The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-18
CIVIC LEAGUE.
Hon. Hiram Knowlton Has Something to
Say About Rum Shops and Enforce
ment.

In the vestry OF the Pine street church
Civic League. About seventy persons
vera present. Rev. Mr.. Hack presided.
Rev. Mr.. Rogers offered prayer.
Mr.. Hack said that it was understood
that a notice of this meeting should ap-
pear in the morning papers last week.
He didn't understand why it hadn't
They had met there that night to further
discuss the situation. He had found that
there was amazing ignorance in regard
to it. The papers seem to evince good
deal of color blindness. The Civic
League has come to stay. 1t is not going
to stop before election nor after election.
1t is not being manipulated or swallow
ed up. or directed by strong unscrupu-
lous men. Ministers may move on but
the Civic League has come to stay. Its
object is to purify the government of the
city and bring about better state of
things.
He introduced Hon. Hiram Knowl ton,
as man of much experience in NUM-
cipa1 and political affairs.
Mr.. Knowlton was received with ap-
plause. He said that the situation was
not of his seeking, but il was duty that
he did not feel at liberty to decline He
said that he was satisfied of the corrup-
ton of cities and that if ever ruin shall
come to this country it will be because
Of this corruption. He wanted to declare
that the Civic League was in no sense
political. The main question is "Does
the situation require the formation of
the Civic LeauRe and it's continuance. -
He read from the statutes as to the duties
OF the county attorney and other officers,
In regard to the enforcement of the pro-
hibitory law. He also read from the de-
cision Of the United States Supre me
court as to the power of the police and
the constitutionality of Prohibition. He
read this. sbecauSe he had often heard it
said, that the law was unjustifable and
oppressive. He also read from the decis-
ion of the United States Supreme court
to show that what man shall drink, Is
proper subject for legislative restraint
In regard to the situation in Portland
there has been marked increase of
drunkenness and attendant vices within
the past year. When clergymeu preached
OF it they were told that they didn't
know what they were talking of. There
fore certain clergymen made personal in
vestiga6ion and then bought liquors. He
knew this because he was present and
bought some himself. He described his
visits to rumshops with Mr.. Hack, much
in the same way that the latter had done
some weeks ago.
He described visits Of liquor sheriffs
that he had seen. He indicated tina they
were slow about it and that there was
plenty of time for the rumsellers to be
warned.
He had MOTTO d that it was the poor
rumshops that ad watchers. The larg-
or ones, where II lively business was 60
ing on, had no Waterman. They could in
terpret that as they pleased. A man
who has money is able to do more things
than a man who hasn't. He never coul d
understand how it is that SO often the
Iumsellers know when the "seizers"
are coming He limited very strongly that
the officers inform the rumsellers before
they are coming.
He had thought there were three fac
tions that sustain the liquor traffic. They
were depraved appetite the almighty
dollar and politics.
1t had been said that we must encou-
rage the officers to do their duty. These
men are very anxious to get into flee.
They know what the duties are But
| when they get into office they fall back
| fainting and ask US to encourage them.
Money is at the bottom of it. And 1
believe that the time will come W hen
this ring will break and when it does i t
will be in more than two pieces.
This talk of encouragement of the Off
GERS is farce. They can put in great
deal of work in searching the woods for
the dead body of child. They expose
themselves to the wind and snow and
the wild beasts of the woods for one
child, when right here in the city there
are plenty Of chid-murderers whom it
is their duty to prosecute.
He urged that the proper way to deal
with ruplseIler5 is to put them in Jail.
In regard to the information which
rumsellers get just before seizure, he
wanted to say that he believed Judge
Robinson to be an honest man and
| that there was no leak from him or his
recorder but there was leak somewhere.
| He was sure of that.
| Mr. Knowlton read statistics to show
| that license is failure.
| In closing he said that every Citizen is
resonsible for their influence upon this
great evil of runselling.