Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-08-22
Correspondence.

BAR HARBoR, Aug. II, 1895.


der my window, shall stop him if can.
But presumably there is no redress. The
lower end of the spout is two inches
over the line on the neighbours side, and
so by the law-or lack of lsw-noth hing
remains to me and my family but diph-
liberia and typhoid fever. But my friend
in the adjoining state is more fortunate.
There is law there forbidding such
drainage within a specified distance OF q
neighbor's house. But there, once on a
time, man presumed to disregard the
law. Then my friend, using his rights
under the law, made the man stop.
Speaking for myself this is all there is
in the so-cal1ed "liquor war at Bar Hsr
Dor To the majesty Of the law am not
giving passing thought. do not stop
to exchange word with any man on his
right or lack OF right to drink cider, wine
or brandy. On the relative merits OF pro-
hibition and license care not if just now
my mind be as blank as a new sheet OF
white paper. Others may answer for
themselves, with me the situation is
this: Here in the heart Of our village is
business that works n good to the com
munity. but unmitigated harm. To my
intense satisfaction find on the statute
books OF Maine law that, II applied, will
wipe this thing out. l go in for its sppli
cation till not vestige OF the mischief
remains among US.
To definitely state the case; certain men
have come to Bar Harbor and opened
rum-shops. 1t is stated ON credible su
thority that there are nine that sell the
year round. The resident population OF
Bar Harbor i, in round mum bers, 1000.
This gi7es one rum-shop to every III OF
our population, men, women and chill
dren. That It pays to keep them open
during the nine months that the visitors
are not here i evident from the fact that
they are open.
one hundred and eleven people on an
average, ef al ages and conditions, pay
the rum-seller's railroad and express bills,
the truekmans charges, the clerks sal
airy, if there be one, and the expense
OF lighting and warming his place OF
business These are bills incidental to
the nine off months aud must be paid,
or the man Will close shop and wait for
the busy season. The fact that he keeps
his shop open proves that not only are
current expenses paid, but that there Is
margin OF profit. But there are her
expenses that are Juggling at the rum-sel
leras purse strings-the house and store
rents, taxes, a better table than the aver
sge family sets, and sometimes with all
else fine horse and carriage. The money
coae hman. and footman, and butler and
eXeur>ionists in the summer. Many
dollar : undoubtedly furnished by the
Ill residents.
Bat many Of the III only have steady
employment in summer. Their money
receipts during nine months are always
doubtful and incidental Hence, a. all
see al glance, the rum-shop i drawing
nine months OF The year on incomes that
are always much below the family eA-
penses. The result is that W hile the men
who sell rum are getting their pay right
along, the grocer has TO wait for his till
the summer business comes round again.
Thus the nine rum-sellers OF the village
ara really fattening on the money that
belongs to the grocer and TIE butcher,
and the doctor. and sometimes, doubtless,
to The graye-digger.
Ia hehRit. u-refore. of the mere hants
Of Bar Harbor and their sober customers,
who have to pay the rum-driHkers' bad
debts, 60 la for the anulhilation Of the
81. =
you give to him is dime less in he tils
Of our honest merchants. Shut up the
nine resident rumshops here and directly
and indirectly the gain to Legitimate
business would surpass the estimates Of
the most sanguine prophets.
Not then, am frank to confess, am
working to uphold the majesty OF the
law, but TO ebl;e nuisance hat has tas-
tened itself Ike leach on every legiti-
mate business IN oar Village. / would
take he dimes that now 20 10 the rum
seller, and give them 10 our merchants,
and Instead OF dressing the rum-seIler's
wife IN silks. take the money that buys
then and put whole clothes ON the now
ragged backs of the wive, and children
in line rum-drinker' home.
But no one who knows the a. b. {. Of
rum--elling can think that the business
aspect OF the case Is the main one. Nine
ruu--hops the year round IN a village
the -ize of Bar Harbor must already
have fastened the drink habit on more
than one Of our young men. How rapidly
the habit has grown among US, the
rapid increase OF rum-shops within few
years tells better than words. The pa
irons they have already made for Kelley
institutes is an indictment against their
work that no thoughtful man can ignore.
An active W. c. T. [. and a Kelley aid
society, both with more work on their
hands than they could do were they to
give all their time to it, are proof OF the
devilish work the rum-seller is doing in
our homes.
If j: was an open fight of the rum-seller