Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-19
FOR TEMPE RANCE.
Mass Meeting, Last Evening"
at Congregational Church.
Principal Address by Rev. W. f.
Berry Of Kent's Hill.
Reviews Temperance Work and Pays
Respect to Mr.. SWEET.

Wednesday evening. at the temperance
meeting and it was a.Darent as one
Iooked over the audience that consld-
cradle number Of the members OF the
legislature had accepted the invitation
IN he present. Rev. Norman Mchin-
non. pastor of the church, called TO Or
der and expressed regret that rms
Honor. Mayor Robertson, would unapi@
10 preside as was expected, on account
of a bad cold making 1t Impossible ''r
him to speak aloud. However, the
MAYOR was present on the platform by
his presence to show his belief IN the
purpose of the meeting. and had SHOWN
II also by his statement at Inauguration
when he reafiirmed his statement OF
four wears ago that liquor is the source
of 10 1,er cent of the pauperism in Au-
austa.
Rev. Henry +. Dunnack of the Metho-
dist church was called to the chair. He
began by ASKING the audience to JOIN
tn singing Onward, Christian Sol
diars." Mr.. Dunnack in his opening
remarks attacked the claim that non
enforcement. is good for the county
finances. Last year, liquor dealers
paid $4,000 in fines into kennebec
ness prosecutions cost in the same time
$1,000: the la Dor lost by men under JAN
sentences on account of alcoholism
would in this county at the usual price
fn,. unskillcd labor amount TO $2',ooo,
and If Mayor Roberstons clam IS cor
rect that so per cent. OF the pauperlsm
Of Augusta is due TO liquor IL nad Cost
the public funds of Augusta $sooo ana
that would amount to more in the three
items than the total of the lines. Inc.
income Of the saloon keepers might al
so lac added to the loss of the county
from their presence in business
Nv. Purington of Waterville, treasur-
or of the Christian Civic League "l
Maine. was introduced and said that
the good work so ably championed by
Mr.. Berry was the work of that society
and he asked memberships and contil-
buttons to keep the work going.
Rev. Wilbur F. Berry of kents Hill.
former secretary of the Christian
civic League. president of the Maine
Wesleyan Seminary, and secretary OF
the Maine Methodist Conference, was
introduced. 10 reply to the speech mace
in tho Housa of Representatives on
M,,ch : nv Representative Edward {.
Syett of portlpnd Mr.. Berry spoke as
follows:
Follow citizens, we have met to DIS
,.uss Il great question. to consider
great problem. ! regret that His Honor
the mayor of Augusta, who sits IN inns
Iniform tonight, is unable. because Oh
hoarsneSs. 10 take part. But ne mas
,l.,,cd himself on record on this nucs-
tion. there is no room for doubt. There
arr those VINO say rum votes heipeo
elect him if so he is not responsible pc
cause | have his word for 1t. Read
these words from His Honor's address
when at the head of the Door depart
mont of this city, and he stands by TINS
statement. today: when men, strong
and able bodied. with the reek OF pad
whiskey IN their breath. call for 1000
and fuel and clothing at the public ex-
peusc. and one knows that what mas
gone for drink, and the money lost by
loafins. might have gotten large part
of thoSe things for lack of which their
wives and children are suffering. ne
would ne false to his duty as citi-
zen and TAXPAYER If he failed to cry
aloud to have the rum shops closed
Gentlemen | am convinced; | know
that so pcr cent. of the Dauperism OF
Augusta is due to the ease with which
Iiuuor can be obtained by anybody
who wishes it, This means that a large
rcr cent OF the taxes assessed in this
city for the maintenance of the poor Is
paid practically towards the support OF
the rum shops
WHY ladies and gentlemen men
apolosize for the saloon because 1t
puts money into the county or State
treasury. In this county, for instance
s45,5S1 were nut into the county treas
ury last year, in fines collected from the
saloon and its patrons. But it cost the
county to prosecute saloon Offenders
and board saloon keepers and drunk
ards made by the saloon $1o,9l2, that is
the county paid 35 per cent. for the COL
lection of the s455S7. All this money
came from the people. and 50 per cent.
paid for the collection of public funds
Is "A eXorbitant sum.
But Az persons were put in jail for an
average period of SO working days for
being drunk At $3.50 a day here was
lost labor to the amount of $25,4SS. Then
~ saloon keepers were Jailed for 80
working days each. and at the same
rate here was lost labor to the amount
of s2a6S. The cost of maintaining the
poor was certainly increased in the
county by the saloon the very modest
sum of S1659 and these sums exactly
equal the entire amount of the fines,
Sac. 1851.
But 1903 persons paid liquor fines in
this county last year. The average re-
ceipts of saloon is $4,000. The Income
orffhc Ut lest 100 saloons in this county
FOR tho year WOULD be, then. 100000,
and ada to this the above named
amount that the saloons cost the coun-
ty Ne have as che sum put into the till
of the saloon and expended in dealing
with the saloon and its product $685.
Isl. OF this entire sum the county got
into it's treasury s45,5S7, and the cost of
collecting this. you viii see if you COM
pute it, to be 121S per cent, for each
dollar paid into the county treasury by
the saloon cost the people of the county
Sl2lS
One of the basest conspiracies against
good government is being wrought out
here in Augusta in the Legislature at
-. .,,o.a,t Tina Tbart, ic a hill before