The Portland daily press., 1897-12-24
BOsSISM, CAUCUS REFORM AND
ENFORCEMENT
TO the Editor Of the Press:

TO the Editor of the Press:
The demand for constitutional pro-
hibitory law was the demand of so large
a part of the people of Maine that the
bosses were forced to yield, and the ques-
ton was submitted to the people. Here
was a clear example and expression of
"public sentiment" and of what public
sentiment means. The nullifying Of the
law, for the purpose Of securing and hold.
ing the rum vote, was, and is, clear
example of boss-sentiment and Of what
boss-sentiment really means. The two
are exactly opposite in purpose and char
acter; the principle in one case directly
opposed to the principle in the other. In
one, case the vote is submitted to the peo-
pie, and Is a popular and non-partisnn
vote, In the other case. enforcement or
noI,-enforcement, it is submitted to the
bosses, as it becomes a part OF party ac-
tion and under direct party control, and
the outcome is simply the expression OF
boss-sentinent and not by any means OF
public sentiment simply because it is the
rule for voters to submit to boss dicta-
tion. This submission springs from an
entirely different motive; that OF voting
with the party, right or wrong. This is
the general. almost universal, rule. Ii
a few vote 'under protest" they vote all
eae same because they are brought up
against an organized and systematized
f,rm of caucus management which they
..aven'l the courage TO attempt to reform.
They always find plenty OF excuses for
voting with the sold party"
The truth is the true principle of pro-
hibition has never become unpopular in
Maine. The only reason why some Of its
old supporters have lost respect for the
law is because it has been made a farce
of by rum synrathizing bosses. Their
purpose in this has neen to disgust the
temperance element by falsely showing
that the law is impracticable and thus re-
+tning the temperance vote. and then,
th ,ugh nom enforcement, holding
on to the rum tyote.
.uus while being In measure, treach-
erous to both elements, they have accom-
piished their double purpose just as lar as
possible, believe.
This is the whole thing in nutshell.
1t is merely an attempt of boss-sentiment
to pervert and undermine genuins pub
lie sentiment, through which 1t hopes to
secure, and does secure in great meas
ure, both the temperance and liquor vote.
It is the height of absurdity to claim that
the law abiding citizens Of Maine are in
favor of issuing free-arink tickets, by the
hundreds or thousands, to voters on cleo
tion day, said tickets to be cashed on
presentation by those most interested in
the result of the election; or that they
endorse the regular custom of supplying
voters with liquor at the polls, or that
they believe in such outrag eous violations
Of law and decency as the bribery of pub
lic officials. There ia certainly no popu-
lar sentiment OF this kind. There is no
popular sentiment-if popular sentiment
means q majority Of the citizens of the
State OF Maine-in favor of the free sale
Of liquor against the constitutional law
OF the State. The root of all the mis-
chief Is IN tho caucus and committee
room, in select cliques of politicians,
whose interests, either business or fnan-
oial, lie in non-enforcement of the law
and In the maintenance and support of
the rumshop. 1t simply amour nts to a
conspiracy, on the part of few, to SUBJ
ordinate and nullify the law of the State
for their own benefit.
j. s. WHITE,