual
ana pfohlbiilon rs Il policy of the State To
repudlate one of these fundamental principles
Is 10 allow the structure to tOtter Of its own
weight. The immediate effect of such a verdict
must be to at once render our prohbitorv laws
Il dead letter and open the way for the inaugli-
ration of a movement for their repeal. i'll which
the hquor-nttreSt OF the country would heart
lily JOIN and contribute large sums of money for
the accomplishment of an enterprise 50 vitality
affecting their interests.
nc friends Of temperance fully understand
TINS and unitedly and Te>peclive Of party
Affiliations. are aborlng earnestly TO roll up for
the amendment such majority as shall rlnpll-
SIZE the settled conviction Of the friends Of
temperance everywhere that on the whole,
ana taken aIi Ill all, prohibition is the best legal
method yet devised for decreasing intrnprl'-
ance with lis attendant evils, and the only de-
wee known among men by which the business
OF misunderstanding may be 50 ct1ectualIy ont
IaWed is to place the rum-seer in the category
OF crl!nlnal>-an enemy to the public veal
ana punishable as are other criminals, by pen
altle> commensurate with the offence. TBrid.-
ton News