Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-04-25
The Doctors Disagree.
TEE PORTLAND ARGUS TAKEN TO TASK FOR
SUPPORTING ENFORCEMENT OF THE PRoHi-
Brtion LAWS.
Bangor Commercial 22nd. !


The Portland Argus has thrown off the
mask which it has been wearing and appears
as full pledged prohibitory organ, even out
Heroding the Lewiston Journal in the char
acter OF It's statements auI the fcrvor of its
seal. The Argus profession of faith is
printed elsewhere and is calculated to at
tract considerable attention for various rea-
sons
The Argus resents the criticisms of the
Belfast Age and the Commercial in regard
20 the wisdom of the ramrod enforcement of
the prohibitory law by the democratic MAYOR
and Marshal in Portland. and inquiries why,
II these papers are opposed to the prohibito-
W law, they do not unite in an effort to So
cure its repeal. The Argus must be either
very ignorant or very dishonest to present
the matter in this light. The Commercial
and the Belfast Age have always fought the
prohibitory law to the best of their ability.
have opposed new prohibitory legislation and
labored for the repeal of that existing. II
they had had in this work the cooperation of
the Argus, which has always, up to the latest
deliverance on the subject pretended to be
opposed to prohibition, possibly more might
have been accomplished.
Inc argus, uoWeNef mas always mad more
In view the scoring of some little political
advantage than the advancement of any prn-
ciple which il processes to entertain 1t was
always ready to condemn republican Off
cial for not doing precisely what it applauded
democratic official for leaving undone, and
II was not so very long ago that it published
an article calling attention to the injury be-
ing done to the interests of Portland by the pro-
hibitory law. which was then being enforced
bv republican officials. To get a few pro-
hibition votes for Mayor in Portland or for
constsble In Deering it was always ready to
call for an enforcement of the law, which il
was equally ready to condemn when there
VAS no little political point to be gained nv
self qualification. 1t was but a few DAYS ago
that it declared itself utterly opposed to pro.
hibition. and as convinced that the law could
be OF no avail in Diminishing drunkenness
or elevatipg public morals. Now Il declares
that drunkenness has been decreased 80 per
cent by few weeks enforcement of the law,
and such strides toward the millennium taken
As cause il to raise its ewes and hands in
thanksgiving and praise to Neal Dow and his
fellow prohibitionists who have fought for
the preservation of the Law under which such
great results have been achieved.
The course of the Argus in taking its stand
among the advocates of prohibition appears
to us AS evidence OF the truth of statements
which have come to us concerning the inten-
tons Of some Of Mayor behring's supporters
to press him upon the democratic convention
next year as a candidate for Governor upon
the prohibitorv law. II is because we believe
there is some truth in this that we have de-
voted so much space to the Argus sudden
conversion to prohibition.
We have no objection to Mayor Deering's
devoting the whole Of his term to an attempt
ed suppression Of the liquor traffic in Port.
land. II the people like it they can endorse
his course next spring. If it doesn't suit
them they can show it in q manner equal
" marked; but when it comes to
the question of an endorsement by
the democratic party of the State of can.
didate whose principal claim to its favor il
his enforcement of a Law which is contrary to
the fundamental principles of the party, then
the Commercial has something to say, and il
prop oses to speak in time.
A fundamental principle of the democratic
party. declared in the platforms of its nation
al conventions, reaffirmed in those of its
State Conventions, and maintained by the
press of the party almost without exception,
is opposition to sumptuary laws. When the
time comes for the Portland Argus and Its
clique of Portland politicians to ask demo-
cratic convention to follow them in their
eelfaAtnltihcation on this question, there will