The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-09-15

To the Editor Of the Press:
Now that the voters of Maine, in their SOW
ereign capacity, have by an unprecedented ma
iorty, written the principle of prohibition in
the fundamental law of the State, it may just
ly be claimed that the people of Maine are in
favor of prohibition, and presumably, of its en-.
forcement On direct issue, uutrammeed
by party complications and by the largest vote
ever given upon constitutional amendment in
Maine, the people by at least three to one have
declared for the principle of prohibition as APP
piled to the liquor traffic. am aware that
there is some claim that persons voted for pro-
hibition who are suspected of being unfavorable
to temperance and that some practical friends
of the suppression of the grog-shops voted
against the amendment, while others repre-
senting both classes did not vote at all. This
is no doubt true: and it is also no doubt true
that under one influence aud another some
Democra voted the Republican ticket and
some Republicans the Democrat ticket. No
Que, boWever, will have the hardihood to say
that there is any doubt as to whether the peo-
pie OF NJ 4ine really desire that Frederick Ro-
bis shall serve them as their chief magistrate
OF the State for the next two years, or that a
Republican Legislature has been chosen to en-
act our laws, aud yet the majority in favor of
the amendment is more than double that CIV
en- for the Republ can ticket.
In my Judgment the verdict Is so emphatic
as to leave 10 question in the mind OF any
tair minded man as to what the people desire
as to the grog shops. The call is made by the
kings OF this Common wealth to their servants,
the executors of their will, that the grog-shops
shall be closed u, and that any tamperng
with the liquor traffic for political or other
considerations be discontinued. The people
call for the faithful and i'm partial enforcement
of the liquor law; and il 1 correctly read the
Indications they are determined that in one
way or another this shall be brought about.
The PRESS remarks that there does not APP
pear BY the vote to be any thing like unani-
NOUS public sentiment in the cities to sustain
the enforcement Of the lawl No! neither is
there in favor of the enforcement OF any GRIM
mai law. There is very strong a1tagonism in
this State to the execution of the death PEN
atty, and earnest Christian men BY thousands
are uualterably opposed to it. Yet the law
making authority does not respect the wish OF
he minority in this res peet aud the murderer
of the Bath policeman will be executed in
spite of the protest OF those opposed to capital
punishment Iu the large cities will be found
a very considerable numOer OF voters who con-
stitute the criminal classes who are not i'll fav-
or OF the enforcement of the laws against theft
gambling aid kindred crimes, yet, thauk
heaven, the moral Sense of this Commonwealth
as ex pressed by the maj1rity-the law-making
poRer-dOes not permit the criminal classes to
nullify the laws against these crimes out of re-
speet 10 the feelings of those who from one
cause aud another ask immunity from the oper-
atious oe our criminal laws.
do not agree with my friend DR.. Warren
that the prohibitory law is fatally defective"
Possibly some minor amendments may be re-
quired and in due time friendly Legislature
will be ready to remedy the defect. But just
now there is law enough to close every frog
shop in Portland within a months time, if the
oficers of the law, encouraged and supported
by the friends of temperance, could be III
duced to pursue the liquor sellers as they do all
other classes of criminals. Ii tho search aud
seizure" clause of the law is not effective, lei
the ,nuisance act" be resorted 10, hich holds
any person "keeping or maintaining" place
for the 'illegal sale or keeping OF Intoxicating
liquors" as common nuissnces," punishable
by fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or
i'm prisonmeut in the county jail not more than
one year. The owner of the building where
this illegal sale is carried is subject to the
provisions OF this law, and by its use the grog.
geries of Fore and Centre streets would very
speedily be placarded ITO Let!'
Without trespassiDg further upon your space
Mr.. Editor, aud on behalf of q majority OF
| fifty thousand OF the voters of Name, 1 appeal
to the friends of temperance and the officers OF
| the law of all grades to give US an honest aud
| an imparta enforcement of existing statutes
for the suppression of the grog-shops.
Very truly, H A. s.