Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-05
sun. sh9 will then proclaim. in trutl
and in factEI4 Lead (Applausa1 ~
Mr.. Mills of Stoningfon: Mr.

and in; fact.Lg Lead (Applausa1
! Mr. MILLS of Stoningfon: Mr.
| Speaker when this question was frs
| brought before the temperance commit
tee, + supposed that that involved TIN
| idea that the committee should lool
at the subject in the white light i,
facts. And l assumed. up to the pres
ent time that we were supposed. a,
members of this House, to have TIM
privilege of looking at the subject II
the same light, the white light Of facts
| But as | have listened to the elootlence
of the gentleman from Lewiston. I,
seems to me that he would have us
look at it through the dark light al
! his own opinions. He expresses him.
self in very broad and liberal terms
and in glittering generalities: all his
ideas are presented in the most ele-
ouent language; but. Mr.. Speaker he
has failed to give single statistic
which he makes here before Won. to-
day.
Now Mr.. Speaker, there are many
states III the Union which have had
wears of experience in both the pro-
hihitOry and the license law. and as
far as my Investigations go there il
not one iota of evidence in the history
of those states to justify the conclusion
that a license law would be beneficial
to the people of Maine. On the other
hand. the great prosperity of those
states under orohibitory law is a
strong argument in favor of that law
FAKE the state of Kansas, which is
Ited. today, by the gentleman who
has last spoken. Kansas enacted a
prohihitory law in 1880. and made II
a part OF the constitution of the state
Men who opposed that law predicted
as men are predicting it in this State
today. that the abolition of the saloons
in Kansas would injuriousIy affect the
material prosperity of the state. but
in 1887. according to a statement is
sued by Ex-Governor John A. Martin
of Kansas, the value of the real and
personal property in that state in
creased in those seven years from
tO,O00,n00 TO $500 0GO, 600. The number
of schools increased from a little over
1000 III 1880. to $500 in 1887, The mum.
Der of acres of cultivated land in
creased from 100000 to 10000. 900; and
IN the same length of time, according
to that statement, the tax rate in. the
state of Kansas decreased almost 20
per cent
Now men talk about the increased
cost and expense of enforcing the pro-
hihitory law, but the greatest area of
prosperity, of material. moral and in
te'l"ctual development in !, country.
cities and towns ever witnessed on the
American continent has been illus
trtted in Kansas since the enactment
of the prohibitory law. even though it
Is partially enforced. And Yet men
claim that d license system would
bring large amount of money into
the county treasures. But statistics
DOE t prove that statement. 1t is easy
TO make general statements here, bur
is another thing to back them up With
facts. Take the city of Lincoln in th.s
license state, of Nebraska. for example.
In 1889 Lincoln supported no les, than
10 saloons. from which she gained q
reveTue of more than $4,000, all of
which was suDposedIto be used for
school purposes only. and yet in the
wear 1899 Lincoln paid to its High
school teachrs an average of only SIS
peF month; while Topeka, in the pro-
hipton state of Kansas, paid an ay-
erage of $S3 per month. Lincoln paid
TO ITS teachers of all grades S66 a month
on an average; Topeka, which has no.
had licensed saloon in the last Is
yAars. paid to it's teachers an average
81 sac per month. III
Now. You can reasonably ask. how
'an these things be? How it is that the
cities OF Kansas can pay more wages
TO: IRIS teachers. build more miles of
railroads, support more schools, and
which is absolutely trre-how
IS IL that those things can he. and at
the same time the cities of Kansas be
paying tax rate less than the cities
il the neiShboring license states? But
~ hen you take into Consideration the
great prosperity which has attended
IS aflsas under the enforcement of the
prohibitorE law. this condition is not so
surprising; when You remember that
1ut of the 104 counties of Kansas in the
year 1902 there We're A which did not
have a single pauper, and out OF those
u counties there were 81 which in the |
April term of court Of 1902, did not have
{ single criminal entry on the docket.
Find Il parallel in license state if YOU
IAN. ] defy any member of this House
10 do it.
Now it is estimated that the prohib-
tory law of Kansas saves the taXpay-
ars OF that state no less than 500, 900
in the poor department alone
But we hear men advocating this bill.
say that they admit all this, that Kan
ias has wonderfully prospcred. but,
hey say, her remarkable and unpre-
cedented prosperity is due to some
other cause, it is due to the industry
Of the people, to the fertility of the soil
to the mldneSs of the climate, the
height of the mountains or the depth
of the Valleys--they say it is due to
anything and everything except the |
enforcement of the prohibitory law:
they say it cannot be due to that, be-
cause the DISTINGUISHED gentleman from
PORTLAND (Mr. Swett), at the opening
% this session told us that on account
Of the strict enforcement Of that law, a
drought was now prevailing over the
oiicn fertile fields of Cumberland coun-
~. isut in all fairness it may be ad-;
mitted that some other cause may have
to the wonderful growth
ard rapid development of the state of
Kansas. but if there have been other