Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-16

against the sale Of intoxicating liquors
would be the court house business, the
jail business, the poor house business
and the charity buiness.
Il believe If the people will candidIy
look into the conditions that exist, not
only in Maine where prohibition prevails
but elsewhere where license is in opera
| ton. they will be able to tell the Legisia
| ture when it meets that the present law
is needful and just. Will any other law
be better than Names law? 1t is the his
tory of the country that states or COM
munities will suffer when the rum BUSH
ness is In control-whether under license
or under prohibition. In license places
dealers will violate the terms of their
licenses. They will sell to minors, will
sell after hours and will sell on Sundays.
In every license community will be found
just as bad condition as in prohibition
Maine. | stopped in Portland, Oregon
for 10 days during the present year. Ii
cense prevails there, and l found Just as
bad conditions as ever existed in this
States
over in Lewiston they>say that the en-
forcement of the law will drive the BUSH
ness into the kitchen barrooms Why, at
the present time, with 100 open barrooms
in that city the kitchen barrooms are do.
ing business. There would be more kitch.
en- barrooms there if there were more
Kitchens. And all of these are run be.
cause there is money in the business. We
are blind to the conditions that really ex-
list. The rum business cannot be made
respectable. There is contagion in it, If
Augusta voted no and Hallowell yes"
you'd have trouble here. There is really
no such thing as local option. The bane-
full influences of the liquor traffic in Hal
lowell would come here. You would get
all its evil effects. 1t would spread over
the county also.
rs not the concensus of the opinion OF
good people worth something? The con-
census of opinion among good people is
that the liquor traffic the world over and
in all ages is the curse of all curses. We
should, therefore. be slow to set up an ar
gument in favor of changing the law
which now exists for one which is in no
respects an improvement.
what is needed is a revival of interest
in public affairs. What's hall be done
to compel an officer to comply with his
oath of Office is matter that should in
terest the Christian citizen. Our duty
must be governed by the circumstances
around Us. We live in a country where
the government is republican. If the
churches and the ministers are remiss in
any one duty it is their failure to enforce
upon the Christian people the necessity
of taking interest in public affairs. If
the will of God is to be done by the Pres
ident, by the governor, by the Leg1sia
ture, by the courts. by the grand jury, by
the city marshal or by the sheriff, the
Christian people must so act as to give
emphasis to their wishes and their de-
sires. The notification of law is COM
mon among Names public officials as to
attract no unusual attention. The man
who transforms himself into a Legislature,
a court and a licensing board and takes
money from liquor dealers to put into
his own pocket, is disgrace to the State
And yet under the existing order of things
men usurp the Governor, the Legislature
and the court and have presumed to say
that public opinion does not sanction the
enforcement of the prohibitory law. A
sheriff has no right to say that the pro-
hibitory law Is not wise. He has no bust
ness to say that public opinion is against
opinion been expressed? The Legislature
and the people have made the law. and
no man. regardless of what his friends or
party associates advise him, has right
to say that the law is not right.
Il have a message to say to you. 1t is
that these conditions exist because of the
inactivity of good citizens, like you, who
never held office We have been throwing
| up our hats because we have the law III
! the constitution; but we should go farther
and see that good men are elected to en-
| force that law. Bad men succeed pe-
| cause they are more active. L nave beei
! preaching q years. and | find that whei
an active, energetic man joins the chufcf
he invariably becomes supinely inactive
Good men should work for the further
ance of good government. Ministers
should be something different than mere
sky pilots ouarreling over the dogmas Of
500 wears ago, carrying on the theological
prize fights of the past. 1t is alleged
that ministers should not be candidate
for Office. because they do not know how
to administer it's duties. The minister
who does not know how to perform tn
duties of "A public Office ought to be paci
to the theological school or. better stlii
sit at the feet of some practical ware
politician. Paul and Christ taught ina
whatever We do do for the honor ana sio
nv of God The minister should teacI
his people how to vote and work Tor IN
good government.
: If "a saloonist is put up for ONCE ne
, never accused of ignorance. for ne ma
made a study of politics and knows VIVA
he is expected to do. And IL good mer
5 pious men. would take office ana nav
: more to say about public affairs the "ori
l would he better off. l have offered som
4 six or seven men places under me IN An
| droscoggin county, but l can't get them
2 they haven't time to help me In the "o'
| have to do. l may have to give ines
e places to other men because ! can ~
the Kind | want. We need great pal
e tism of courage. Do you think l "ah.e
;. IN he sheriff of Androscoggin count!
f Somebody had to sacritsce comfort al
: peace and contentment to pattie ioi
t inst cause. There is spirit Oh sacii"e
o over there. Merchants closed their SUI
e and fought for six long days IN con.e g
It ton for a candidate for sherin. w"e
e that sheriff has such backing ne Zee
! that he is being heartily supported.
rl ..How MANY ministers go to caucuse'