The Somerset reporter., 1891-08-27
Gov Rurlolch at Vassalboro

he went upon the stand. He was fclici-
tously introduced by President Gledhill
as an example Of clean manhood in high
Office, and spoke at some length as fol
lows
NJ Pent.O. E@tl- oa. Gsat,p,a-
have g,ru puHuc expression to my views
upon thr temperance question On so many oc-
casiou- tlr i' uot feri as Il could add at,
thing here Gu nag profession Of faith in prohibit
iln 100 more strongly assert my belief in its
. mrutftS Co nu1 state.
Il has always seemed TO me that the oppo-
neuts Of our temperance policy have adopted
| Arguments against it that are peculiarly weak
and ialltclous, Arguments that thcy would never
thnk vi urging against any other uiuur statutory
laws The burden Of their soue hA. been that
| liquor is sold and drank ~ this STATE iu spite Of
our prohibitory laws, therefore pr'DIb.tIon is a
failure.
Now it has always seemed g. me as # this
method of assault might tgut.ty ~rl Doe directed
against any other portion ui uur penal code
| 1t might be SAID That rs crime has not been
eradicstcd in Maluc, therefore all statutory pro-
Visions for The protection VI society should be
repealed all efuH uy accorded 10 the sanction
! If law, aud ever Individual be given personal
lib,riy g. t,at AS lie plcases without considera-
| liou for ihy welfare OF the community IN which
] he tuusts. Sura condition OF affairs might
/ u Wauid not prove beneficial to Maine. be-
/ ACse that any crime that meuaces the welfare Of
sHeicil, the Happiness and Integrity Of the home
and the manhood Of our citizens should be un-
der the restrictions Of vigorously enforced law,
with proper penalties ana should receive the
condemnation Of all good citl1ens.
regard the liquor traffic as one Of the worst,
in We" Of the evils that follow IA It's train,-
| the worst OF idil crimes. 1t DESTROYS manhood,
/ It breaks up families, It nils our laIs and state
prisons with criminals Of every grade. 1t is the
| Ice of progress, Of industry and Of Christian
civilization. Inc victim Of the drink hadn't is
/ more than hls own enemy, he is menace to
society. because of this II becomes the duty OF
law 10 take the tfahc that endangcrs his citizen
ship IN hand and deal with it III the most ef-
fectNe manner possible. Certainly this cannot
be done by giving it the dignity of the public
sanction and placing 1t upon the same footing
with honorable and legitimate commerce.
do not claim, nor do | think there is any
| temperance man or woman Maine who VIII
claim, that the sale and consumption Of liquor
can be wholly suppressed by constitutional law,
| however vigorously 1t may be enforced. such
an assumption would be expecting more for
prohibition than ever has been or probably ever
will be accomplished by any law for the preyen-
ton OF crime. | do believe, however, that IN
der the wise laws that have been enacted III
Name for the suppression Of the liquor uatic,
the use of intoxicating liquors have vastly de-
creased. 1t Is no longer IA leading article OF
| commerce at every grocery stUre 1t IN no long
er included III the hospitalIties of every kind of
social event from corn husking To a grand
bail. 1t Is no longer reputable and legitimate
| article Of trade.
Today one can walk the streets Of any Maine
city or village without seeing single shop win
dow hlled with intoxicants to invite and tempt
our young men To ruin. The traffic that once
Haunted itself in the public gaze has been driven
INTO dark corners. Popular sentiment and con-
stitutional law are alike arrayed against it. 1t
is carried on by stealth in fear and in secret be-
| hind the barred doors and with every device
that ingenuity can invent to avoid the vigilance
OF the officers charged with the enforcement OF
the law. You can go from one end OF this
state 10 the other and see no such faring can
vass sign as from the opposite side OF the street
StaTes the traveller in the face as he steps from
the door Of certain railway station outside OF
Name: Choice bottled goods Tor family use,
including whiskey, rum, gin and about every
other species Of intoxicant known to the liquor
traffic Thank God the families Of Maine have
no longer use for "choice goods" OF this dis
| crptlon. Even among those men who are
themselves addicted to lntemperance there are
| exceedingly few who do not desire to keep the
| curse OF their own lives far as possible from
| the sacred precincts Of home. The family meal
| Ii not now temptation and menace to child
hood. have never yet met a drinking father
| IN this state who did not earnestly hope that
| his children might be strong enough 10 with
stand the temptation that had conquered him.
In the face Of all these facts, how utterly and
ttansparentiy absurd it is for any man to assert
That prohibition has accomplished nothing foi
the suppression OF the liquor traffic and for the
| advancement of temperance in Maine.
| tell you my friends that of all the great
moral movements that | have witnessed in our
good old State, which has ever been in the van
OF such movements in this country, have seen
none that has accomplished such mighty results
IN the past, or that gives such bright promise
| OF still greater achievements in the future, as
that which has been carried on against the
| liquor traffic.
Io my mind, of all the puerile attacks upon
our prohibitory laws, that which asserts that il
| injuries the business prosperity of the State is
the most absurd. 1t will be impossible to CON
ceive OF two things more incompatible than bust
ness success and lntemperance. The people o.
Maine are certainly excusable when by any
method OF reasoning known to sound logic OF
good common sense they unable to conceive
how the one can be i'll any way dependent upon
the other Sobrety and industry 90 hand il
hand Both are essential to success. There j,
probable no one In this audience who canno
recall from his own observation members o
promising business enterprise that were wreck
ed upon the shoals Of intemperance
But, say the enemies OF prohibition, the fut
ure prosperity OF Maine is largely dependent
upon It's becoming the national summer resort
and If visitors cannot secure the liquors they are
accustomed to use at home they will go some
where else Now it has been my good fortune
| TO meet II number OF summer visitors to this
state and have never yet discovered one who
came to Maine in search of liquor. Ii that were
their. quest they would have remained man,
miles beyond our borders. No, my friends the,
came here to ENJOY the magnificent beauties and
drink IN the heaith-gving breezes Of our wood
ianu mus, our lakes, our rivers and our CRANE
stretch OF ocean frontage whose rugged beautie,
are unsurpassed upon this continent They
come Tor rest and recreation and their annual,
increasing numbers is sufficient proof that they
are not disappointed in securing both. Ioda,
one Of the most celebrated of all our splendid
summer resorts is noted all over this country
| Tor the pure spring water it supplies its guests.
IL has never run bar nor supplied liquors to
| It's guests, yet for some years past it has been
crowded during the season with distinguished
| people from all over the country, and so great
has been its popularity that hundreds have an
nually been turned away for lack of accommo-
| cations, and the proprietors, who have already
vastly enlarged their house, contemplate the
construction IF still larger addition before the
opening OF another season, in order to keep pace
with the demands upon their hospitality. What
greater proof is necessary to show that the
summer resort in this State is in no way de-
pendent upon the liquor traffic.
| But, my friends, will not weary you further.
| am glad to be present here. My heart is with
| you in this work. which means 80 much for the
| future progress and prosperity of our State and
| the welfare and happiness of its people.
AT the close OF the Governors remarks he
was again very heartily applaudcd The meet
| ing then closed.