Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1884-06-03
lewiston Journal, IIi,


LICENSE RAID on PROHIBITION.
ON SATURDAY there was q forward move
meut In the license papers. all the way
from New York - Bangor. The occasion
was an abstract OF the sllegei opinions Of
the venerable ex.Chlef Justice Appleton
OF Bangoi, 20 the effect that consultation
Al prohibition il unwisc and will amoun,
10 nothing. Pains were taken 10 have this
Information tslegrsphed % many license
papers In other States. The significance
OF this alleged opinion, however, Is I'm
menseiy diminished BY the imputatlon to
Judge Appleton ofprcfcrenees for license
law AMI opposition % the prohibitory idea
even 10 the statutes. Another absurd
idea aitributed - Judge Appleton l. that
unless each legislature legislates specially
10 carry Oui the amendment, there would
be- no law Al al on the subject
A these alleged opinions originate
with The Bangor license organ, the Com
mcrclAl. their incOhcrence must not De IA
Ken a. a proof of Judge Appletons decay
log powers. The Commercial has under
taken 70 lead the free liquor campaign and
promises soon 10 quote others In advocacy
of license.
This Enthusiastically epliome OF Judge
AppletOn's alleged views Il valuable 10
prohlblti0nists 10 this Tcspect-that u
clearly uumAsks the purposes OF the IT,
cense mcu in Maine They wish % over
throw prohibition now and lnaugurate IL
cense They think that BY attacking con
stltutlonal prohlbltiOn they will rally not
only the license men bat some prohibition
l.,s who would choose that prohibition
should be- In statutory rather than la con
stltutlouAl law. hut BY their own show.
ing the gentlemen who declare against
prohibition In the constitution, are license
men. The defeat of the prohlbltory amend
ment l. thus confessed % be not only yO-
ting prohibition out bat license In.
Prohlblilonlsts shoai be up and doing
The uquor Interest would Ike % substl.
tute license laws which are conspicuous
failure everywhere In Maine. for prOhlbl.
tion. The headquarters - this movement
now seems - be- Bangor. IL II high time
that the pfohlbltory amendment campaign
wAs vigorously pushed. The ISSUE II fair
and SQUARE. prohibition or license. The
men who are hghtlng The Amendment, DO
not conceal their opposition ~ prohibition
Ia any form Malncs settled policy u pro
hlbltiOn. The frghfll AMI singular evils
ofthe liquor trafiic are now Too well known,
aud Maine will not permit The liqu0r league
% steal a march on her or allow alleged
citations from high authority 10 under
mlne deliberate convictions, growing out
of experience. of more than a quarter cen
tary OF the value % prohibition and its I'm
mensc superiority over license. In the sup
preston of The colossal evil of the nine
teenth ccutury.
Nor should it be- forgotten that The only
B0ub0rn reaction Maine ever hai from
prohibitOy ideas, occurred early In the his
tory OF prohlbltory legislation 10 this state,
ani that license. aftcr a brleftrial, proved
such an awful failure that by almost aui'
yersh concurrence, Il was swept from
our statue OOOxs, and superseded BY pro
hlbltiOu. IL would be- n bad day for Maine,
should Bouoornism repeat that expert
ment We have no fear that u will be
suffered 20 40 so bat the Indications OF
the remarkable activity OF the license men
are plain. Every friend Of prohibition
should see that the parpose Is, II possible,
% vote down constitutional prohibition
a. the stepping stone 70 voting up license.
The thing cannot be done. Let temper
ance men OF All parties work unltedly,
aud see that license falls far short Of being
lnauguraied ln the parcniIStAte OF Prohi-
billion.