The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-04-02
dIpnatIon and aDborrence AGAINST this very much

dignatlon and adherence against this very much
greater evil.'
Proyidentially or fortuitously, Maine
stands in the forefront OF the forces arrayed
against the liquor traffic, with Inc view 70
sweep it away as an intolerable curse to
every public, social and personal interest.
Fortuitously as many think, but Providen-
tally as | believe, to Maine has been as
signed the duty of leading in the great war
man Slavery ever was" This is conflict in
which ballots and not bullets are employed. 1t
involves a revolution in great public policy.
which has been sanctioned by the universal
acceptance of it for centuries In all civilized
nations. 1t can only be accomplished by a
profound conviction on the part of the peO-
Pile in its importance. for which there Is no
other practical expression than through the
ballot-box. In that way the people of Maine
have declared emphatically and inevocally,
that the liquor traffic shall be forever put
under the ban of the law throughout all their
territory. This can be effectually, thorough
ly and finally, accomplished only by law
adapted in all its provisions to that end.
Such a law Maine does not yet possess;
though with the present statute results OF
Unreasonable benefit to the State and people
have already been accomplished.
Since the enactment OF prohibition In
Maine, thirty-niue years ago, rum-sellers
and their attorneys have discovered or In
vented many methods of evading the law,
escape its penalties
IA most important agency in the enforce
ment of the law, is the Police Court and the
Trial Justice Court. There is no provision
of law by which the State is represented
there, consequently trials in them are some
times sham. and the rum-sellers goes free.
2-There is no provision of law By which
prosecuting officers can be prevented from
dismissing cases against favored rum-sellers,
even when proof is at hand, abundant and
conclusive.
,3-There is no provision of law by which
Courts can be prevented from continuing
cases for trial, continuing them for sem
tence or continuing them indefinitely, which
Is often done, and finally dropping them off
the docket.
4-The most effective penalty of the law is
the clause imposing imprisonment on con-
viction; but by some trick of legerdemain,
this provision of it Is often of no effect, but
the evil can be easily connected.
5-There is no provision Of law by which a
fair trial in these cases can be had when the
officials are corrupt or in sympathy with the
grog shops.
6-The law does not in all cases make it
Improbable and uncomfortable to those who
violate it. This defect in it is so radical,
that grog shops can never be perma-
nently suppressed in our cities and larger
| towns until 1t is corrected.
MANY Intelligent people object to this,
and say that the law as it now stands is not
pEUptrlg tniOIccu. 4 u6 answer is tDaL tl6r6
are some difficulties in the way of proper
enforcement of this statute, aside from the
| treachery of the officials. These difficulties
can easily be removed by suitable amend
ment
S-The machinery in every cotton factory,
wooden mill, printing office. iron works,
machine shop, saw mill, has been greatly
changed and improved since the Maine law
was enacted thirty-nine years ago. These
factories and work shops would not now
accept the old-fashioned machinery as
gift. There is hardly an engine or machin-
| cry of any kind now in the country which is
constructed en- models thirty nine years old.
Why should it be refused or omitted to i'm
prove this machine for the extirpaton of the
grog shop. on lines that are perfectly clear
| and we'll known to every expert? Especially
when the object for which 1t is desired and
needed is of far more Importance to the
nation and people than any question of
finance, protection or free trade can be,
including as it does an annual loss of more
than two billions of dollars on the one
hand, or the saving of large part of that
immense sum on the other hand.
NEAL Dow.