The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-14
TIRED OF PROHIBITION.
Signs Multiply In Maine That "a Change
In the Law is Coming.


I Since the death of Neal Dow there has been
general revival all over Maine Of the discus
sion of the prohioitory liquor law, and 1t be-
gins to look as though sonlc change might be
attempted at the next session of the Legisia-
ture The Maine law always was failure,
and seems even more impotent-the enforce
ment Of 1. oven more fareica-now than ever
before. In Bangor very little attention has
been paid TO the law for twenty years. or
since the time Of the famous Sheriff Jerrard.
BY common consent liquor selling Is allowed
under certain police regulations, and, al
though there are nearly or quite 200 places
where liquor can be bought at retail, besides
several Wholesale houses. there is better order
here and far less lnremperance than in almost
any other city of the sane size in New Eng
land.
1.-THE Bangor plan," so-callcl. Of regulating
the liquor trade, or Of getting something out
of it for the public treasury, is generally ac-
credited 20 Chief Justice Peters of the Maine
Supreme Court, whose home Is in this city.
By this plan there are no searches and soiz-
ures, as provided for by the Maine law, cx-
cept upon specific complaint. but once a yesr
at the February term of court, all liquor
dealers are rounded up and prosecuted under
what Is known as the liquor nuisance act.
The penalty upon conviction under the nui'
sanco act Is fine or imprisonment. whereas
upon conviction in n search ana seizure proc
ess the punishment is fine and Imprisonment
500 and costs and sixty days in jail, at labor,
and in default of fine, sixty days additional.
Those convicted under the nu' 'sance act merely
pay a fine OF 500 and costs-genorally about
sll0 and that is the end OF IL that is prac
tically their license fee for the year.
No search or seizure of liquors is necessary
in carrying out the Bangor plan. The sheriff
goes TO Portsmouth, n. H. and copies from the
books Of the collector Of internal revenue for
this district list OF those in Penobscot
county who have paid tho special United
States tax as dealers in liquors The mere
fact Of n mans name appearing on this list Is
taken as prima facie evidence that he Is en-
gagged in the business. and ne is indicted ac-
cordingly. Some are slow In paying tho fine.
but most OF them settle, few going to Jail. In
this way as much as sl7 600 has been gathered
into the county treasury at a single term of
court. and on various occasions the county of
Penobscot has been saved from financial dis
tress by the money squeezed from the liquor
dealers.
htNcnNly tht lu't mas Dtfu uuOBl'
ed in Audroscoggin and in some other coun-
ties with considerable success, and now II is
popular in Cumberland county, in which is
located the city of Portland, the home of Nea
Dow and many another ardent advocate Of
prohibition. Bur in Portland they run TO ex-
tremes. At one time IL il vigorous enforce
'ment-thpt is, continual searching and seizing,
with the result of driving the traffic into the
slums and making the quality of the liquor
something vile Then, as they now doing.
there is almost entire disregard of both law
and decency. Barrooms are run wide open
now, not only on week days, but on Sunday
as well, and IL IS this condition that has
prompted men who have all their lives been
strong supporters of the law to finally admit
that the law is impoient, that perhaps e
change would be desirable.
In Bangor the clergymen of dozen churches
have been holding meetings for the especial
purpose of discussing the liquor law, and they
are Ivy no means unanimous in end orsement
of the present statute. Signs multiply that
the days of prohibition in Maine are mum
bered. Bangor Dispatch to The sun.