The Republican journal., 1888-02-16
Personal Liberty Club.

cation of personal liberty club. The petit
ton purported to ask for the cooperation of citi-
zcns who prefer high license in place Of the
present prohbtory law, but various inducements
were held out in order to obtain names to the pa
per-
Last Saturday evening the members met at
Picrce's Parlor Theatre for organization, and the
public were invited to be present The call was
| for O'Clock but it was 730 before the meeting
was called to order. There were about two hun
dred people present, including boys. Not than
half that number were members of the so-called
| club. Mr. w. p. Thompson called the meeting to
| order and invited Mr.. James S. Hartman to pre-
side. Mr.. Hartman on mounting the platform
read the call and signatures attached thereto and
stated the object of the meeting. lie said the
members were opposed to, and asked for the re-
peal Of, all laws that intcrfered with the freedom
of the citizen, especially the prohibitory law, and
to enact in its stead judicious license law. The
movement was non-politica, the members being
equally divided between the two great parties AS
matter of fact, he said there were six more Re
publican signers than Democratic. He said there
was mistaken idea prevailing in the community
in regard to this movement, it being said it was in
the interest of the free rum Democracy. He knew
all the siSners and not one of them was IN favor
of free rum. They have had that. he said for
thirty years, and have had enough of it. The man
who says that he Uhe speakcr) was 4 Democrat or
working in the interest of Democracy never made
a greater mistake in his life He was Repub-
| lican and intended to vote that ticket, but he
should scrutlnize it closely. There was one thing
| that people might rest assured, and that was he
| should never vote for any man who favored the
plohibltory law, which law he characterized as in
| famous. The movement was an honest movement
| by honest people and had nothing to do with poll
tics. The speaker said he was a high license, local
option, personal liberty Jim Blaine Republican,
while his friend W. +. Thompson was high H.
cense local option, personal liberty Grover Cleve-
land Democrat. They proposed, however, to ride
on the same train until they separated on Blaine
and Cleveland. He quoted some one who said
that the Republican and Democratic parties were
tile two great feet upon which the country stands.
There were some corns upon these feet that might
be removed. One Of these corns was the prohibit
tory law, into which the personal liberty party
proposed to put the knife. This movement was
not intended to shanghai the Republican party
into the Democratic party.
Mr.. c. W. IIaney was made secretary.
Mr.. w. T. Thompson was the next speaker.
He said he never afraid to stand up and define
his position on any question. This movement was
not political, but is a movement of the business
men of Belfast. The people are tired of the pro
hbtory law. He supposed every one was opposed
to free ium and in favor of temperance, but pro
hibition and Temperance are not synony NOUS
terms He said we have had rs much enforcement
of the law in Belfast as the people would submit
to, or as much expense as they would submit to-
The speaker then took Il copy of the Republican
Journal, which, by the way, he said was a good
prohibition paper, and read extracts from MI
Mitchcls New Hampshire letter, by which he
attempted to prove that there were from 1000 to
5000 people Illegally selling liquor in Maine, and
that the law failure in this state well rs
i'll New Hampshire. lie said the present law is sc
stringent that Neat Dow cannot think of any thing
more to add to it. The law is oppressive, for the
crime is not adequate to the punishment. The
great mass Of people in Belfast, he thought, be
lieve in the use of liquor for certain purposes
while only two or three think otherwise. Nine
out Of ten want liquor for some purpose. Some
want it to drink and some want it for medicine
and there should he place where it could be pro
cured without committing crime to get it, Ilt
, said the Republican party had not the courage Of
it, convictions, but had been led by mad party
of implactcables to enact statute of which every
man of tliemar ashamed His idea was for Repub
lcans to 60 to the caucus and see that no one wa
put in nomination unless he was opposed to th'
present law, and Democrats to do the same
especially III nominating candidates for the lcgisla
ture. He said the prohibltory law was not en-
forced in New Hampshire, but they didn't dare t.
repeal it. There is more liquor sold and more
drunkenness under prohibitory law than undc
license law. Mr.. Thompson then submitted thu
following resolutions, which adopted
Whereas: For nearly third of century thu
. prolibltory liquor law, called, has been par
of the statutes of this State and for several years
; has been a part of the organic law, and the eN
! perience Of all those wears has demonstrated t,
all fair thinking men that it has utterly failed tt
accomplish the result which the origina0rs therco
, had i'll view While it has failed to prohibit
lessen the sale and consumption of intoxicating
liquors it has lcgalized and encouraged system
OF lsnobe espionage that has become abhorrent to
and intoerabe by, all decent and law abidin:
people who value personal rights and object to tn,
importation of foreign spies clothed with authorit,
to invade the sacred privacy of the domestic circle
1t provides for the conviction and punishment of
person four times for substantially the same
olense, and has changed the presumption of limo
I cehce, which is old as law ITSELF into the pre-
sumption of guilt. 1t provides for the appoint
ncnt of cranks and reckless persons of all classe
as special constableS, and empowers them to fore,
every person in the state to tell whether they hav,
bought and drank any intoxicating liquors and t.
entrap by tricks AMI subterfuges the unwary int,
: violating the law foT the purpose of Furnishing
him therefor.
5 Whereas While we believe in forcible hon
p orahe and impartial enforcement of said law il
every part of the state so long rs it shall remain
/, law, simply because it is the law, intleXibly
: and unaerahy opposed to this law and deman(
its repeal and the enactment in its stead of
t Judcious license law whereby the sale of intoNi
eating liquors may be properly and safely regulat
ed and restricted, and the low groggeries, til,
legitimate offspring of prohibition, may he forced
to disappear.
, Therefore, Resolved That we will work anc
vote for the ;;ccOmpsh mpnt Of the aforesaid re
suit.
Mr.. T.. F. Hanson said he had no apology to ofle
v for favoring high license law, but had the coul
prohibitionist but not SO to-day. He believes
the principle wrong. You tell a person they car
not have a thing and they bound to have it
Prohibition does not prohibit, and the law is
failure. 1t does not prohibit the sale of liquor
! Men who drink get ali they want. Men hav,
told him how they set it, but he would not tell tn,
| Grand jury if he called upon. He did no
favor city agency, for While the agent sells on,
pint for the city lie sells one barrel for himself
and he wanted to know the difference between
city rum shop and one of the present rum shops
lie is not in favor of prohibition because it is en-
forced systematically. Liquor cannot be sup
pressed While the distilleries are vomiting it out
> cious license law. Prohibition is too expensive
luxury. lie said only 800 were collected las
year in fines, while he learned that the enforce
ment of the law cost 81 100 at the October term
Court. Instead of this Il license law would pu
money into the treasury. He closed by saving tina
the only way to do is to vote only for men who ia
r vor license.
e Mr.. Rust was called upon but declined to speak
saying that doubtless there would be Il series 0
n public meetings when all would have an opportu
nifty.
: The temporary organization was made permit,
nant
The following vice presidents were appointed b.
the chair Charles b. Hazetinc S. W. Mathews
, Edward johnson, ii. A. Carter and X. T. Emery
w. r. Thompson, Il. ii. Moody and III. j. Lock-
were made an executive committee.
5 The Ice Blockade.
The rain and soft weather early last week soft
encd the ice and under favorable circumstances
was followed by severe cold and the fresh waite
1 which had accumulated on top of the ice wa
frozen and with the snow fall that later sery
ed to strengthen the ice blockade and since the Stl
inst, the steamer Rockland has made no attempt t,
visit us There has been all aloug strip of waite
on this side of Long Island and open water at Sat
| urJlay Cove. Thursday on TO .