New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-01
WHAT PEOPLE WRITE ABOUT
LETTERS ON TOPICS OF THE DAY.
THE STORY OF THE MAINE LAW"

THE STORY OF THE MAINE LAW.
To ne Ed ftor Of Ths Tribune
SIR: A prominent Prohibition lecturer stated
hers last evening that tho Prohoiory Amendment was
not given the OF Maine ny the Republicans but
by tae Democrats; that 1t first passed In 1851 and
reps ,ed IN 1852 and tuen passed AGAIN In 1885, and
That ,he State LEGISLATURE was Democratic during all
those years: an that Mr. Blaine told alsehood when
ho said Est " passed by the Republican parry.
win yon please INFORM ne through iHs w T.nuSE IL
this l. true 49,. n. f. "EtMohE'
AorM Freedopi, Wis.. Oct 10, 1856
THE statements of the lecturer are absolutely
false in their spirit and essentially 80 in the letter.
they are similar to many others which are loosely
made for the purpose OF decevlng voters, where
records difficult to procure and refutaion is not
easy. In 1851. when tue Maine Law" was first
passed by the Maine Legislature, no Republican
party existed but there was a strong Free-Soi
party in the State, represented in 1sts by 12.17s
votes for Van Buren,, and strong anti-slavery
sentiment prevailed among the aders of the old
parties, who in few years were TO become the
leaders of the party of freedom. 1t transition
period in American pOlitcs. In the election of 1880
the name Democrat WIS dropped, and the parties IN
the field recorde Wing. Opposition and
Frec-SOil, all the elements opposed to the Wing
party, except the Free-Soilers, combining their
forces and Obtaining majority IN the Legislature
It was the Legislature elected in that year that
passed the first Prohbtory Law In 1852 the
Presidential contest brought the voters within
strict party lines. and the Democrats obtained a
majority of thirteen in the Legislature. In 1898
he Anti-Naine- Law voters united with the Wings.
and the coalition Obtained plurality of seven
over the Democrats, with nine Free-Soilers and
eighteen Wildcats IN the Lower House-enough
10 keep the coalition in check. The term Wild
cats pay be understood @nen it is explained that
the candidate of the designated for
Governor Was Arson p. Morrill,, who was elected as
"a RepuOl lean III 1854 by IN immense majority. In
tins year the coalition broke; the Anti Naine-Law
men, known a. " dummies" voting for their own
candidates and the Wings retaining their organiza
ton. but with vote dim inised III four years from
81, 3OS to 1907. The Legislature was largely
Republican. Ia 1855 tho Oil parties made a
supreme effort t, overthrow the Republican-Pro-
hIbitOn party, and by coalition in tue several
Legislative districts they gained temporary
control Of the Legislature, tue Democrats having
80 IN the two houses the Wings 81 and the
Republicans So. Ii was this Legislature which IN
ls56-not in >52 -repeae tie Maine Law This
sounded the death kne of the opposition to Repub
licanism and Prohibition. In that sa year
Hamlin, until recently an ant-slIvcry Democratic
leader, was elected Governor by the Republicans
by n majority of 1881 aud the Legislature had a
Republican majority of l2S. In 1897 Lott W. Nor
rii. another old antl-s avery Democrat. was
c ected Governor by Ijoutv of 1l.S37 and the
Legislature stood 1i7 Republicans to 81 Democrats
The Wing party de 3D. 1t Was this Legislature
which in 1855 enacted the present Prohibltory
Law.-Edl