The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-07-21
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.

taken from Exodus XXE2S-3O, "If an OK
gore man or woman that they die, then
the OK shall be surely stoned anu his flesh
shall not be eaten; but the owner of the OK
shall be quit But if the OK were wont to
push with his horn in time past and it has
been testified TO his owner and he hath not
kept him in but that he has killed man or
woman the OK shall be stoned and his owner
also shall be put to DEATH II there be laid
on him a sum CT money then he shall give for
the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid
upon him."
In briefly commenting on this text DR..
Whitaker declared that it was common
sense and good law that vicious animals that
imperilled the lives of men and women
should be killed and that their owners
should be severely punished if they care
lessly or Intentionally permitted it. He also
showed that the same principle was true In
reference to death imperilling things. The
law will not permit steamers to carry
passengers if their boilers are unsafe or rail-
roads to run trains over unsound bridges,
holds their owners responsible for
damages and loss of life if faithless
in respect to these things. 1t prohibits
the use and sale Of the flesh of diseased
animals and the milk of diseased
cattle. Again the law will not render any
compensation for the loss of value or profit
by the death of vicious animals, the sus-
pension Of steamboat or railroad traffic and
the loss of diseased meat The state in
defence of its rights imprisons the lunatic
who seeks to murder his fellow men, assumes
~ s.& fnoi nt,n
too reckless to care for his own life and to
him who wishes to risk his life in duel or
pngilistic combat says thou shalt not" and
Furnishes him If he persists.
The Doctor then described the liquor
traffic as the prolific source of misery,
poverty, insanity, murder and every other
crime, and the liquor dealer If living in
Portland as a criminal of the deepest dye
who for his own monetary gain ruins his
fellow men. He showed that the traffic is
not legitimate business but is felony, pure
and simple and that all legal enactments
respecting its restriction are based upon this
truth. He then asked what shall be d lone
with this the most dangerous enemy of
human morals and life. Prohibition says
prohibit it, The state has the right to
lmprison the mad man who seeks to murder
others; it has right to destroy the animal
owner any compensation, but may punish
him, and it has right to forbid the flesh of
diseased animals and the milk of diseased
cattle however much men may desire
right to forbid the sale of intoxicants
II they endanger human lives. He
then showed that all license legislation
is based upon the same foundation and
that the failure to recognize this universally
conceded fact would have overthrown the
Salisbury administration in En- land recent
ly, had not its leaders fastened to correct
their blunder. He defined the license sys-
tenn as permission granted by the state to
ruin men and multiply crime within speci-
fed limitations, and said that the advocates
of the high lics nse system argue that by
making the license fee high only compare
lively few and first-class esta bishments will
deal In intoxicants; that the low groggeries
tors will be unable to pay for the license to
sell, and secondly, because those who have
paid tins high license fee will, for the pur-
pose of securing all the liquor trade, prose-
cute illegal liquor selling. he defined the
position of license advocat in Portland,
that as the prohibitory law cannot be en-
forced in this city,a high license law may be
that enforcement Of the high license law will
restrict the abominable evils of the liquor
traffic more than the non-enforcement of the
prohibitory law, and therefore, in the inter-
ests of temperance and the public safety, the
prohibitory law should give way to high
license law. He referred to the disastrous
influence In Nebraska against prohibition
and for high license, by a lengthy extract
from the Portland Herald concerning the
non enforcement In Portland of our prOhib-
tory law, showing the necessity of an en-
phatic declaration by Portland today in ia
vOr OF prohibition and against high license.
He then gave twelve reasons in favor of pro-
hibttion and against the license system.
1. There is no necessity for the liquor traf-
ic This is conceded by the principle of re-
striction In the license system. and sweeps
to obtain little benefit amid the fearful re-
suits of the liquor traffic by taxiag this ne
cessary evil. He asserted that the only de-
mand for liquor selling Is created by the
traffic itself, and unless some reason can be
given showing that the welfare Of the state
demands that intoxicants should be sold as
beverage, which reason has never been given,
the state has no right to authorize class of
men for their own monetary gain to ruin the
lives and happiness of their fellow citizens.
2. To license the liquor traffic is to author
ize sin of a character that might shame Sa-
tan, and in the presence of which Mary
Magdalene, with her seven devils, would APP
pear as an angel of light.
3. So far as the authority of the state goes
the license system makes the liquor traffic
respectable.
A. The license system makes the state a
partner In the crimes of the liquor traffic.
B. The license system makes the liquor
nopoly.
g. The license system violates the rights of
property.
T. The license system furnishes prece-
dent for licensing unjust and tyrannlcal
trusts, and all that can be said in its favor
may be said in favor of licensing the Loulsi-
ana lottery.
8. The license system protects the wrong
class of people, defends the liquor dealer,
Furnishes his victim and causes his victims
family tn Suffpr disgrace and want.
g. The license system sustains a traffic
which demoraliZes all connected Herewith,
Bar rooms and saloons are the schools of
villainy, cultivate the basest passions, rouse
into activity the worse phase Of human pas
sions and paralyze the noblest powers OF
man. The state by the license system en-
courages all that ruins the individual, the
home and the state.
10. The license system legalizes system
of robbery. Every legitimate business offers
the purchaser fair equivalent for value re-
ceived. The purchaser at the bar gives his
money, his health, his reputation, his manli-
ness, the peace of his family and his eternal
interests. and in return receives:that which
Is Infinitely worse than useless.
IL. The high license Is advocated by brew
ers and liquor sellers as essential to the
prosperity of their business, and without
WniGh tney cannot Withstand the temperance
sentiments OF this nation.
~. ffonibition lessons intemperance while
n.sn license increases 1t. According to Sem
ator Frye. the prohi clifton law of Maine has
diminished the evils of intemnerance in this
state four-fifths; according to Gen. Dow
nine-tenths, and, according to DR.. Bashford.
the prohibition law, enforced in Bnffalo "a II
is In Portland, would reduce the Tnm inans
ence seven-eighths.
DR.. Whitakea gave the following statls-
tics:
Boston in 1888 under low license daily arrests
for drunkenness, SO; high license in 1855 90
Lynn for nine months, 1888. under low license
arrests, 1855; 1889, same months, high license,
SAG.
Salem for nine months 1888, under low license,
arrests, 53l; 1889, same months, high license,
$50.
Fall River for nine months, 1888 low license,
arrests, SOL; 1889, same months, high license,
662.
Fitchburg for nine months, 1888, low license,
arrests, 1871; 1889, same months high license,
263.
DIR. Whitaker then drew a compare
son between prohibition and high
license in Fitchburg chosen because near the
size of P0rtland-six months in 'SS prohibit
ton, same months in 'S9 high license:
Arrests for drunkenness, 1888, prohibitory law,
2T8; high license. 1889. TAI.
Drunken persons helped home, 1888, prohi-
bitory law, Al high license, 1889, 80.
Drunken women arrested, 1888, prohi bit0ry
law, 30; high license, llS.
Five reasons of drunkenness under the
high license system:
/. The more man pays for his license
Al ba mill do m finnIQrQ