Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-08-22

AUGUSTA, MAINE.
IL might be s.id that ss crime has moi
been efsdicaied in Maine, therefore sll
statutory provisions for the protection Of
society should be repealed; all crime be
accorded the ssneioa Of Law. and every
individual be given personal liberty to act
- he please. without cor side.a;ion for the
welfare Of the community in which be
moves. sueh . condition Of ahairs might
work veil enough in Utopia but an very
sure il vculd Nc. prove bsns6cial to Maine.
believe that any crime that mensces the
welfare Of society. the happiness and in
.egrily of the home. and the manhood OF
oar citizens should be under the restric-
tions Of . vigorously enforced Law. with
proper penalties Ard should receive the
con ndsmna,ion Of ell good citizens.
! ITsgsad the Equor sffic ~ one Of the
vofa,-in viev Of the evils that follow
ia its train.-the worst Of all
crimes 1t destroys manhood, ii breaks
up families, il ills our iails and state pris-
ons With criminals Of every grade. 1t is
the foe of progress, Of industry and Of
Christian civilization. The victim Of the
drink habit is more than his own enemy,
he lie menace to sociesv. Because Of this
it becomea the duty oflha law to take the
traffic that epdangefs his citizenship in
hand and deal with il in the most effective
manner possible. Certainly this cannot be
done By giving i. the dignity of the public
sanction and placing it upon the same
footing with honorable and Legitimate com-
merce.
| DO not clsim. ncr do / Il ink there 10
Any temperance man or woman in Maine
who will claim, that the sale and censump-
ton Of liquor esn be wholly suppressed
BY constitutional Law, however vigor-
ously it may be enforced. Snch
N assumption would be expecting more
for prohibition than ever has been or prob
ably ever will be accomplished by any Law
| for the prevention of crime. do believe.
tosever, that under the wise laws that have
been enacted in Maine for the suppress
sioa Of the liquor tn ffi:, the use Of iutoxi
eating liquors has vastly decreased. 1t is
no longer leading article Of commerce at
every grocery store; 1t is no longer includ-
ed in the hospitalities Of every kind Of So
cial event from q corn husking to Q grand
bail. 1t is no longer reputable and legit-
innate article Of trade.
Today one can walk the streets of any
Maine city or village without seeing single
shop window filed with intoxicants to invite
and tempt our young men to ruin. The
traffic that once faunted itself in the public
gaze has been driven into dark corners.
Popular sentiment and constitutional law
are alike arrsyed against it. II Is carried
on by stealth in fear and in secret behind
barred doors and with every device that
ingenuity can invent to avoid the vigilance
Of the sfficers charged with the infofce-
ment Of the law. You eau 20 from
one end Of this State to the other and see
no such fsring CANVASS sign ss from the
| opposite eide of the street stAres the trav
eler in the face as he steps from the door
Of . certain railway station outside OF
Marie: "Choice bottled goods for family
use" including whiskey. rum, gin and
about every other species Of intoxicant
known to the liquor traffic. Thank God,
the families Of Msire have no longer use
for "choice goods Of this description.
| Even among hose men who are themselves
| addicted 70 intemperance there are exceed
| ingly few who do not desire to keep the
curse Of their own lives as far Is possible
| from the sacred precincts Of home. The
family meal is not now q temptation and 9
menace to childhood. l have never yet
met drinking father in this State who did
not earnestly hope that his children might
be strong enough and wise enough to with
stand the temptation that had conquered
him.
In the face Of all these facts, how utterly
and transparently absurd it is for any man
.l,.k H.. .L-I
| nothing for the suppression OF the liquor
| traffic and for the advancement Of temper
ance in Maine.
tell you my friends ihs. of sll the great
moral movements that have Witnessed in
cur good old State, which has ever been in
the van of such movements in this &C untry,
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 sgainst the liquor
trsfii,
To my mir d, Of all the puerile attacks
upon our prohibitory laws, that which as
serfs that II ir jures The business prosperity
Of the State is the most absurd. 1t will be
impossible to conceive Of two things more
il compatible IAN business succe' and in
tsmpeEbHCe' iue Propte VI uaiue are
certainly ,xcussble when by any me hod of
reasoning knowa to sound logic or good
common sense they are unable to
conceive how the one can be in
any way dependent upon the other.
Sobriety and Industry go hand in hand
Both are essential to surcess. tt ere is
probably no one in this audience who can
net recall from his own observation num-
knu ,.f al, hY,G, tk,at
were wrecked upon the shoals Of intenper-
ance.
But, ssy the enemies Of prohibition. the
future prosperity of Maine is largely de.
pendent upon its becoming the national
summer resort and il visitors cannot secure
| the liquors they are accustomed to use at
home they will 20 somewhere else. Now
| it has been my good fortune to meet
| . number OF summer visitors to this
State and | have never yet discovered
one who came to Maine in search Of
| liquor. If that were their quest they would
have remained many miles beyond our bor-
ders. No, my friends, hey came here to
erjoy the magnificent beauties and drink
in the health-siving breezes Of our wood
land bills, our lakes, our rivers snd- our
grand stretch Of ocean frontage whose rug
gsd beauties sre unsurpassed upon this
continent They come for rest and recre-
ation ard their annually increasing mum.
bers 10 sufficient proof that they are not
| disappoiused in securing both. Today one
| Of the mos. celebrated Of all our splendid
summer ret orts is noted alI over this coun-
| try for the pure spring water it supplies
| its guests. 1t has never run bar
nor supplied liquors to its guests,
| yet for some years past il has
been crowded during the season with dis
tir guished pc ople from all over the coun-
| try, and so great has teen its popularity
| that hundreds have annually been turned
away for lack of mmodstions, and the
| manhattan " hn have Already vastly en-