The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-16
PROHIBITION IN MAINE.
An Eye Witness Tells How the Law
Is Enforced There.

Is Enforced There.
Editor of the Morning News: If it were
possible under any conditions to enforce
reform by arbitrary law, this state should
be model of sobrlety, for moi only the
statutes, but the constitution itself for
bids any person to make drink or handle
the accused thing" 1t is banished from
Maine by organis law. But how is it in
fact? For dozen years this writer has
spent the summer months along the coast
of Maine, from Rockiaud TO Portland,
generally in the smaller towns and vii
lagos within these limits. and having hon
estly endeavored to get at the facts is
prepared to speak Eek cathedral" Here,
in a village of a few hundred souls, liq-
uOrs are 10 be had as freely as in Savan-
nah. On the Fourth" drunken men were
exhibiting themselves at midday along the
main street in a more disorderly way than
would be allowed on Broughton street. On
a recent moonlight excursion the orgies
were equal to our negro boat trips, any
one will tell You how and where to see
a man." The facts seem known generally
but no one cares to interfere or to turn
informer. The jug trade is carried on
here as freely as in any state.
In Portland, the writer heard a pulpit or
ator declare publicly, that there is a rum
SuOp 10 every Llo OF lne population, ana
that the proceeds of this traffic amounts
to $4,000 per week. On Savannah the pro-
portion is about l to go persOns). At the
principal hotel there was a bar as access
sible as that of our De Soto. The writer
inquired of the landlord if he found no
difficulty in thus running things. He an
swered that he paid no license, but that
prohibition agents came and struck him
for fifty as often as they thought he
might stand the squeeze; if he
refused then they seized his
stuff. Thus it would appear that
there are profits in prohibition; their
henchmen getting the money which, in Sa-
vannah, goes toward the city expenses
and at the rate of license in our city. Port
land should receive some $50 900 which, it
would appear, now go to grease" the spies
of prohibition. The state of affairs plainly
to be seen here in this cradle of prohibition
may please the Pharisees. but assured
ly it deceives no one, who cares to
find out the truth-that the percentage of
"drunks" is greater in Rockland or Port
land, police records VIII show. That this
prohibition whisky is vile stuff, worse if
possible than that dealt out by our negro
gin mills, cannot be denied. Asking the
landlord of a hrst-class hotel in Burling-
ton, Vt. why he dealt in such "vi.ain-
Gus fire. he answered that the black mail
system made 1t necessary. Such are the
facts in connection with prohibition here
in Maine, and the writer challenges any
one who denies it, 10 the proof. What then
is our FRANKS intend? Are they going on
the "holier than thou" pan? If they do
not know what has been the result of a
half century of the absolute rue of their
kinds here, then they are wilfully blind
If they do know then they are wilfullv
false leaders. Anyway, one thing is GER
tain, there must be some other and better
method invented and carried out. before
the drinking evil can be abolished or even
decreased. To this end the writer is in mot
hearty accord with our prohibitionists. but
as to their present plan it is farce and a
failure. r.