Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-10-07

REsuBMIssIoS.
As the bsttte is on for resubmission and
the gauntlet has been thrown for action,
IL may be interesting to keep an eye ON the
arguments advanced by the friends Of this
policy.
At the recent gathering in its behalf, a
prominent speaker who has visited nearly
all of Maine and has said that eight out OF
ten would favor resubmission, Is reported
as saying that the prohihitory lew has been
"the plaything of politicians till now
"we have system, built by our own effort
and your own votes, whereby the law has
been ignored by large class of our citi-
zens, and liquor has been sold throughout
Maine as freely and with cheaper cash
penalty than any licensed state in the
unIon". Note this: Liquor sold as freely
as in any state; then compare with what
tendency to Inconsistency.
lie then alludes to the present active
enforcement OF the law, and Is willing to
excuse the courts from any blame for so
doing. He adds: awhile 1t is the primary
object OF this society to first gain resub-
mission, II successful we shall then ask for
a conservative license law; to overthrow
this monster called prohibition, which has
been clutchipg at the throat OF liberty,
and trsmpling upon the rights OF large
body OF our citizens who have been vainly
knocking at the doors OF our legislature
for the past two sessions, asking only for
the American privilege OF being permitts d
to vote upon vital proposition affecting
the rights OF every citizen OF the Stste";
denying every male voter the right to
vote and say W hat he shall eat and drink"
Well, now what do they wsnts What
more can they want in the way of drink
II, as it is taid, liquor is as free here as any
where? II prohibition has allow ed ell this,
why, oh why. is the national association
Of liquor dealers SO willing to pay q
prineely salary to have iesubsnission can
vassed and urged on the voters Of Maine?
Why don't the liquor associations canvass
license states and advocate prohibition, IL
ii gives them SO much trade at cheaper
rates?
A system built up by your own votes !;
yet voters are denied the right to vote on
what they shall eat and drink. Again
speaking OF summer visitors: at seems
to be absurd to attempt to legislate for a
class OF people who have been educated In
other states to eat and drink whatever
seems to them best, &C.,
When Mai ne people visit other states, do
those states find 1t right and proper to
principles or whims of these visitors9
Temperance people may not feel afraid
OF resubmission, but resubmission means
unlimited money to secure license, and
license once established In Maine will be
an octopus which will not easily be over
thrown for the reason Of that same money
which will hire the ignorant and unprin-
cipled to be at the polls to vote early and
often for he liquor Interests.
We hear constantly: 40, a good license
law would be better than the prohibitory
law not enforced" Who ever heard OF a
good license iawf And how much better
would 1t be enforced than the prohibitory
law is? There are hundreds who drink 10
saloons because OF "good fellowship" So
called, who would not 60 into some low
shanty to get drink. Who can say how
many open drinking places would spring
up all along our streets under license,
where now none is seen?
One more item: 1t was asserted that
thousands OF men in the old parties were
in sympathy with this society but dare not
come out openly for fear of social aud
political ostracism. II, as was asserted
before, eight out of ten favor the move
ment. those two must be powerful to
ostracize the eight.
Verify, consistency is jewel that seems
to be lacking among our friends, the
enemy. As to good license law, when
the license money is all paid to support
the victims OF the traffic instead OF being
used for county buildings, &C., that migot
be good law; but isn't prevention better
than cure?
As to the rather sarcastic allusion to the
W. e. T. U. and its president, members OF
that body may feel fiattered that they are
OF sufficient Importance to receive the
notice Of such speakers % addressed the
convention, for II the liquor interest did
not feel that the work OF the W. {. T. u.
was menace to their success, be sure they
would not waste breath to advertise their
existence. PRESS SUIT.