The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-09
The Bs neor War on Rum.

The chief topic of public interest in Ban
gor at the present time is the raid upon the
rumshops of that town which was begun on
Tuesday. All three Of the daily papers de-
vote editorials to the subject, and it forms
the staple matter of conversation. Whether
the raid is the outgrowth of the recent letter
Of the governor to sheriffs and county attor-
neys, or has some other origin, we are not in
formed. 1t is fact, however, that appar-
rently serious effort is being made to shut
up the saloons, and for the time being it APP
pears to be attended with good success.
Whether it will result in permanent clos
ing of the saloons is quite another question,
which time alone will decide. Meanwhile,
as Indicating the condition of public
sentiment, it is interesting to note the
newspaper expression of opinion on the
subject. The Wing endorses the raid and
thinks its success SO far is conclusive proof
that the law is sufficiently strong to shut the
rum shops if it is vigorously enforced. This
is its language:
The saloons can be closed and kept closed il the
law is enforced. The Wing has always rain
tanned this position. Let the prohibitory law be
enforced In this city zeslousy and Bangor will be
relieved of traffic that has worked no end Of
evil in our community without conferring a single
benefit.
The Commercials attitude is very differ
emit from the Wings. 1t dees not approve of
the raid. and does not believe that it will re-
suit In the suppression Of the saloons. II
comments as follows:
1t is now some ten years since Sheriff Jerrard
ofice TO suppression of the liquor traffic in this
city. ~ some time ago, but people generally
have not forgotten the disgust inspired by The
wretshed creatures VINO alone could be obtained led
as the instruments for such work. They have
moi forgotten either that the sale of liquor con-
tinued all the time under the most demOralizing
circumstances. that the number of arrests for
drunkenness continued to increase, that the pub
lie charities were never so severely taxed or the
county tax rate SO oppressive. Stfli It appears
that there are few good people here who Wish to
60 all through with this G silly experiment again,
TO end, OF course, as the other ended, In acknOw-
edged failure sooner or later.
The News goes even farther than the Com
mercial. declaring that the sympathy Of the
community is not with" this effort to put
down the saloons. and that the people who
have inspired it are prosecutors" 1t con-
tinues
Although the liquor dealers are violators of the
law, their business is sanctioned by the great au-
raid as that Of yesterday, without warning Of any
Kind. snap dodge to iniure the dealers as much
posoiulc, 10 d SIoss wrong. Bangor does not
countenance lntemperance, neither does it coun-
teDance injustice. This miserable business Of
yesterday brought about by sneaking methods,
was not air A handful OF people have arrogated to
themselves the right to dictate to Bangor Whether
liquor shall be sold here or not. 1t is a presump-
tuous act on theirpart Not only presumptuous,
but morally wrong, for It brings heavy
monetary loss on great many upright business
men. who have been making an honest livelihood
by an open sale OF liquor.
The idea that man who sells liquor merits all
or any kind OF punishment is cherished only by
mar ow-minded blgots. These men who were le-
gally robbed of their property yesterday. deserve
public sympathy and protection. They will get it.
TOO, for the whole effort Will slump Shortly the
trouble and expense and loss go for nothing and
the saloons will be open again.
We think that experience has shown that a
vigorous and permanent enforcement of the
the liquor law or any other penal statute
cannot be expected in community unless
public sentiment demands it with something
approaching pretty near to substantial una
nimity. How near it is impossible Of
course to say. But where there is strong
minority vigorously opposing or Indifferent
to the enforcement of a law, the execution of
that law is likely to be lax and uneven. We
have no means of knowing what the condi-
ton OF public sentiment in Bangor regarding
the liquor law is. except as 1t may be inferred
from the comments of the newspapers. Ger
tainly these do not indicate very vigorous
sentiment In favor of the enforcement of the
law. Indeed it would be hard to match the
News utteranee for lawlessness in the most
lawless of communities