Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-01

of things during that term was worse
than during the term when he recognized
the presence of the dealers and imposed on
them certain restrictions to which they
agreed The Prohibi;ionists say that all
laws are violated, that the laws against
murder and stealing are violated. But
the difference lies right here-the vast
majority of the people of the State do not
murder and do not steal, and so punlsh-
nent for these crimes is measurably cei-
tain and severe. Then again, what woula
be said of our intelligence if we selected
petty thieves to enforce the laws against
larceny? Yet, that is precisely the nlode
OF procedure which we have. adopted IN
relation to prohibition. In my judgment
there is one hope for the enforcement OF
prohibition, and that hope lies III the CON
ferring OF the right of suffrage upon
women. tApplause.) I say so because
J believe that women would vote for real
| Prohibitionists SO that there would be
quite d chance for the enforcement OF the
| law I do NOT say that success would be
/ certain, but in that case l my self would
vote against this resolve because believe
| that prohibition under the new condl-
! tions that would then arise should be
+giyen Il fair chance and i say toyou who
believe in prohibition, that when the
womanS suffrage bill comes before this
House, you should vote for it on the
ground of expedicncy ii on no other
ground. l oppose prohibition because /
/ believe iC Ia be q failure; l advocate
w0man's suffrage because l believe II to
be right.
& What is my wicked proposal. 1t is not
to do away with prohibition, it is not to
substitute general license law. l am
opposed TO license as the term is generally
understood. My plan is combination
of local option with tho principle OF the
| Norwegian law / believe that is the only
way that the two ends can be accomplished
which must be reached before an approx
mately satisfactory solution of this prob
lem can be arrived at Those two ends
are, the removal of profit from the liquor
traffic and The removal of the rum power
from politics. Prohibition has utterly
failed 10 accomplish those two ends. The
Norwegian law provides that the right to
traffic in liquors Shall be given to a com
pany, the profits from which, after de duct
ing ii fixed rate of interest. shalt be APP
piled to certain purposes OF public benefit
and utility. IL Norway and Sweden il
the country dl4triats, keep prohibition il!
you want it and can enforce it, but let us
Of the cities take this serpent up out Of
the darkness Of he'll into the light OF
Gods day and control it, if we cannot
strauglc it.
have tried from the first to treat my
opponents with courtesy On the theory that
they are honest men and gentlemen who
| /, lao nod i-
waste of powder to treat blackguard like
gentleman. / commend to some of the
lesser imitators of Neal Dow his example.
Although roped into discussion with
him unawares, l stood by my guns rather
than having the charge made that l did
not have the courage of my convictions.
General Dow will say that l always
treated him with courtesy He has treated
me most kindly and appreciate it. He
is certainly the Grand Old Man of prohi
bition, and he has worked nobly and well
| for the State of Maine according to his
| light.
At the hearing before the judiciary
committee, clergyman from this city
appeared in opposition TO the resolve He
told in graphic terms what methods were
| adopted to defeat prohibition. The
reverend gentleman told story, which
is thus referred to in the Lewiston Jour
nal. from which | read an extract.
- \ very lively speech from an Augusta
Clergyman was one of the richest incidents
of the day Rev. Mr.. Williamson APPLY
begged the gentleman who thought he
was in pursuit of something tangibly bet
ter than outlawing the grog shop to go
h 1mc and devote himself for the next
year To promoting the enforcement of the
law. The parson told Il story about
skunk that bungicd into woodchuck' S
hole The upshot Of it was that the in
cidcnt taught the skunk only less than-it
taught the woodchuck. lis related that
the enemy OF prohibition caught on and
the friends of the Maine system hcartly
lughed and warmly applauded.
Yes gentlemen, the enemy Of prohibit
tion did catch on. Not being an absolute
fool, in spite Of his opposition to prohibi-
ton, he caught on, and understood that
he was tho skunk referred to- You may
question my taste but would much pre-
ter to be the victim Of that skunk story
than the ministerial hero of it. Gap
plauso) / used to hear that story years
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