Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-21
GROW TIRED OF PROHIBITION.
Signs Multiplying in Maine That the
People Are Anxious to Change
the Inv,

Bangor, Me-. Dec. 2O.-Since the death Of
Neal Dow there has been a general revival
all over Maine of the discussion of the
prohibitory liquor law. and 1t begins to
look as though some change might be at
tempted at the next session OF the legls-
lature. The Maine law always was a fall
ure and seems even more impotent-the en-
forcement of 1t even more farcical-noW
than ever before. In Bangor very little at
tention has been paid to the law for twen-
ty years, or since the time of the famous
Sheriff Jerrard. BY common consent liquor
selling Is allowed, under certain police reg
ulations, and. although 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 intemperance than in almost any other
city of the same size in New England.
The. Bangor plan" so-called; %; Of IHg regu-
generally accredited to Chief Justice Pc
home is in this city BY this plan there
are no searches and seizures. as PROVIDED
for by the Maine law, except upon SPECIFIC
ruary term of court. all liquor dealers are
rounded up and prosecuted under what ls
known as the liquor nuisance act; Inc
penalty upon conviction under the nuisance
act is fine or imprisonment, whereas upon
conviction in a search and seizure process
the punishment is fine and Imprisonment.
labor. and. in default Of fine. sixty days
additional Those convicted under the nui,
costs-generaily Costs about silo-and that is the
end of it: that Is practically their license
fee for the year. ~
No search or seizure of liquors is neees-
sary 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 ist OF
those in Penobscot county who nave paio
the special United States tax as dealers IN
liquors. The mere fact of a mans name
appearing on this list Is taken as prlha ma
business and he Is indicted accordingly:
Some are slow in paying the fine; but most
of them s eb sste as seM has been gathered
into the county treasury at a single term ,n
of court. and on various occasions the
county of Penobscot has been saved from
financial distress by the money squeezed
from the liquor dealers
Recently the Bangor idea" has been
adop,sd in n and
now il is popular in Cumberiand county
in which is located the city of Portland.
the home OF Neal Dow and many another
Portland they run to extremes. At one
time it is vigorous enforcement-that is.
| continual searching and Selling. with the
result Of driving the traffic into the slums
and making the quality of the liquor some
thing vile. Then. they are now doing.
there is almost entire disresard OF b9th law Jaw
now not only on week days, but on Sun
days as we'll and It is this condition that
has prompted men who nave an AZ thelr 1slr
TO finally admit that the law Is imp3tent.
| that perhaps change would be desirable.
churches have been holding meetings for
the especial purpose of discussing the
liauor law, and they are by no means
statnta, signs multiply that the days of
| prohibition in Maine are numbered.