The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-15

even in the pattern prohibition state.
1t appears that he offered some
amendments to the law because it
does not accomplish the end desired,
but the legislature killed them. and in
explaining to the Press his reasons for
offering the amendments General Dow
says.
The great obstacle lying in the way
Of an effective administration of pro-
hibition wherever there is such law
is the discretion now conceded TO the
courts. In this State that obstruction
became so scandalous that the legisla-
ture ordered the LIQUOR doekets to be
published in the newspapers in the
hope that exposure to the public gaze
might correct the evil. 1 have many
OF these dockets. and they are a sight
10 beholdl All UP and down the long
list CT liquor cases are the names OF
convicted rumsellers marked con-
tinued. not to be brought forward
without special order of the court.
What is the meaning Of this? that
they are not to be punished. that the
operation of the law in their cases is
suspended? 1t means this: you shall
not pay or go to Jail. though the law
commands it. 1t means that the name
will be dropped from the docket BY
and by.
In Bangor the rumshops are wide
open in defiance of law. and once a
year the saloonists walk up and pay
about Sis. which they call license,
supposed to be by express understand
ing with the court. In some other
places within my knowledge, the courts
have absolutely refused to help in any
Way to enforce the law. One judge
said: If an angel from heaven Should
ask 1t, | wouldn't do it."
The constitutional amendment was
approved by the people in 1884 by
majority vote of 47.075. and the legis-
lature since that time has not recog-
nized its duty in the premises. though
bound to that by its official oath. The
legislature of 1893 passed laws in di-
rect conflict with the constitution, ma
king the Maine law almost powerless,
so that our officers have said it was
hardly worth the trouble to detect
violators of the law and to bring them
before the courts. | was confident that
the present legislature would at least
make some show of a purpose to obey
the constitution, so that 1t could not
be truthfully charged with desire to
pie and not the people against the
saloon.
In letter directly to the Voice. Cen
eral Dow adds:
The legislature of Maine of 1895 was
entirely Republican. having no Demo-
crat in the senate and but five In the
house of Representatives. I felt con-
fident therefore that we could have
such additional legislation as would
entirely sweep away the fraction of
the liquor traffic yet remaining in the
State. With that expectation I pre-
pared amendments to our Maine law
calculated to accomplish that end. The
bill was unanimously reported to the
house by a most respectable COM
mittee. but was rejected by vote of
So to 10. There was not a word in the
amendments that was not strictly in
the line of the peremptory command of
the constitution which says: 1.-The
legislature shall enact laws with suit
able penalties for the suppression of
the manufacture. sale, and keeping for
sale intoxicating liquors"
There is not a really successful pro-
hibition law in the country. 1t is in
most instances evaded and scoffed at.
and liquor can be had in every State
of the Union. But those States which
establish mo license" simply lose the
revenue from license which is pocketed
by the dealer. or goes to make the
drink cheap and thus promotes its con-
sumption. Prohibition does mot" pro-
hibit.