The Portland daily press., 1899-04-10
Tells What 1t Will Try to Do in
Naine.
Lawlessness Is On the
Increase Here.
Rev. Mr.. Hacks Sermon On
Mission of the Church.

On Sunday two exceedingly able and
interesting sermons were pre- ached In
Portland on matters pertaining TO state
and local government The first Of these
was delivered in the morning by the Rev.
Rollin I. Hack of the Second Parish
church on "The Mission Of the Church. ="
The other was delivered in the afternoon
at the Congress street Methodist church
by the Rev. W. 4. Berry on 1.-The Chris
tisn Civic League.
THE CIVIC LEAGUE.
Next Sunday the Rev. Mr. Berry will
deliver his farewell sermon to the Con-
gregation OF the Congress street NJ etho-
dist church. He win then commence his
work as the general agent for the Maine
Christian Civic League and begin cru
SADIE in this state for the better enforce
ment of the laws. His subject Yesterday
afternoon was ON the civic league and
tie work it will undertake and the meth.
cd of conducting it. He began by giving
history of the organization OF this
league In Maine which occurred IN Wat.
erville on March 30, 1897 This league
was organized ID bring about fair.
honest and impartial enforcement of the
laws and for the total suppression of the
liquor traffic, and civil righteousness
MIR. Berry said tnat the time Is now
ripe for the commencement OF the work
of this league In earnest. There is a rest
lessness among the people of this state
which should be taken advantage Of.
They can see the spirit of lawlessuess Is
on the increase, have taken alarm, and
only require leader TO bring about
great reforms. Sunday is no longer a
day of rest, nor is it observed religiously
in Portland. The churches have felt this
in Portland very much during the past
few years. There are SO many attractions
for people on Sunday now. in the sum
mer time, that the churches are not as
we'll attended as formerly. At Rivsrton
park there are no special attractions
offered for Sunday, but the cars run to
this beautiful park very frequently and
hundreds of people visit this place on
this day instead of going to church. At
the Cape casino last summer special at
visit this spot and more cars were run
for the accommodation OF tho crowds
than at any other time during the week.
In th3 past ten years the number OF
steamers in the harbor has been doubled
and they carry many people down the
hay and to the islands on Sunday. The
railroads never think of SUCH thing as
do
of the excursions are on Sunday and are
well pa tronized. II one wishes to visit
Old Orchard beach on Sunday he can do
so at less cost than on any other day OF
the week. 1t Is difficult for the church
10 compete with these things and n civil
Sunday is almost eliminated in Portland.
There has been a steady increase In
CT ime in Portland in the last ten years
There IRE now 2S7 persons under sentence
in the State Prison and the institution
Is crowded and can accommodate few
more. Last year there were hundreds OF
persons sent to Jail in Portland for drunk
enness, and all of this time there Ia a
not only in Portland, but all over the
state. The law is disregardeI in every
part of Maine. There are now 1910
plac es where liquor can be bought in
Maine and ii is sold almost as openly as
are dry goods or any other article OF legi-
inmate tTaut. III OuT ONn Ctty LucIV dEC
IT'S LIQUOR stores. You will hear the
statement made that there are 800 saloons
here, but that is not true, tut there are
at a conservative estimate fully 175 sa-
looms here. That is to say that there are
at least this numb of people who are
engaged in breaking the laws with the
tacit consent of the men whose duty 1t Is
to enforce the laws. Executive and ju
dionl aid is given these persons in the
breaking of these laws and the sale OF
liquor in Maine Is constantly on the tn-
crease and scarcely any effort is being
made in this state to prevent 1t. During
the past ten years the legislature has
secretly and stealthily removed from the
statut books the Imprisonment clause
penalty for the breaking OF this law.
great fact worthy to be noticed Is that II
twenty thirds of the persons arrested In
Portland during the past year were
charged with drunkenness on the street.
and this does not begin TO snow tne num-,
Der of persons who were drunk. but who
were not arrested. These things are ex-
oeedingly alarming My only safe guard
and the only protection for my rights is
in the law. Houses Of iil-fame, gambling
dens, billiard saloons, rum shops and
many other thingstSof an evil kind are
tolerated In Portland. The owners of
these places are a privileged GLASS of law
breakers. They form political power
which is recognized by the managers of
the political parties in this state. CAST
ing aside the moral question can we
afford TO trust the making of these laws
which are our only protection. to those
who can trample law under their feet
and do SO with the aid and connivance
of the officials WHOSE duty it is to enforce
all lawsy l don't mean to intimate that
the law breakers are only the liquor SELL
ers The men who lease their buildings
To those who sell liquor, the transporta-
tion companies which bring into our
state the liqnor which is sold, ire break
ing the law as much as are those who
sell the liquor. These persons form
privileged class who are openly and
daily trampling the Law baneath their
feet. fear for my rights II law 10 TO be
so treated. Where is my protection 70 De
found If this 10 to go on? Where IL all
vi this law breaking TO endy
All of these things nave an exceedingly
marked effect upon the church. IN ma