Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1889-10-25
Way Down in Maine.

encc in Anoka Herald, Oct 12,-The annual
"cattle showf' in Maine seems to attract more
attention from the farmers than do the county
fairs OF the West. Since I last wrote ( have at
tended three. at Norway, Fryeberg and Bridgton.
The attendance at all three was large, many
coming thirty and forty miles. The great attaac-
ton Of these cattle shows" is the "hoss trs, ;.
Maine Is producing some good horses, and every
other man you meet OWES "trotter," and is
authority on horse lore. There was twice as
much enthusiasm over the Maine horse
"Nelson." winning the great stallion race at
Boston the other day than was bestowed upon
jim Blaines success In securing a friendly con-
gress OF the American powe-s-and Blaine lie the
ONE stateman to the people OF Maine. While the
Western farmer may condemn horse racing, the
granger of the East would not attempt to hold a
fair without this attraction. Very few heavy
horses are raised in this section, q ten hundred
horse being about the standard. Tho farmer
here Is best suited with an ''all purpose horse"
-one that can haul pillow and is teo speedy
to take ANY other fellows dirt"
The 'cattle shows demonstrate one thing. and
that is: Prohibition does not prohibit. At
Norway there were scores Of men who were
Openly and VIGOROUSLY drunk" 1t was report
co thats the supply was located outside the
grounds III the woods, Judging from the num-
Der OF men who found it, it could not have been
oihcult OF access. but the authorities took no
notice OF the matter. At Fryeburg it was
even worse. The prohibition whiskey not only
makes man drunk, but crazy drunk and
wonderfully and fearfuly procane. The Mamie
when properly loaded can roll out more blood
curdling oaths TO tho minute than any inliyidual
have ever yet met-and J have heard some
wicked swearing out West. 1t may be the
peculiar quality of alcoholic or prussic acid
poison that is generated by the 'blind pigs
mere that causes this eruption of blaphemy,
Never having sampled 1t myself am not
qualified witness"
o1iord county, i'll which Norway and Frye
burg are situated. is claimed to be-and ix-the
banner TEN perance county OF the state, Il is
largely farming community. with but few vii.
!ages-Ncrway being the largest .coutaipipy
perhaps 600 people. The population is almost
exclusively nativc-the majority being born
since the time Maine was Il prohibition stet.
No more favorable conditions exist in the world
for making prohibition q success than here. Yet
ut the present term of court now being held at
.faris there are more men up for selling whiskey
than have been arraigned in Anoks Co, for this
ohesce In dozen years. have visited none of
the cities OF the stats and my observation has
oecn confined TO that portion ofthe state whore
'he VI" Is best in:orced. I find, OH nnthnri, v
that is reliable. that it is very popular custom
III tue smaller towns for those wllo want whiskey
~ send 70 the wholesale houses In Boston and
nave 1t sent by express 1t would surprise some
OF my good prohibition friends in Minnesota
think to watch the expressmln deliver hjs
packages So far as hnye been able to learn
whisScy brought TO Maine by express has never
oech ih'ericred with' and the Maine imbiber
SENDS ms money to Boston and gets his .''med-
1chlne brought to his OWN door, where he can
drink 10 MS hearts content. Great 10 prohibi-
ton.
Talking with one of the best informed at
torneys OF the state he said That law was 50 strict
That 1t was practically imperative. It is almost
impossible to find a jury of tw elve ,ucn who will,
ind q the seller guilty when the penalty is
Imprisonment. Last month six meu wore In.
dicted in Lewiston for selling liquor, and every
one was acquitted, although there was no doubt
OF the guilt OF each. Those people who are try,
Ing toASiorm The world by law, should come ti
Maine and see things rs they are. The tronb]e
mere appears to be too much law aud too little
disposition to back up the law. Il is the geu-
orally accepted opinion that the sale of liqaor
III Portland and Bangor practically approaches
the free rum idea In fact have been told
by a reliable citizen that each of the three
principal hotels in Portland keeps bar. and al
though It is Sc paratedfroc, the office by stair.
way or two, there is no further attempt to dis
guise the matter and one can gct his whiskey
Straight OF his New Englau ram by paying for
IL. =, #s - RE-. s., #e::s 49, 80
This state pfibings naturally creates tissatis.
faction with che "Matnc law" here ut It's home
and ] find many men whom / have
Snown for years, as active supporters of
and conscientious temperance
meu. admitting thatthe law Is not SO effective as
they believed il would be, and many of them
say they think high license preferable. @&
Z II ne open saloon is bad enough, we all know,
Tut II is question If The habi, Of buying liouor
by the gallen and cary ing 1t to the home, where
It fsa constant and ever present telnph,t on 10
the boys, as isdone BY many asfather In Maine
III Is aqnestion IL this state AFFAIRS is not worse
shaa the saloon, where iather can go and get his
tnnk he must hare It. and keep the ace,,sscd
STINT OFT OF his boys sight III 81 4 81 |