Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-31
PROHIBITION A FAILURE. !"


A certain Bishop Nicely wrote an article
for the Boston Daily Herald. with the above
headings and at the request Of the Herald
editor Hon. Neal Dow sent the following
reply which appeared in the Herald OF
Novem Der 10th
The readers of Tue GAZETTE who are
in favor OF prohibition as against license,
rs ! am sure large majority OF the voters
of Delaware are, will be pleased to hear
what this veteran leader in the temperance
reform has TO say upon the prohibitory
power of prohibition.
Allow me to premise few general con-
siderations in favor of prohibition as
against license.
/. No State that has tried prohibition
has gone back to license; .. Liquor dealers
without exception oppose prohibition and
favor license; 8. ''Speak-easies. Chat is
Illicit seiling) flourish about as well under
license as under prohibition, ii not better.
We instance, illicit selling by licensed
dealers, on Sundays, on election days 10
minors and to habitual drunkards; in addi-
ton to similar law, defy!ng sales ia speak
easies, SO called.
This whole matter of enforcement, as in
the case of any other legislation. depends
upon the public sentiment that IL back OF
the law, and the fidelity of the sworn
officers Of the law.
But We give way to the Father of the
Maine Law ..a..-.
/. At the time of the enactment of pro.
hihition here, Maine was the poorest State
in the union; our people spent in strong
drink the entire value of all our property
in every period of 20years, as the nation is
now doing in every period of 30 years
Now, half a million dollars annually is
more than sufficient to pay for all the
liquor smuggled into the State for sale in
violation OF the law.
>. We had IS distilleries in Maine before
the law, some Of them large ones, con-
yerting molasses into New England rum.
Seven OF these aud two breweries were i'll
Portland Now we have no distillery or
brewery in the State, and have had none
for many years. At the same time great
quantities of West India rum were i'm
ported, coming to lis by cargo. Many of
them every year, and all for home use.
Now not even one puncheon is imported,
nor has there been one in many years.
5. MIR. Blaine said in public letter that
there was less liquor consumed in Maine
i'll proportion to population than among
any other people of the Anglo.SaXUn race.
He would have been quite safe in substi.
tutlng the words civilized world for
those which he employed. At the City
| Hall. Portland, during the Garfield cam.
| paign, Mr.. Blaine said. maine is now the
L
may well be, since it saves annually, di-
rectly and indirectly, more than S2U, 1000 0uU,
| rs we think. which, Dnt for prohibition,
| would be spelrt and wasted in drink as in
the old rum time.
4 One of our leading political papers
| SAIL sumC years ago: In more than
three.fourths Of our territory an entire
| generation has grown up never having
| seen grog shop nor the effects OF one
| That statement is true now, Us il was when
originally made. In all thnt region Tie
| country traders all sold liquors Oi many
kinds i'll the old time now the liquor trade
is practically unknown there. The entire
face of the state is changed from offensive
and obtrusive indications of poverty every
where in the old time; while now we have
| conclusive proof of industry, thrift ano
prosperity; with evidence of poverty
dilapldntion, anu decay nowhere.
b. Portland is entirely surrounded By
Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook Cum DerlanC
Mills, Deering, South Portland and Fal
mouth, where, i'll the old time grogshOp
ubounded; but now and for many years il
has not been so. the second and thirt
named in this list are large and prosperous
manufacturing villages; the others ar,
agricultural towns i'll excellent condition
and they are entirely free from the liquO
traffic. The repeal of the Maine law ant
Wiping out of constitutional prohibition
ana the enactment of license law wer
put into the platform Of great party
whose hopes and expectations the bishol
reflects. In addition to its press, the part
circulated haadbills to assure the peopl
of the good time coming. and the re
action, when license and its fruits Shout
be in every street and every home to max
: the people prosperous, rich and happy
The election occurred in September last
,, and the reaction left the party hopin
and working for 1t with no member in tn
Senate and i've only in the lower houst
which has ljl members That reactio
took place before the date OF the bishop
, prediction