The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-07
About Re.suhmissiOn.

against the project of re-submission Of
the amendment to the State Constitu-
ton known as the "Prohibtory amend
ment,o to the people at this time. We
are clear in our own mind upon this
question but that others may not be
equally clear we are led to believe.
This has been brought more forcibly
to our attention by letter recently
received from Skowhegan gentleman,
and from which we make the following
extracts: Ut there Is any one policy
that you have steadily advocated In
your journal with which | have always
been and am still In full accord, 1t Is
that of your well known stand on the
liquor question. Further than this | am
confident that | now differ from you
but slightly, II ut all, rs to the thing
best to be done at this stage of the
game | have no doubt that should
the prohibtory clause of the constitu-
ton be re-submitted to the people, II
would be re-afiirmed by a large ma of-
ity, but | cannot see why there should
be any objection to giving the people
Il chance to again pass upon 1t If there
is even Il respectable minority that de.
sire again to express their opinion
upon the matter and this is the line
along which | reason to conclusion
that ] would not care to sign petition
against the proposition to re.submit'
This statement, honestly made by
man well grounded in the principle of
prohibition AS the correct one 10 prae
tice upon the rum traffic, causes US 10
believe that answer 10 1t may be desir
able at this time for the reason TINT
there may be others who hold the same
opinion.
First we believe there is no call for
re. submission by any considerable
number of voters of Maine, or of a
respectable number of men, women or
children of Maine. One political party
has, in several different State cleo
tons, Incorporated IL in its platform and
upon each occasion il failed to Increase
the vote of that party, Our belief is
it had the opposite effect. No organ
iZltion of citiZ4ns, religious. mora,
fraternal, business or philanthropic.
has publicly taken action by resolution
or otherwise in favor of re-submission.
There can be no great public demand
in favor of this proposition or 1t would
have manifested itself In some public
manner long before this time. When
there is a popular demand manifest,
is time enough to consider the re-submis
sion but the legislature of Maine should
not be troubled with the question until
there is such demand.
The great cause of the agitation of
this matter at this time Is antipathy to
the Maine prohibitory law and it is due
largely to those who have personal or
pecuniary interest in its repeal. There
may be a few who have an honest desire
to get an expression of the sentiment OF
the voters of Maine upon the issue but
the liquor interest and the rum power Is
behind this movement, whatever there
is of it and will provide the "sinews OF
war" TO push 1t so far as 1t Is pushed.
In this State, now, prohibition has a
tactical advantage. tits in the constitu-
ton, and to get it out of the constitution
IT quires the affirmative action of two
thirds of both branches of the Maine
legislature to submit 1t to the people,
and a majority vote of the people to
carry it and amend the constitution.
After that prohibition itself in the
statutes will have to be attacked aud de-
feated before a license law can be en-.
throped.
1t Is not reasonable to expect those
who believe in prohibition, the policy of
the state for so years, to consent to re-
submission and thus give away the adj
vantage the people gave them Is years
ago when the constitutional amendment
was adopted by so large majority. 1t
would be folly to do so at this stage.
No general, when attacked by AN enemy,
abandons an entrenehed position where
one man is equal to two men OF his
enemy, aud falls back to the open where
men count the same ON each side
Friends of prohibition will not consent
to proposition so utterly devoid of
common prudence.
A report of the Legislative committee
on temperance favorable to re-submission
would be claimed by the enemies of pro-
hibition as a victory, the vote of
majority of both branches in its favor
would be claimed ms big one, while the
vote Of two-thirds aud consequent re-sub.
mission would be heralded throughout the
land by persistent law breakers as an
overwhelming victory for free rum or
some form of license law. As we view
1t, the adoption of the proposed resolves
would be an effective blow against pro-
hibition.
These are n few of many objections to
re-submission and we firmly believe it
will not prevail.
The Abused Mule.
The wickedness of mules Is a stand