Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-06-06
Mains's Prosperity Not Founded Upon
the 0foE shop.

| The meeting of the hotel men at Water
vile developed nothing new In the way
OF abuse of the prohibitory law. 1t
| was the old, old complaint so often used
by those who find it barrier to traffic
| that thrives upon depraved appetite aud
human misery-a traffic that stands
| opposed to the home. to manhood and to
the highest interests OF society. In
examining the resolutions adopted at
that meeting, the most striking thing is
| their utter Inconsistency. If, as claimed,
| the prohibitory law has totally failed
to accomplish the results claimed
| for it,; IL it is entirely Ineffective,
why should it be necessary TO pledge an
| unqualified support to "sueh men only
for legislative Office as will unqualiiiedly
| pledge themselves in favor of the repeal
OF the prohibitory law, and the rcsub-
mission to the people of the so called
| prohibitory amendment to the conslitu-
ton Why should all this fight be
made against a law that has failed :.
| The people of Maine will not be misled
by transparancies OF this character
They know that the prohibitory law has
teeth and that those engaged in the rum
traffic are feeling them as never before.
There appears to be 4 tendency 10 for.
get the overwhelming vote by which the
prohibitory amendment was embodied
| in our State constitution. Those who
imagine that there has been any change
of sentiment regarding this question
since that time are very much mistaken
In the very last State campaign the
Democratic party marched to battle
under high license flag, and the over
whelming defeat 1t sustained was
pretty substantial eviderce that the
people Of Maine are unalterabiy
opposed 10 any such policy.
Facts are stubborn things. and no
amour: of resolving" will hide the
plain, the persistent, the overwhelming,
the oft demonstrated fact that the people
of Maine are well satisfied with the
prohibltory law and that they are ready
to sustain it at the polls by overwhel-
ming majorities.
But what a claim, that the general
cuisines interests Of the State" are
founded upon the rum traffic, That the
growth of temperance is inimical to
them And this. too, at time when the
State is awakening to a greater business
activity and prosperity THANH has known
for many years, and when the move
ment is still in active progress. Ii is
doubtless true that the law has proved
detrimental to the liquor business. That
was what it was designed for, and it will
be pleasing to its:friends to note thai it
is so effectively accomplishing the pur-
poses for which it was enacted, The
hotel men who met at Waterville were
only a very small portion of those doing
business In the State. There are hun
dreds of them who have never fou nd 1t
imperative upon them to maintain bar
and who have nevertheless been
able to do prosperous business.
The work of turning back the temper
ance legislation of this State, will be
found by those who undertake it, to be
a task beside which the labors OF Hur.
eules will pale into insignificance. Pub
lie sentiment isn't running in that diree-
ton. Maine is progressive State and
its people have no desire to breathe the
mouldy and rum-seented atmosphere of
fifty years ago. Our temperance laws
are here to stay. They are founded in
the hearts of our people and the com.
bined efforts of all their enemies will be
powerless against them.