The Republican journal., 1899-06-22

harmful. Another element in the problem
of Sunday desecration is the Sunday news
paper. The aggressive union of moral forces
is lnyincible, and in England, where public
opinion has united against the Sunday news
papers they have been suppressed. Make Sun
day papers improbable from lack of patron
age and the publication would stop. No class
suffers more from Sunday desecration than
the workingmen 1t means six days pay
for seven days work. Men are mentally
and physically better for working six DAYS
+ than seven. Public opinion must be COM
bined with legal forces and these must be
reinforced by church aud home influence.
| Hon. r. f. Dunton of Belfast followed,
with an address on the question, Have we
any new light on the prohibitory law?" He
| spoke without notes, and presented clearly
/ and forcibly his views on the subject In
substance he said; The early Prohibitionists
We're intense enthusiasts, but it would be
strange if, IN forty years, we did not have
| more light on the subject than they. They
stood on the summit of the first great tenn
perance movement, while we have the aid
GU llSu VI tut 6& ptTlbutt Oi nearly hall
century. Americans are law-abiding peo-
pie; respect for law is early instilled into
the mind of youth. Hence when the evils
OF lntemperance become apparent it was
most natural for the reformers to look to the
law for the remedies, and movement for
passing prohibitory laws was started The
first strictly prohibitory law in Maine was
passed by Democratic Legislature in 1850,
and its passage was brought about bv the
liquor element, who thought that by pass
ing stringent prohlbitory law they could
make the movement unpopular. After being
on the statute books a few wears the law
was repealed and Maine was for two years
a license State. The Republican party then
took up the matter and in 1858 passed pro-
hlbltory law which, with its amendments
has been continued to the present time
From the first the prohibitory law has been
political football, so to speak, being used
by the politicians to further their personal
or party ends. We are living in very prac-
tlcal period we expect to accomplish what
ever we profess, except in this respect We
do not expect to stop the sale of liquors.
There is not city in Maine in which any
man who has the money cannot get all the
liquor he wants. Why with a strong law
forbidding the sale of liquors. does this con-
ditlon exist? There is something that is
stronger than the law, ami that is public
opinion. Public opinion is not in favor of
prohibition. The officers as a rule would do
their duty by the prohibitory law as they do
| by other laws. if they We're sustained by
public opinion. Mr.. Dunton then referred
TO his own experience as County Attorney.
He went as far as he was sustained hy pub
lie opinion, but admitted that he did not do
his whole duty under the law. One of his
successors went beyond public opinion and
was soon succeeded by another. The law
never will be enforced until it is sustained
by public opinion. He then read an edito-
rial from the outlook, magazine which
voices the religious and moral sentiments of
| the times, in which the editor takes strong
grounds against the present form of the pro-
| hibitory law, and favors the South Caro-
lima dspensary law. The time has come
for fair and full discussion of this question
We must agitate and educate until public
opinion will close the saloons. The liquor
traffic is upheld by the love of gain on the
one side and self indulgence on the other
The duty of officers under the law is plain,
but it is the duty of any citizen, who knows
OF any law being violated, TO make COM
plant As law abiding citizens the duty of
prosecuting rests upon any one of rs to
whom druggist sells bottle of liquor for
a sick wife or child, but public opinion and
conscience alike forbid the prosecution
Some place should be provided at which
liquors may be legally bought, to be taken
away in sealed packages. These places
should be on the most public streets, with
glass fronts, where every customer can be
seen from the street, and every customer
should sign a book that should be open TO
public inspection. With such places pro-
vided public sentiment would suppress the
saloons, and officers would be supported in
enforcing the law.
Rev. Geo. S. Mills followed Mr.. Dunton,
thanking him for his outspoken words, and
expressing the hope that this church may
ever be open for the expression Of just such
honest opinions.
Rev. f. S. Dolliff said all laws are more or
less violated. The blame for the non-en-
forcement of the prohibitory law should be
laid upon the public rather than the law.
The law is better than the public morals, and
the latter should be improved and public
oplnlCu educated.
Rev. &. P. Marshall dou bted If the major
ity of people think drinking crime. The
law is too deal.
H. Nj. Prentiss believed that druggis Is
should be allowed to dispense liquors with
ont violating the law. Prohibition is far
ahead of public opinion. He believed in an
arrangement similar TO the South Carolina
law, whereby liquors may be procured for
legitimate purposes. The question should
be taken out of politics. and prohibition not
be a political foot ball, as it now is
Mr. Mills again arose and said that he
considered the South Carolina law pretera-
BILE to ours; that the South is ahead of the
North in dealing with the liquor traffic. He
would like to see the question re-submitted
to the people, after full and free discus
sion.
Rev. R. G. Harbutt said all law is ahead
of the opinions of many. AS public opinion
has suppressed the Sunday papers in Eng
Iona so oan il snnDress the saloon in America