The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-30
PROHIBITION IN MAINE.
What Is Thought of the Laws Operation by
Leading Nen of the State.


only A correspondent of the Chicago Times
has gathered the views of large number of
prominent men throughout the State upon the
operation of the prohibitory statute, from which
we quote some of the more leading and import
ant:
Ex-Governor Chamberlain says: "It is fact
that there is decided restraint upon the use OF
Intoxicating liquors in this State and strong
public sentiment against it, But it is not IN the
power of man to say how much OF this IS justly
to be ascrbed to the force OF our promoltofy
law, and how much to other influences, such as
the advance of scientific knowledge of the hurt
full effect of intoxicating liquors on the human
system, and the economic enects OF their use
upon community or the advance in the tone of
cultivated society as to what is gentlemanly and
honorable in conduct, or of Christian and moral
sentiment. and the application of these senti
ments and convictions in the personal efforts of
earnest men and women who are doing such
powerful work in communities. But think
it must be said that our prohibitory law has con
tributed very much to check the use OF lntoXica-
ting liquors.
Now as to the question of the proposed
amendment On general principles the regula
ton Of the production and sale of intoxicants is
not proper matter for constitutional provision.
1t belongs, like the regulation of the keeping OF
firearms, gunpowder and dangerous drugs, to
the civil and not the political order; to the
sphere of the common law and municipal juris-
dcton; to sanitary and police regulation. l can
indeed conceive of an evil of this kind becoming
so grave that it might properly be prohibited in
the organic law. But no such state of things eX-
lists in Maine. Our laws have not been Sc inef-
fective as to demand this. The Constitution al
ready gives ample scope to our liquor laws. The
severest of them have never been overruled as
unconstitutional
II do not think the proposed amendment is
needed nor would it either supersede or execute
existing laws. But now that our Legislature has
thought it eXpedient to submit the question L
can readily see that many will vote for the
amendment, because they regard it as an express
sion of the people on the subject of free liquor,
and they will be unwilling to have it appear that
Maine has any weak or uncertain voice on that
subject. This is not really the ISSUE but it will
be made to appear so, and that will control the
action of many who feel that they have an
awkward necessity imposed them, and who
still believe that it is more obedience and not
more law, that will secure better morals"
Darius H. Ingraham of Portland says: 81
have obtained this morning from Mr. j. L.
Rackleff of the internal revenue Office for Maine,
the following statistics: Number OF liquor
licenses, retail, issued in Maine since May l,
1883, 1,l3l; number liquor licenses, wholesale.
4 number malt liquor dealers III; total 1,255.
The population of Maine is 600 900. Dividing
by 255 we have 6l8, one licensed liquor dealer
in Maine for every SIS inhabitants. For Port
land the assessors gave me the number of retail
liquor licenses issued, 200 wholesale licenses, B.
total, 203. The population of Portland is about
$4,000. There is one licensed liquor dealer for
every 1T inhabitants. This is so astounding
that 1 thought l had made mistake till went
three times over the figures. AS to the second
question you ask, as to the wisdom and pro
priety of adopting the constitutional amend
ment proposed, this sickening exhibit must suf-
flee. / refer you to the opinion of Chief Justice
Appleton, for thirty years on our Maine bench"
Rt. Rev. H. A. Nicely, Bishop of the Episcopal
Church. says: Having information of the
state of things here with regard to the sale and
IF into fna of
the law, cannot say that it is not now much
better. But neither can say that have per-
ceived any signal advantages as flowing from
the various amendments which have been made
to the law during my residence here, and one
days observation streets, or a single ref
erence to the proceedings in our criminal courts,
would furnish evidence enough that the liquor
traffic has been by no means suppressed in
Maine. Our condition is certainly deplorable
even now and that notwithstanding the contin-
ued appeals and activity of various organiza
tions, the mere existence of which, in my town,
testifes to the alarming extent of the evil. And
yet it may have been still more widespread and
virulent before the adoption of the law Look
ing at the question as mere uninstructed lay
man, have been unable to find ground for the
anticipation of great benefits from the proposed
constitutional change"
Scion Chase, of "Them Steers" says: "Pro-
hibition has done our people great good. In
a large portion of the State generation has
grown up and never seen dramshop. | was
the farm where l was born. Before we had pro
hibtion. nearly all the men and boys at Chase's
Mills drank intoxicating liquors, more or less.
Now none of the men or boys drink at all. The
same is true of most of the substantial rural towns
of the State Our best people have set their
faces against rum and have faith in prohibition.
In our large towns rum is sold all the year
round, on the sly-not so sly but that those who
want it can find it, but so sly that those who
don't want it don't see it. The great mass of pro-
hibtionists belong to the Republican party, and
the Republicans hold most of our cities by small
majority. Without the support Of Republi-
can rum-sellers and Republican rum drink
ers they could not carry the cities of
Maine, Nnpng makes a rum-seller en-
joy religion Ike voting the temperance ticket
aud being allowed to sell rum. The most of
the Republican rumsellers are converts from the
Democratic party, because it is safer for Re
publican to sell rum in Maine than a Democrat.
Prohibition is so strong in the hearts of the peo-
Pile there would seem to be little danger of a re-
peal of the Maine law. The Republican party
never will repeal the law. If the Maine law is
repealed it will be done by the immortal Demo
cratic party
Elk Chief Justice Appleton says: 'My opinion
Of the utter uselessness of the proposed consti-
tutional amendment is well known. | may here
after give my views to the questions proposed,
but it is not eXpedent now"
United States District Attorney Lunt says:
''In nv opinion the prohibitory law in Maine,
considering the nature and extent of the evil to
remedy which it was enacted has proved as eff
cacious as any other statute relating to crime 1
believe the constitutional amendment if adopt
ed, will tend to perpetuate the prohibitory law
and prevent the enactment of a license law, and
l am in favor of its adoption"
Hon. D. N. Mortand, of Rockland says $50
far as my observation has extended am salts
fed that there has been no material diminution
of the amount of intoxicating liquor consumed
in this State, and if there has been any advance
in public sentiment as to the use of intoxicating
liquors as beverage, it cannot reasonably be
attributed to prohibition. Prohibition has to
great extent changed the mode of supply but
the demand has continued unabated and that
demand has been supplied in some way by some
persons. AS to the proposed amendment L can
see wisdom in the proposition nor in the
adoption of any such amendment. for the reason
that the courts have uniformly held that with
out any such special provision in the Constitu-
ton nrohibtorY laws may be enacted and en-