The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-20
THREE QUESTIONS
About Prohibition and How They Are
Answered.

Majority Said Reimbursement Was Due
to Lack of Public sentiment-Interest
ing Investigation by Rev, George ID.
Lindsay.
Congress Street Methodist chucrh was
crowded yesterday afternoon. Every pew
was filed by citizens interested to hear
the pastor, Rev. George D. Lindsay in
regard to his advertised statements about
prohibition in Portland The cleroy of
the city was we'll represented in the
congregation, as We're also the other
churches by many prominent members
On the platform were Rev A. H. Wright
and Rev. Dr.. Randall, and choir of
twenty voices.
After prayer by Mr.. Wright Mr.. Lind
say began his address by giving the al
most incredible statistics of the annual
consumption of liquors and tobacco in
this country.
The total value for the LIQUOR and TO-
bacco for one year is 81. 641, 903, 400. This
is S27 per head more than the per CAPITA
monetary circulation Of the country.
He said that his sermon was under the
auspices of the Civic League and there
fore he must confne himself to Portland.
He had addressed circular to thirty
prominent Portland citizens. business
and professo nal men. In his circular he
asked them the following three questions:
Has the prohibitory law in Maine
been injurious to business2
Would it's enforcement, as Numerically
as other laws, injuriously affect the trade
of our city?
Please name some reasons why it is not
entoroedS" $,
Out of seventeen answers received, one
only stated that it was injurious to bust |
ness in oul city.
Ten gave as their belief that the reason
for non -eunforcemen5 in the cities is lack
of public sentiment. Six out of the seven
teen charged the nom enforcement to pol
itics, and said that both the old parties
were after the rum vote.
Another answered the question as fol-
lows:
''Not to legitimate honest business"
emo"
Lack of heart in the matter by exeou :
influences
off1eers'
One answered that we had expected too
much of the law and had not educated |
people up to it.
Hon. W. W. Thomas answered that he
was willing his name should be used. |
and replied to the first two questions in |
the negative. AS to the third question |
many things entered into it, politics, in
duence, etc.
Mr.. Lindsay himself gave a reason |
that 'fwhile many of our reputable citi- |
zens are shouting themselves hoarse over |
the grog shops on certain streets, they |
are tacitly licensing by their patronage
the selling of liquor in more dangerous
places"
Mr.. Lindsay read letter from ex-City
Marshal Cyrus K. Bridges which stated
at length the obstacles to enforcement,
especially the lack of approval on the
part of church people and those from
whom support would naturally come to
those enforcing an unpopular law.
Mr.. Lindsay declared that we need |
more hot, scorohing sermons upon the |
subject. The pulpit cannot afford to be |
| apathetic in this matter. He was old |
toggish enough to believe that the influ-
ence of the pulpit for good was strong
He urgedEthe mead of uniting to bring
about the divorce of politics and prohlbi |
tion. He cited plan presented to him |
which would abolish the CITY liquor |
agency and eptrust the sale of liquors for |
medicine to commissioners.
The benediction was pronounced by the |
venerable Rev. DR. Randall.