Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-05


THAT. the same relation exists there be
tween the license and the no licens,
cities as have shown exist hetweeI
the cities of Kansas and those of Ne
Z. braska? Why is it in the CITY OF Cam
bridge from 1875 to 1895 the valuation
,,os property went down three Inilliof
dollars under a license law. while from
1850 to 1900 the valuation of property
iwent up thirty-six million dollars un-
der no license law?
Perhaps you will say that it is un-
| falr to take any city in Massachusetts
Ias a comparison; YOU may say tht To-
"a causes are operating there ami pro-
aece the different effects. causes with
winch we are not acquainted. But
Wnen YOU take a single city in MaSsa-
lChusetts under 4 no license law and
compare ii and find that prosperity ana
growth constantly attend that city I'M
der no license SYSTEM. and that
poverty and pauperisiq6 alWayst follow
the enactment, of a. license. law it
seems to nue. that This is a logical argu-
rnent in favor of the prohibitofy law.
But when YOU find that that condition
is duplicated in 100 Other cities of
Massachusetts, it seems to me that y6i
strengthen the argument for universal
prohibition. 1t is unreasonable for.
men to stand before this House and
prophesy most glorious future
for any law that has had no glory in its
past, it is Illogical for men to predict
u grand success for any law whose
past has been marked by failure
Now notice for Il moment some of the
results in Maine. You will all agree. /
think. that there is an attempt being
made to enforce the prohiitory law
III the county of Androscoogin What
are the results? In January, 1902, there
were 36 arrests for drunkenness in An
droscoggin county. In January, 1902
there We're 3S arrests. In January of
this present year under the enforcement
of the law, Mr.. Cummings administra-
tion. there were only seven arrests for
drunkenness-and that is largely dice
TO the fact that just prior to Mr.. Cum
nings taking the oath of office the
liquor dealers got rid Of their goods at
marked-d down prices. Take the county
OF Kennebec. in 1909 there We're no less
than iS arrests for drunkenness in this
county of Nennebec. In 1901 there were
SIS. In 1903. under the enforcement of
Now the gentleman who
has just spoken admits that the pur-
pose of al! temperance Law is to restrict
the amount of drunkenness, what more
can he ask for, than this
Moi only go: but recently a man from
husetts put mp at one of the ho-
tells in Lewiston. After being SHOVE to
mis- room he sent down to the Office for
that LIQUOR was not being sold, the law
was being enforced. a second time the
gentleman sent and insisted on Il bot
tie of liquor being sent ~. The pro-
prietcr sent back word that if God AL
mighty was stopping. at that hotel he
could net buy liquor at $50 a drink. 1t
may be that the enforcement Of this
lax causes an exceeding drought in
Cumberland county, but if such is TIE
case, j believe, if there is no aiterna-
tive, that it would be a good investment
for the State Of Maine to pension the
poor farmers of Cumberland county |
ard let this good work go on. a license |
law may mean. perhaps Il revenue for
the State and that every county in the |
SKATE Will have a balance of $40, 900 in
it's treasury at the end of the year. i
Well. if We are going to make men |
drunk for the sake of having y balance !
in The county treasures, it seems to me |
that we might as we'll go back to the |
days Of slavery. If we are going to sell |
mems characters for the sake, of the all |
mighty dollar, we as well go back TO |
the days Of the auction block and sell |
their bodies rs well. III. |
Now this Mr.. Doutney comes down |
mere: and l have authority for the |
statement that he was paid by the Ii |
quor dealers who come here and talk |
in the interests of resubmission. He |
says among other things that the en-
forcement of the prohibitory law is an |
on the personal rights of |
our citizens. This is a theory tina |
belongs to the dark days of the world; |
it is not the theory upon which the |
government is. built, and it |
Is not the principle upon which mod |
ernc vilization advances. Five years |
ago Spain was carrying on 4 war with |
methods in the island of |
Cuba. When she was demonstrated I
with. she defiantly said: Whose busi- I
ness is it," The United States am
swered: 1T is mine The Spanish |
\
putting to death the innocent citizens |
Of Cuba. When it was undertaken to |
restrain him. he, like Thomas N. Dout-
ney, boldly said: Whose business is |
it," And every patriotic, law-loving |
citizen of the United states answered: |
1T is mine So all along the years
from Plymouth Rock to the Philippines,
tho United States has been giving OBJ /
iect lessons. teaching to the world the
fact that no man liveth to himself and /
no man dieth to himself. And so when /
the liquor business of this country de-
prives million families of the United |
States of the comforts of life, tenn |
perance people have Il right to stand |
and say: This is our business" And I
in this position they are upheld by the |
highest court III the land. Allow me |
to read just a few lines which came
from the Den of Mr.. Doutney about
~ years ago. This is found in his au-
page 45l: = tFs-
'fGranting nearly all that the oppon-
ents of prohibition allege against either
its theory or its practice, it's principles
or its administration, the great fact |
remains undenied and undeniable. that,