Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-23
HIGH LICENSE
And How It Works in the State Of
se =. Massachusetts,"

AT the State Street Free Baptist
church, last evening. ReY. o. r. Miller
of Holyoke, Mass, field secretary of the
Reform Bureau of Washington, D. c..
of which Rev. DR.. Wilbur F. Crafts is
superintendent and treasurer, spoke on
7"How High License Works in Massa-
ohusetts.''
Mr.. Miller is field secretary of tho
Reform Bureau of Washington. D. c..
whose primary object, the speaker. stat
ed by way of introduction, is to secure
the passage by Congress of important
and much needed reform legislation
along the line of temperance, better
Sabbath observance, stricter divorce
laws, anti-gambling and anti-polygamy
measures. etc. During the eight years
of the Bureaus history it has secured
the Passage by Congress of several i'm
rortant measures along all these. lines.
But he said that the Bureau is working
especially to secure in the next Con-
gress the passage of the Hepburn In
terstate Liquor bill to stop liquor deal
ers from another State shipping liquors
by express or otherwise in the original
pa ckages into No License and Prohibi-
will of the people where they have driv
eli the saloons out. This bill will great
ly strengthen the effectiveness Of all
No License and Prohibition laws.
He was confident that the Reform
Bureau, with The help of the w. c. T.
T.. and Anti-Saloon League would be
able to push this bill through the next
Congress He finally commended Con-
gresham Burleigh for his help along
ali reform lines in Congress. In his
address on high license. Mr.. Miller gave
many facts and incidents from his own
experience in trying to help enforce the
High License Law of Massachusetts.
He said that he had lived over IA years
in Massachusetts, and hence he could
speak from experience rather than from
theory or hearsav. He spoke substan-
TALLY as follows:
First-High license does not drive out
the low dives. The licensing of open
saloons does not stop the illicit sale of
liquor. The licensed liquor dealers
meyer prosecute or drive out of business
the unlicensed and illegal liquor deal
ers. Why? There are two reasons.
First. because the licensed dealers con-
tinually violate the law themselves,
hence do not dare prosecute the low
dives lest the latter in turn should pros
ecute them. Secondly the licensed
dealers do not care to prosecute the il
legal dealers because the latter buy
their supply OF liquor Of licensed deal
ers. Did you ever hear of saloon
keeper prosecuting one of his patrons
for buying liquor of him? In many
Massachusetts license cities we have as
many illegal rumshops as we have Ii
censed saloons.
Secondly. High license is constant
ly and fragrantly violated. The licens-
ed dealers of Massachusetts, shamefully
violate many of the provisions Of the
very law under which they are author
lied to do business. This is the testi-
i!ony of all who have made any inves-
tigation on the, subject. Probably
ninety-nine out of every hundred Ii
censed liquor dealers of Massachusetts
Violate those provisions of the license
law which forbids their selling to
minors, to drunkards, to intoxicated
persons or to persons who have been in
toNicated within six months; and many