The Portland daily press., 1893-01-27


er. He vigorously opposed the bill and
pitched into the druggists. Among other
things, he said that only $500 worth OF
| liquors were sold in Portland annually
| for legitimate purposes. Yet % drug
gists are very eager to share that SoOo.
The bill provides that liquor shall not be
drank on the premises. They cannot
take their medicine on the spot. One
druggist has said that there are three
times as many druggists as could get
living if they did not sell liquor. rms
law has been in operation in Kansas and
has been very unsatisfactory. Talk
about the penalties of this bill. They
have been violating there law with
much greater penalties. There is an
outrageous and notorious nuisance in
Portland now the liquor agency. Give
these druggists this law and you can get
at them. A good man will not violate
the law, yet you will find these druggists
violating the law even when the penalty
is jail. The best practice is not to have
liquor for medicinal purposes. NO doc
tor in my house prescribes liquor. When
the people will not stand it longer the
doctors wilt change their method. The
enactment of this bill is practical re-
peal of the Maine law. Excuse me in
saving it. but don't think the people
will stand it. Give that bill to the drug
$ ores and each one will be a nuisance. !.
MIR. ]. w. Mitchell of Rockland and
Rev. G. Ross of Augusta, prominent
temperance advocates, who appeared as
remonstrants to this bill were really in
favor of the movement, each regarding
some such measure as necessity. This
one they did not think strong enough.
n II tha
Senator Allen spoke for the bill.
In arguing the case OF the petitioners,
Mr.. Heath laid stress upon the fact that
the remonstrants, with the exception OF
Mr.. Stewart and Gen. Dow, were in fav-
or of what the petitioners asked. Ii
this particular bill did not meet the re-
auirements, let the committee make
better one. Mr.. Heath said that Gen.
Dow, with a mind as keen cut and clear
as a diamond, gave an exhibition of
mental acuteness and did not let facts
interfere with his beautiful and deft
way of putting proposition. But hard
headed lawyers are bound by rule
which makes the facts the first consider.
alton.
Now let us take the consensus of
opinion among these friends OF temper
ance. Ex-senator Daggett says that we
have come to the time when something
must be dcme, but he objects to the pro-
visions of this bill. Very well, gentle
men, draw another which shall meet the
conditions. Rev. Mr.. Ross and Mr..
Mitchell, both conscientious temperance
men, say the same thing; that it is neces-
sary that something should be done that
prohibition may live.
General Dow tells you that every drug
gist in Portland. save one, sells liquor to-
day, and the same percentage runs all
over the state 1t is the same in Angus
ia. Now, why are the druggists of Au-
gusta compelled to sell liquor? Simply
because the agency system is monu-
mental failure. General Dow admits
that. l venture to say that every man
on this committee has, at some time or
other, asked the druggists to violate
the law. The same applies probably to
nearly every man in this room. These
were cases of life and DEATH
Mr. Heath deprecated any attempt to
introduce politics into the case. The
question was one of right and wrong. 1t
members of the legislature believe the
bill right then they should say to Gen
eral Dow that they were obeying the
dictates of their consciences and were
not to be put down by whims and mo-
tions. / say with all due respect to Cen
eral Dow's long life, his gray hair and
his remarkable intellect that he has no
moral right to come here and attempt to
WELD the lash over members of this Leg
islature as he has in the past. The time
has come when the lashing of the domi-
nant party in this state should stop.
The position taken by Messrs. Ross
and Mitchell and the strong presentation
of the case made by Mr.. Heath has great
ly encouraged the friends of the bill.
Mr.. Mitchell in his remarks furnished
an amusing incident. He said he had
recently bought alcohol of a druggist
for spirit lamp. He did not know but
the druggist had violated the law. Sew
eral members of the COMMITTEES prompt
ly comforted Mr.. Mitchell with the
statement that he had aided in laying
the druggist liable to term in Jail.