The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-09-06
Rev. Mr.. McAlIisters' Rather
Heated Remarks.

pdSO seven y ClOCk duU bu64 W6llD INTO /
the hall and played several selections
Promptly at eight o'clock the speakers
Of the evening and several citizens, VINO |
had assembled in Reception hall, assembled |
the platform. being greeted by liberal |
applause. Ex-AIderman zenas Thoznp-
son, who had been chosen to preside at
the meeting, called upon Rev. S. n -IOa-
WIS., pastor Of All souls UniverszI1st
oh urch of MorriIIs to offer prayer Mr..
Davis made a brief invocation. He
prayed that there might be law which
should be for both the sanctuary and for
society. Then Mr.. Thompson stepped
forward and delivered his address He
spoke as follows:
MIR. ZENAS THOMPSON
Fellow Citizens-We are assem- bIed
here this evening in the interest OF a
common cause, and one that should re
ceive the careful consideration of every
thinking citizen OF this county. We rep
resent no political party or parbz z=g1lar
UNCONVENTIONAL sect, but have laid aside
all such distinctions IN the interest of
morality, decency, humanity and respect
/ for the law. W1Uhin the past week these
walls have echoed to the discussion by
distinguished men of questions Of great
national Importance, questions that
affect the stability, honor and integrity
| OF this great nation. The question which
ence and bearing of equal Importance to
this community as well as the nation,
for the position of Maine, upon the en-
fOrcemenU OF the prOh1bitory law is
watched from one end of the Union to
the other. And the bare-faced way N
which our officers have avoided It's en-
forcement is the scandal of the dazT and
has made the State OF Maine a DT W ord
in that respect The American people
are slow to anger. 1.-The mills of Uh8 gods
grind slowly" but when the people are
ean and rt1ril &c -
Maine to the Orient. We are here TO
night to express by our presence that
. public sentiment has awakened 70 the
fact that the sovereign viii OF the people
as expressed by the laws THAI the- have
placed upon the statutes Of our state
are being eYaded, and that their servants
to whom they have cOnfided the Gz6cu-
ton OF those laws, are unfaithIzz1 and
recreant to their trust, and are cozzSCru-
ing the laws to suit their own ideas and
to further their own selfish purposes.
How often have we heard the sentence
quoted public sentiment is not II favor
of the enforcement of the law" y 1aU IS
public sentiment?' Is it the express
sion OF the few or the many5 low
] came the prOhibitOry law upon the
statute books OF our State? What b. ought
about the conditions that made = pos
g sible to place it there? The 1u111 1Iy
of the rum traffic and it's devastating
results. Awake public sentiment
and the thing was not. Later on pup
lie sentiment caused it to be eugrsl1 ted
into the constitution Of our state. St1l
later an attempt to resubmit the law was
defeated by that same public sen6l-
ment." And Notwithstanding al at
tenn pts made to bring this law II ID us
repute there it will remain as long as
the granite hills of our grand OLD sUage
shall endure-a monument to a people
who stand for law and order ana gOc0
morals. Public sentiment VIII no6
allow the motto OF this grand ola sUaUe
to be trailed in the mire OF tO1a&1 de-
We ali know too we'll the Iaxity IN the
enforcement of the law the past lew
years, and the growing disrespec6 Tor
law, and the consequent holiness OF
those engaged in the rum traffic. 0W1Ae
to the singular methods adopted Dy our
officials in enforcing it. The TEN per-
ance men of the Republican party were
assured that in the election of MI Les
peaux they had a man who would ona1n-
mon their cause and that the tenn p8Iance
plank of their platform would receive
the attention desired They took H Isl
courage and gave him their support Inc
result we all know. Pledges ana prom
ises broken in utter disregard OF al pro-
tests, and when confronted WIN unese
promises they tell US that they We're
never made to be fulfilled. The 1o1loW-
ing extract from a correspondent OF the
Sunday Telegram of July ~ tells the
ii never told anybody that 7 would
enforce the liquor law to the le11ef-
SAID / would see that the county got some
e revenue out OF the traffic, Wh-ch No.
body can wholly suppress
So enforcement for revenue seems to
be the policy of the sheritf's ONCE Is
there anything in the law that says 10
may be enforced for revenue SUI
Sheriff Despeaux publishes denial OF
s. this statement.
81 Mr. Thompson here read the statement
D made by Mr. Despeaux and already "1ue'
" published, and continued
DO your find anything there thaU is q
denial of that interview? II you can
YOU viii have to read between the INES
His denial reminds me OF the STORY OF
a certain colonel, who was lectur1ng ms
q soldier servant on the sin OF untruUhIul-
, ness cit was not only lie you tolo
me-" said he, "but stupid ne.
s'Faith, sir, - said the man, i SAID yer
q were in a raging temper and I0sU me
presence of mind" 1 fear our worthy
sheriff has lost his presence of mind
But he does say that he has brought more
~ offenders before the court than any oUn-
er sheriff in this county in the last quar-
ter of a century Hasn't he had larger
crop to select fromy Does he show any
diminu1tion in the number OF saloons
during that said administration OF his
office? None at all. The victims OF the
saloons have increased until +" Hotel de
Despeaux'' is overcroWded. Cots IN
the corridors and standing room only.
is the report OF the gentlemanly clerk IN