St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-02
Blaine on Prohibition.

IueTe mas Deen considerable discussion,
especially in the west, in regard to the posi-
ton of the Republican presidential candi-
date on the question OF prohibition. There
are many Germans in Cincinnati, Milwau-
kee, Chicago and other cities, who generally
vote the Republican ticket, but will never
vote for man who upholds sumptuary laws.
1t is especially because of these voters that
some Republican editors in the west are an
xious about Mr. Blaine's position on this sub
ject.
Milwaukee paper recently boldly denied
that the Augusta candidate is prohibition
list. But there is an old Latin quotation,
which being literally translated, is that ''writ-
ing remains" Mr.. Blaine is committed in
type in regard to the Maine law. Nobody
who is acquainted with his political history
wonders that there is some difference of
opinion as to his position in regard to this
subject. He is above all things politician
and not disposed to commit himself, unless
pushed to it, to the advocacy of a measure
which he is aware is obnoxious to a large
class of Republican voters in other states.
In the March number of the North Ameri-
can Review for 1882, however, Hon. Neal
Dow, the illustrious Prohibitory fanatic, who
says that no liquors are sold in Portland,
has all article on Prohibitory legislature. In
that article he writes of many testimonies re-
ceived in 1872 from the highest authorities
in the state, in favor of the Maine law.
Among these is a letter signed by Hannibal
Hamlin, Lot NJ. Morrill, and VIM. P. Frye.
Under this letter is the following;
Mr.. Blaine adds to this:
4 -, he b
enactment of the first Prohibitory law, and
therefore cannot make a comparative state
ment from my own knowledge; but so far as
my knowledge extends, derived from twenty
years observation of the cause of temper
ance in this state, most cordially concur in all
that is said IN the foregoing letter.
Now, what was the letter, all of which
meets Mr.. Blaine's hearty concurrence! 1t
was this:
At the time of the enactment of the law in
1851, the traffic existed openly and every
where in Maine, as it non does i,t those states
,rIere ii is not prohibited. The immediate eff
feet was to outldD the trade, declaringit to be
inconsistent with the general welfare, and
reducing it to very small proportions
In many states it is now nearly or quite
unknown. There are large districts of
country where liquor shops are absolutely
unknown; and everywhere within our Dor
ders where the trade exists at all, it is car
ried on secretly and in a small way. The
favorable effects of this change are great,
and everywhere apparent to the most casual
observer who has any knowledge of The state
prior to the year 1851. We do not believe
the people OF Maine for any consideration
would again sanction the policy of license to
drinking houses and tipping shops "
Now what do our German friends, who
etmes drink some harmless beer or
cider with their wives and children, think of
the letter in which Mr.. Blaine cordially con-
curs? One of the features of the law which
Mr.. Blaine upholds is, that while In other
states the traffic is open, here ''u is carried on
secretly and IN a small acay." The Cincinnati
German Republican who sells his lager can
now know that he would be an ''outlaw'' in
Maine and that James G.. Blaine heartily con-
ours in that conclusion. Not for any con-
sideration would Mr.. Blaine sanction the
the policy Of license.
1t is no surprise in Maine that Mr.. Blaine
is down for Prohibition. On the surface
such a position has been the proper one
for an aspiring politician in this State to
take. People who did not at heart believe
in or in practice sustain the theory Of Prohi-
bition have supported the law, and many
such have often voted in the Legislature to
increase the stringency of the statute, at the
demand of the temperance fanatics. No
man could successfully aspire to political
prefermentin this State who did not out
wardly at least endorse the Maine Law. If
he spoke in its favor, however. though he
might be en- habitual drunkard, he was re-
garded by the Prohibitionists as better tenn
perance man than he, who while living
perfectly sober life, condemned the Maine
Law as an unwarrantable interference with
individual liberty.
Mr.. Blaine, though he has fought shy OF
the subject as far as possible, is on the rec
ord as endorsing the Maine Law fanaticism,
and he will find his little letter to Neal Dow
even more troublesome than the Mulligan
epistles before the campaign is over.