The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-09-01
PROHIBITION IN MAINE.

If thero is bigger temperance dema-
gogue than Gen. Neal Dow, Of Maine, It
must be ST. John. Gen. Dow calls him.
self ''the father of the Maine law" and
for years he has contended that the Maine
law is success. Whenever 1t was charged
that as much rum, or more rum, wal
sold in Maine under prohibitory law thar
under license laws, he rushed at once tc
deny the charge and show by alleged
facts and figures that prohibition had won
derfnlly decreased intemperance and
liquor selling.
In the last presidential campaign he dc
MED the necessity for a third party, and
asserted that the Republican party had
given them all the prohibition they had
Now, he asserts In effect that the pro.
hibitory laws are dead letter in Maine,
that the Republican party is rum party,
and that the third party is necessary
This is remarkable example of man
swallowing himself.
Dow is reported as saying "They
thought all along that the Republican
party meant to enforce prohibition, but
after waiting for several years they find it
is all put on. The Republicans do not
dare to enforce the laws on the statute
books for fear of losing the saloon ele-
ment. II we can't get it in the party we
will have it in another, for we are going
to have absolute prohibition in Maine at
all hazards. have seen it come up from
nothing. II has lived and prospered here
for twenty eight years, and Blaine and
Bodwell, with all their rummy gang, can
not kill it.
Mr.. Dow either gave false witness years
ago or he gives 1t now.
just how prohibition "has lived and
prospered" when the Republicans dare
not enforce the laws it is difficult to i'm.
agine.
Mr.. Dow, evidently, Is one of the worst
enemies of prohibition. II his growing
means anything, 1t means that in state
strongly prohibition where prohibition
has been the law for over twenty years
and where it is so popular that both the
Republican and Democratic parties en-
dorse 1.-THE law is not enforced and
is failure, because "the Republicans do
not dare to enforce the law for fear of
losing the saloon element" No anti.pro.
hibitionst needs q better argument
for his side than that furnished by
Mr.. Dow. If under peculiarly favorable
circumstances the law is q failure, what
hope is there of its enforcement in states
where one of the political parties openly
antagonizes til
In all candor let us ask, Why is it
necessary in Maine to have political
party 'sto enforce the law?" If there is
moral sentiment back of the majorites in
Maine that favor the prohibitory law,
Why does not this moral sentiment of the
people enforce the law, just as it does
tlat against theft, disorder or other
crimesp Why do not Mr.. Dow and his
third party friends enforce the law? The
courts are open to them-the grand juries
are accessible-and they can hunt up
witnesses quite as we'll as though they
were representatives of a party.
1t is very probable that Mr.. Dow and
his frieads are like a great many other
temperance people, who are willing to do
the talking and want to lay on others
the unpleasant and expensive burden of
practical enforcement of the law. But
until temperance people, without refer
ence to party lines, become educated up to
the point of willingness to complain, tes-
tify and contribute for its enforcement,
prohibition will be little more than q
name.