Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-04-29
Strike tho Enemy at dis Weakest
Places.

4. 4: ,...-.l.-, NO. . 10 - q -
thing l. :" he gained by pushing effort
for pruhibitory constitutional amend
ments. The r, -ult in Michigan. New
Hampshire. aud Massachusetts, has mo-
been beneficial to the cause which VT,
sought To be- promoted by u change IN liz
Fundamental law of those States, wh,r,
prohihitoiy legislation couid have beet
had Just rs well without change of con,ti
tuition as laws against theft or burg
larry.
In Maine the adoption OF the conStitu.
tional amendment has worked vel
enough, for the popular opinion in favor
Of prohibition has been 81 stro'g roI
many years that 1t was carried by = large
majority without special effort lct il I.
matter of doubt il the cause Of temperance
and prohibition has been much advanced bv
the adoption of the ainendmr ut, for all
necessary legislation wa, before ~ attain
able without it rs ii has been since it was
made rart of the constitution
Plainly enough the popular
decision In the ~tatcs named n well a.
other facts and indications equally strong,
show that the programme OF the Third
Party leaders and others to eugraft a
prohihitory provision in the constitution
OF the United States /, Improbable and
unwise. IL is a sound military ina Kim to
attack the enemy ut his weakest points,
and no wise general ever pushes tls flower
of his army against impregnablc fortress
es, but he searches out and a-sails his sn-
tagonist st the weakest places in
his lines. These plain rules
OF common sense hold equally
well in pushing moral warfare. or any
great reform against u powerfully resist
ing force. The liquor traffic l. an aggres-
siseand strongly uttenchedRow er, against
which the friends of temperance are exert
ing all their resources of moral and
political strength. To amend the Con-
stitution of the lnited States requires q
two-thiris vote OF both Houses Of Con-
gress on the application of the legislatures
of two-thirds of the States. and the rati-
tication by ree-fourth- of the States. Ii
is very obvious that this gives the liquor
trafliekers and their supporters great
advantage. They have on their
side the weight of inertia, and they occu-
py u position where y minority can hold "A
majority at defiance. TO concentrate
L. l.,
just what the liquor champions desire. aud
with little hope of accomplishing any
thing beneficial for many years to come.
Good generals in serious warfare know
well the necessity of stimulating their
soldiers with the hope of succ, s..
In hope of not too distant vic DRY sue
cessful campaigns are organized aud
battles won.
Despair diseourages. paralyzes and
rarely results in victory.
Besides, all necessary United States
legislation can be obtained without
constitutional amendment. only a
majority in Congress being ne
cessary, instead of two-thirds and
three-fourths votes as required for consti-
tutional amendments. The chief legal
efforts against the liquor traffic must be
had through the legislatures and execu-
tive officers of the States. Prohibition,
II enforced at all, must be mainly enforced
by the police authority of the States.
Any other method is not eonsonant with