The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-11-02
TnIRp Panty POINTs.

sIr. Dave ID. johnson Makes Some Crit.
cisms and Asks Some Questions.
To he Editor oItse hieliOaoer.
SIR:-I have read with interest the
letters of Charles Burdette Hart, con-
corning prohibition in Maine. Hereto
fore they have been kind enough to adj
nit to your columns communications
pro and con upon this question now be-
fore the people of West Virginia. Won't
you, therefore, allow me just one word
more?
a. Nobody has claimed that the Maine
law is thoroughly, or even fairly enfused
in Portland and n few other places.
Neither is our own partially prohibitory
law enfused in the city OF Wheeling.
(2.) II Mr.. Hart would start out some
Sunday afternoon in Wheeling, it is
barely possible he would find as many
places where he could buy liquors as he
found in Portland on week day.
But let every reader Of tho INTELLI-
dENcER, place over against these viola
tors OF u righteous law, few facts:
81 The consumption OF liquors per
capita in Maine is less than in any other
State, except perhaps, South Carolina:
"a There is not distillery or brewery
operated in Maine.
Outside OF the few cities referred to,
drunkenness is almost unknown, and
the people waste nothing for liquors.
(5j For twenty years past the Republi.
cans OF Maine have never failed in their
State conventions TO endorse the prohibi.
tory law. Even the Democrats have fire.
0uently endorsed it. After many years
experience with prohibition under
statutary law, the people in 1884 put il
into their State Constitution by an over
whelming majority.
(G) The leading Republicans Of the
State have repeatedly given it their un
qualified public endorsement. Jsmei
G. Blaine only few daysago in one o.
his speeches in Maine gave it his un
: qualified endorsement by saying amoni
, other things: "He thought that thirty
seven years under prohibition law hat
given sufficient assurance ofitsetliCieHcy
The State was far richer and better be
cause OF it." Governor Robbie gives likC
testimony in recent letter in the New
York Tribune. These facts ought to b(
sufficient to outweight the evident pur
pose OF Mr.. Harris letters.
az | need not suggest how iorcibly
these letters emphasize the necessity fol
Prohibition party. A very RESPONSE
bic gentleman in Maine makes the fol
lowing public declaration, and challenge!
an investigation rs to the fact. II found
untrue he will pay a forfeit OF two hun
dred dollars: "Nine.tenths Of the hos
Of rum.sellers of Portland, Bangor anC
other Maine cities, vote the Republican
ticket and contribute immense amount
Of money to the Republican campaign
fund. As q reward, they are allowed Il
openly and boldly carry on their worl
OF running our young men, breaking "
our homes, and consuming the very Life
OF the Nation"
Portland, Bangor and Cincinnati ar,
all under Republican rule. Other citiei
might be mentioned under Democratic
control. Why is the law not enforced
(S) II public sentiment is sufficient t
secure endorsementin conventions, VIII!
not in city councils and police circles?
r 10y Why is the West. Virginia liquo
. law not eniorcedin Wheeling? Can MI
+ Hart write up these conundrnms?
DAVE D. JOHNSON.
p1rtsrSbur1. TT. Va, Oct. 81,