The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-17

and bids his questioners to wait and see what happens" Nothing much has hap pened as yet although the sheriff has appointed a squad of special deputies, whose duties are supposed to be to raid saloons.
 The fact that Sheriff Aennell is a Dem- | ocrat and that the Democrats as rule are opposed to the prohibitory law in- spires the belief among many that. while l the liquor traffic will be held in some restraint. the war upon the saloons will | henceforth be less strenuous than in the | four years just closed.
 The effects of Pearson's campaign have not been confined to Portland, however, for the light of his warlike example has shone far and wide over the State. In Androscoggin County they have | ''parson sheriff"-the Rev. c. s. Cum | mings, of Auburn, who was elected by | the prohibitory element of the Republican Party after the most sensational contest | in the history of Maine politics. Promptly Sheriff Cummings began operations by appointing four deputies to search for liquor, and these officials are now on the warpath. so that liquor dealers, who 1 for ten years past have had little to worry them in the cities of Lewiston and Auburn. now sleep with one eye open and keep their stocks out of sight.
 No Peace in Androscoggin.
 Although Sheriff Cummings and his men have begun raiding in lively style. it is doubtful if his success will equal that of Sheriff Pearson in Portland. MT. Cum mings, while ''parson sheriff." is very unlike the late Sheriff Pearson. While he is an earnest advocate of the enforce ment of the liquor law. he is less stren- uous than the Portland crusader and Is I not at all likely to engage in hand-to-hand | battles with the liquor dealers, content | ing himself, rather, with the general dl- rection of the campaign and leaving the | fighting with fists and jimmes, axes and | crowbars to his deputies.
 | He is 45 years old, a regularly ordained clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church, well educated and of most agree | able personality. He has always been re- garded as a good deal of a politician. has | accomplished something as reformer in various lines and is an able speaker. | The small saloon keepers are the people | who give the raiders most work and trou- ble. Their places are generally located in side streets or along the water front l and are fanked by a maze of back yards | and alleyways which afford convenient means for the bringing in. sudden re- | moval or effective concealment of liquors. I a few chairs and a dismantled bar. A customer Is recognized the minute he ap- pears and the man in charge of the place, l having learned what is wanted, either 1 digs into some hiding place in the floor | or wall, or, what Is more frequent in very | strenuous times, simply looks at one of the loafers, who disappears into the back | yard for a minute and returns with a bottle in his pocket. Often the retainer has no need to go out-only to reach \ into his pocket. This stuff is of the vilest description and sells at a high price, 90 per cent. of which is profit.
 Loafers Watch for Sleuths.
 Other loafers line the sidewalks outside and keep watch for the sheriffs and Tn many cases men are paid by liquor deal | CTS to keep close watch upon the move ments of the officers, wherever they may be.
 Should the officers seize any liquor even a cupful-the saloon man has "a case on him" and must appear in court next day, even if. he..be not arrested at once. Ordinarily he Is fined 500 and costs and from this he appeals, giving bail for his appearance at the next term of the Supreme or Superior Court When his case comes to trial he generally pleads guilty and pays the fine. If he has not I days. The prosperous pay the poor go to jail. Some of the once prosperous have been ruined by fines and some of the very unlucky poor spend much time in prison
 But all this does not stop the sale of liquor.
 In Augusta. K,rnebec County, which is now the Capital of Maine. an attempt is now being made to enforce the law. All the saloons and one of the few hotels are closed, much to the inconvenience of visitors in the city including many mem bers of the State Legislature. which is now in session there
 Bangor pays no attention whatever to prohibition, but has oeen going on a plan of it's own for twenty-five years That plan Is to allow the Sale of liquor under certain police regulations There are about 150 places where .iquor is sold, but 1t is as good liquor as can ne had any
 where and there is less drunkenness in proportion to population than in any other place in Maine.
 Bangor. in fact, is the only oasis in the desert of prOhibtory Maine.