The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-02-11

the most drunken city IN TWO hemlS-
pheres," as Washington GLADDEN. de-
clared it to be? The people there
will wake up by and by to sense of
their shame and guilt. But the law
was formerly well enforced even
there, and can do so again, and will
be, if it survives.
Portland is the largest city in the
state-a seaport, where great many
men Of the sea are always found; yet
even here the grog-shops are driven
into very narrow quarters, and the
sale of liquor is on very small scale.
With few amendments to the law,
every remnant of the unlawful sale of
liquor would cease in a month. |
visit every day the quarters of the
officers, who are set apart here for the
enforcement Of the law, and conse-
o. ntly am accurately informed of the
actual state of things in the city.
Yesterday | was there, and the officers
said, ioyfully:
"We've caught Pat McGlinchy at
last"
'And how did you do it?" I asked.
1--WE were sure from information
we had that Pat was really selling
liquor, and we went there resolved to
stay until we should find his stock.
After very long and minute search,
we were about to give it up, when we
moved bed away from the wall.
Uunder the carpet was small hole in
the floor, and under the bed was a
small tin tube, with little pump at
tached to it. We put the pump down
the hole and drew whisky; and on
taking up the floor, we found a keg
of that nectar buried in the earth,
with the bung just beneath the apera-
ture in the floor. This was his entire
stock in trade. We went to Pat
Welsh's, and, after long search, we
tore up the floor of an clubhouse and
found a gallon jug partly full of
whisky. We went to Biddy McGlos-
ky's, and found her sick and lame
she said-sitting in an armchair.
We told her to get up. She couldn't
she said, she was so lame, and with a
dreadful back-ache We lifted her
out of the chair; and there was a
small jug of whisky on the floor, that
had been screened by her skirts. She
''grabbed" it, and ran to smash it III
the sink; but we snatched it from her
hand. We went to Dennis McCar-
thy's, and seized him with pint bot
tie of whisky and rum, one in each
pocket. And so | could go on for a
column Of The Independent describ-
ing the ways resorted to by the liquor
sellers to evade the law, and the per-
sistency with which they are hunted
by the officials.
By the operation of the law the
traffic is driven out of sight away
from any decent place, so that tempta-
ton to drink is nowhere seen. To
drink is disreputable in Maine, as the
result Of the law Genteel, moderate
drinkers, therefore, do not like it
Hard drinkers do like it, and always
vote for it; they want an end of The
temptation. We have men here from
many parts Of the country and from
England, expressly to be away from
temptation. There is gentleman in
Portland now for that reason; he
came to me three years ago from En-
gland, with letter from friend, de-
scribing his family and condition.
He has now won for himself, with
some help at the beginning, a most
responsible and respectable position,
with a large salary. With his family
he is prompt and punctual at church,
and at Sabbath-school with his chill
dren-a nobleman once more, only by
Gods blessings the result of the
| Mairo Ssh nc, SO hoJ 1oJ
in Maine,' as the papers say.
| was at the town of Gray some
time ago-sixteen miles from Port
land, wretched, drunken town in
the old rum time. 1t was a village
with -Four Corners with four rum
taverns in the old time, one at each
corner. Many country stages, from
many directions, coming to and going
from Portland, dine there, and many
wayfarers in those old days, before
there was a railway, thronged those
taverns, with the towns-people as well.
Many country stores" were there,
with rum large part Of their stock
in trade. | was the guest of my old
friend, Captain Starbird At my left
hand at table was young man, we'll
dressed, Of good manners, and proper
in every way. When alone with my
friend, he told me this young man
was son Of rich man in a Massachu-
setts city. He came to Gray, and to
his house, to be away from the drink
he had been there year, and was to
remain another year, so as to be sure
of thorough cure of the alcoholic
habit. His father allowed him twelve
hundred dollars year. He kept a
horse and dog, had gun and fish
ing-tackle, and a nice boat, and a
chaise and sleigh for summer and
winter use He came from the Old Bay
State to Maine to be redeemed from
the cursed influence of that dreadful
trade which Massachusetts, cherishes
and makes much Of, and protects by
special provisions of law. And yet
there are many influential papers, l
am sorry to say-religious as we'll as
irreligious-which declare prohibition
to be ''no good'' in Maine.
| mention these cases as samples
only of the work going on here, as
the result of the Maine Law, by which
our people save at least twelve
millions Of dollars annually, which,
without it would be squandered in
drink. One of our leading CONNER
cial papers said, few months ago:
SIN large part Of our state an entire
generation has grown up practically
unacquainted with the liquor traffic
and with the results of it" YES"
say the papers I allude to, 'but that
does not prove that there is not ex-
cessive drinking on the sly" Mr.
Blaine said in public letter: 'The
people of Maine are industrious and
provident, and wise laws have aided