Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-22
aeneral Neal Dow IN .,unIon slgnal."


Changed the Character of the State.
-
General Neal Dow in "union Signal
The Maine law was enacted on Satur-
iay May 3lst 1851. 1t was the last day
Of the session of the Legislature, which
was Democratic, as were all its officers
and the governor, who personally was
IN favor of license to grog-shops and
opposed to prohibition; on these points
be was pronounced, During the 10
years of active and persistent stumping
Of the State, in every part Of it, winter
md summer, for the purpose of urging
upon the people the fact that the liquor
traffic was n deadly enemy to every in
terest of State and people, public and
private, we found everywhere that the
Democratic party was thoroughly OPP
posed to prohibition, 50 that the word
Democrat implied friend of grog.
shops, or at least an enemy of prohibit
ton. But personally, independent of
party ties, there were n great many
Democrats who were friends OF temper
ance and prohibition and enemies Of the
rum shop system.
II was by such legislature that the
Maine law was passed through all its
stages in one day, by vote of eighteen
to ten in the Senate and eighty.six to
forty in the House, and it was approved
by the governor on Monday, June 2.
believe in Providentiai interference in
the affairs Of men; how else can we ac-
count for the enactment of such meas
ure by such legislature? The law
overturned the settled policy Of all the
civilized world relating to the liquor
traffic, which was in the condition Of Cain
after the death of Abel-everybody who
saw it could slay it; it could clam no
protection of law if held with intent to
sell; it could be seized wherever found;
it could be searched for as stolen goods
wherever it was supposed to be, and, if
found, it was to be seized and held to
answer, and unless the claimant could
show to the satisfaction of the court
that ii was not intended for sale, it was
10 be contlscated and destroyed.
No action could be had in any court
for the recovery of liquors intended for
sale, nor for the value thereof. All dis
erection was withdrawn from the courts
in the administration of the law; no case
could be continued for trial or for sem
tence, and the penalties of the law were
to be imposed promptly, with no change
or diminution by the courts. No alco-
holic liquors could be sold lawfully in
Maine, nor could any be transported
except for medicinal and mechanical
purposes and the arts. 1t was that
amazing bill which passed a Democratic
Legislature in one day without any
change or modification whatever.
There were many distilleries in the
State, seven Of which and two breweries
were in Portland. This bill struck them
all down and wiped them all out.
The telegraph spread the news
through the country that Maine had
outlawed the liquor traffic. The wires
delivered it to Rev. DR.. Lyman Beecher
at a prayer-meeting in Park Street
the company and exclaimed: "Why,
brethren, that hits the devil stunning
blow right between the eyes. Praise
the Lord" The next day | met in the
streets Of Portland an importer Of mo-
lasses on great scale, the largest i'm
porter in the state. He said Pm glad
your law has passed, though it will ruin
my business"
allow will it do that?
"My sales are almost entirely to dis
tilleries, and your law will suppress
them ALL"
Eyes, it will do that; but for every
gallon of your molasses going to the
distilleries two gallons will go into the
homes of the people as an article OF
food and luxury"
Before the year was out, my friend
told me my prediction was verified; he
had never before had so good business
year, though every distillery had been
closed.
The railroads and the steamboats, must
: Of course suffer, as they supposed they
would no longer have the transportation
OF liquors, which had always been q
large part of their freight, but they
found that for every barrel Of run
which they had transported they haC
now two or three barrels Of flour, pork
sugar, beef and other goods intended fo
families who formerly spent their money
for drink. Liquors were seized ut steam
boat landings, at railroad stations, OF
trains transporting them at night, every
where that they could be found.
A large quantity of them had accumu
lated at the police station in Portland
they were to be poured out through ;
trap leading into the main sewer. The
Board of Foreign Missions was in SEES
sion in the city, and many of its mem
beIs and crowd of citizens were il
,'aftendance. The first hogshead wa
= rolled over the trap minus the bung, AM
it made q loud, gurgling protest al sucl
treatment. A stranger was standin
near the mayor, and said Indignantly,
"What shame p
"What is shame? ?" asked the mayor
"Such waste Of property"
"It's very much as it used to be; form
erly it went into the gutter, drunkar
and all; now it goes into the quite
alone and the drunlard is sober mar
Isn't that betterg ?"
"Ughp said the stranger, and turne
away.
That was 43 years ago; an entir
generation has grown up in Main
never having seen a licensed eros
shop. The. State is entirely changed
character; from being the poorest Stat
In the Union 1t has become one of til
most prosperous it formerly spent
drink the entire valuation of all i
property in every period of 20 year
us the nation is now doing in evei
period of 30 years; now $1,000,000 wi
far more than pay for all the liuu,
struggled into the State and sold
violation of law. The State saves ann
ally, directly and indirectly, more tina
twenty millions of dollars which, b.
for prohibition, would be spent, 10:
\ wasted in drink, as in the old rum tim
This great saving is added, year by yea
TO the accumulaung wealth of the Stat
so that Mr.. Blaine, at great meeting
the City Hall, Portland, felt himse
warranted in saying, as he did: "AIall
is the most prosperous State in d
ITnion - Pefnre tho M,ina Iox, IL ~,