Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-11-08
the acRlMe or CRIMES "

Editor Democrat 49, sars
| When the declaration Of war with
Spain was announced by our government
q few months ago, and especially afteI
Isctual warfare began, how intensely
stirred were our people lest q Spanish
fleet should invade our coast and leave
ldesolsti0n In It's wake. With whal
activity we're our coast defences In.
creased and strengthened, and ouI
harbors made lmpregnable TO entrance
by the enemy's war ships! Besides these
precautions, q constant watch was kept
TO signal the appearance OF any suspi.
cious craft. -, ~
II prestilence from abroad threatens
our land, how quickly do the people
awake to the danger and wisely provide
against It's encroachIng upon our terri.
tory; or II an epidemic makes its APP
pearance In any locality Is not every
precaution taken not only to pre-
vent its spread, but to thoroughly stamp
1t ou,g Taking these ~ An object lesson,
With what humiliation do we contem.
plate the fact that there is FAR more
dangerous foe In our land, plying les
death dealing vocation with an aggress-
iveness that calls for protest that shall
shake heaven and earth and cause she0l
to tremble. The misery entslled by the
rum traffic Is too appalling, too agoniz-
ing for utterauce by human tonuge, and
the hand that should attempt to pen In
detail its cruel, pestlferous work. would
palsy under the trying ordeal. Ia 1881
Gen. James Appleton OF Ipswich, Mass,
In his battle for prohibition, made this
declaration: ut has been proved again
and again by competent witnesses thst
20 far from being valuable TO any one
purpose II IL the direst calamity that
ever visited our world"
The law In our state IL ample to cover
any phase OF the criminslity OF rum
selling, and yet because Of It's severity,
AZ some decisrS, II cannot be enforced.
Says one, former county attorney OF
this state: Liquor selling has been
singled out from other crimes, and the
Law relating thereto has been supplied
with teeth wholly dlsproportinate TO the
size OF the crime. The same people who
are undertaking In opposition TO liquor
selling wouldn't be willing TO see a rum
seller put In III and deprived OF all his
property, as Is possible under the stat
utes NJ they nos exist. The fact IL, the
prosecuting officers can now take the
law sgainst liquor selling and can do
everything but hang the offender" He
says further: LET the state put the
offence where II belongs, so that the
court and jury understand that there l.
no persecution involved, and then you
will flnd II easy for the county attorney
to secure conviction"
Put the offence on q level with other
crimes, indeed. Il stands out above all
Others, "The gigantic crime OF crimes"
and the statutes are wisely planned to
meet Il. But so long as panel and bar
pass judgment upon the Law instead Of
executing Il upon the violator Of II as
they are sworn TO do, just so long will
the enemies OF prohibition pronounce 1t
. farce.
The liquor seller goes into the nefAri-
Gus business with his eyes open to the
law hanging over him. He knows the
consequences resultant upon such action,
and yet he engages In the traffic in de-
fsnce OF all law, and with an audacity
that would put 10 shame even the enemy
OF all righteousness. Wherein then Il
there show OF persecution In the execu-
ton Of the law? Wherein lies the In
justice Of the lawg He challenges II.
Let the challenge be met with arm
hand, resolute will aud = dctermina-
ton unchecked by sensational sympathy;
and let him whose hands are stained ~ith
the blood OF his victims receive the just
reward OF his doings.