The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1896-02-06
For Enforcement of Law.

hl0ltlng the sale OF Intoxicating liquors.
This movement has of late taken on
more public expression and on Monday
our village, among whom were good
proportion of business men, met in re-
Spouse to the following circular letter
issued by committee designated by
the chairman of meeting held two
weeks earlier.
This notice indicates the purpose of
the meeting and we use it in full
At meeting of citizens recently held
it was thought desirable to have more
general interchange of views relative to
| the duties of good citizenship and the
attitude to be assumed towards the open
violations of law in our midst, particu-
larly the prohibitory law.
70 that end committee appointed for
the purpose invite you, in common with
other citizens believed to have the good
of the community at heart, to meet AT
the Congregational yestry, Monday next,
at 7.30 p. NJ.
This meeting was presided over by
Rev. c. V Hanson, and was opened by
PRAYER by Rev. Geo. f. Leighton. The
chairman gave a brief account of the
several meetings held by citizens of the
town who met by mutual agreement at
different times to take counsel and use
means for the enforcement of the prohi-
| bitory law. The one public meeting
brought about by these conferences was
| that held in Coburn hall, Sunday even
ing, December Goth, addressed by Rev.
DR.. Pepper and Rev. w. F. Berry Of
| Waterville, one of the best temperance
meetings ever held in town. 1t WAS a
large meeting and a representative one
and did much to strengthen the temper
ance sentiment 10 the town.
The chairman called for report from
a committee raised to confer with Sheriff
Viles and also to take into consideration
the advisability of further organization
to carry on the work in hand.
K. n. Merrill, Esq, in behalf of this
committee reported that the committee
had visited Sheriff Yiles and assured him
of appreciation of the work he had already
done to suppress the liquor traffic and
also assured him of support in vigor-
Gus enforcement of the prohibitory law.
He said that Sheriff Vles informed the
committee that he appreciated this move
meut of these citizens in favor of law
| and order and that he was ready to do
all in his power to enforce the prohibit
| tory law. He would swear out his own
warrants whenever he thought the pros
pect of success in finding liquors or in
securing sufficient evidence to convict,
| was good. Mr.. Merrill also, for the
committee aforesaid reported that any
further organization was not deemed de
sirable at this time. This report was ac-
| cepted.
j Sheriff Niles WAS present and subse-
quently said in explanation that by say
ing that he would swear out his own
| warrants he did not intend to convey the
| idea that he objected to any citizen max
| ing complaint and swearing out a war
rant or that he desired to do the work
alone, but that he did not ask any one to
do this for him.
Hon. S. J. Walton was asked by the
chair to speak and responded in emphatic
words in favor of prohibition and the
enforcement of the law. He believed it
was the correct principle and illegal sale
of intoxicants ought to be stopped. He
| said the absence of any place where al
cohoic liquors can be legally obtained
for medicinal and mechanical purposes
was au unfortunate feature of the case.
Hartland, he said, was the only town in
Somerset county where an agency is
kept in accordance with the provision of
law. When he was County Attorney he
prosecuted druggist and made him pay
a fine, subsequently physician told him
he must get some alcohol for IA case Of
sickness in his own family and This same
druggist was Christian enough to let him
have il. In the legislature, as chairman
of the committee on Temperance in the
House, he had favored placing the legal
sale of liquors for medicinal purposes
in the hands of druggists and had assur-
ances of support to this end, but the
proposition was defeated, he believed, by
men who were not really friends of pro-
hibtion. He did NOT know but it might
become necessary in order to enforce the
law rigidly to provide for the legitimate
sale of liquors by a town agent.
Rev. George +. Leighton, pastor of
the l'niversalist church spoke warmly in
favor of prohibition of the liquor traffic
and its enforcement giving instances of
its salutary effect in IA town where he
formerly labored
DR.. 5. F. Conant was thoroughly in
favor of prohibition if it is enforced.
He had been something of a"kickcr" and
had expressed himself in favor of high
license but it was because. prohibition
as enforced is "low license" and he pre-
ferred "high" to Glow. He would hold
up both hands for enforcement Of the
law against the sale of intoxicating
liquors and at the same time suppress
the nickle-in- the-slot machines and urge
druggists to exercise great care in dis