The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-07-23
SUMNER POLITICS.
Prohibition is Easily the Leading Topic,
But Many Politicians are Looking After
Their Fences, and Aspirants for Office
are Bobbing up.


Bangor is the storm centre of the liquor
question, and there is much speculation as to
what will be done at the August term OF the
Supreme Court in that city. Mayor Beal Of
Bangor is decidedly opposed to the prohibi-
tory liquor law in general, and to the present
program for that laws enforcement there In
particular. Not long ago the mayor an
nounced that as the Supreme Court had
taken the enforcement OF the law into its
own hands, the surveillance that has for
years been exercised by the city police de-
partment would now cease, and on Friday
night he said in an interview, that SO far as
the police are concerned they are not sup
posed to know that a drop of liquor is being
sold in the city. 81 would not support All
officer of the police force in raidlng or clos
ing up respectable SalOon," said Mayor
Beal. "You can see what this new attitude
of the court has already brought us to-a
large number of the best places closed up,
and ali the kitchen groggeries and dlSrepu-
table places running full blast-even on
Sundays"
Mayor Beal says that, in his opinion, the
prohibitory law has not long to live in
Maine; that if the Republican party does
not repeal it some other party Will.
The utteranceS of Mayor Beal have Great
ed something of a sensation, bringing forth
strong Endorsement and caustlc criticism
There is little doubt but that he expresses
the sentiments of majority of the people
OF Bangor. Rev. S. L. Hanscom of Bar
Harbor, who lacked but few votes OF be-
ing elected sheriff of Hancock county on
the prohibitions ticket, and who claimed that
he was legally elected, is out with letter
scoring Mr.. Beal, in which he says:
"If Mayor Beal is correctly quoted, he
certainly ought to resign his office at once.
The last Republican State convention adopt
ed a platform containing this plank:
"'Every provision upon our statute books
for the promotion of temperance was put
there by the Republican party, which has
always stood for sobriety and thrift among
the people Of our State. We favor the con-
tinuance of all such statutes, and demand
their faithful and impartial enforcement by
the officers of the law"
Mr. Hanscom says further that Mayor
Beal has by his own confession betrayed
his trust and violated his oath of office !;
that ''the mayor has no more right to say
that he would not support an officer OF the
police force in raiding or closing up re-
Spectacle saloon than he has to say that he
would not support an officer in arrest!ng
respectable thief"
In referring to Mr. Hanscom's letter May
or Beal denied that he has violated his oath
of office in any respect, or that he has I'M
peached the honor of the legislature in any
way.
81 think the people of the State remem-
ber this same mans Impeachment of the
Governor and Council of the State last win
ter Just because they could not see their
way clear to remove the sheriff who had
been elected by the people and place HIM IN
the POSITION" he says. "My position is as
| have already stated in the local papers. l
will not order the police to take the inita-
tive in ramrod enforcement campaign. as
| don't think it their duty. They are at all
times ready, however, to serve all warrants
ON complaints made by citizens competent
to do so, and will serve them impartially
and faithfully,
There has been but little change in the
the liquor law situation in Bangor since
july lst. There are about 10 places, Includ-
ing two or three wholesalers, who are open
and all doing rushing business. Most OF
the pretentious establishments and three
of the largest wholesale houses remain
closed The hotels are doing more or less
business. and at least one has thrown open
the bar, which was closed for some time.
Not much change is expected until the sit
ting of the August term OF court, when the
action of the court against the parties VINO
are thus openly defying the law will be a
matter of considerable interest. The police
and sheriff are making no move ana the
temperance people are entirely unheard OF.
In Old Town and Brewer and one or two
other places in the county the trade is CON
tracted in one on two places, which are
doing.a big business.
the sold guard" about the state-h0use.
who generally know the way that the
wind is blowing, take not the least stock
in the talk that is being made that the
resubmiSsion of the prohibltory law will
be considered at the special session
September Even the friends of resub-
mission, those who are earnestly in favor
of a license system, do not want the matter
to come up at present, says the correspon-
dent, as they claim that the time is not ripe
for the question. Even if the matter should
come up at the session III September the
resolve would be overwhelmingly voted
down as the personnel of the two branches is
the same as when the last vote on the ques
ton was taken and there certainly has not
been change of faith on the part of the
members since last March sufficient to
carry through the matter,
Under the Joint rules of the house and
senate it would take three days to bring up
the question of reSubmlSSloll, the language
of Rule II being ''When any measure shall
be finally rejected, it shall not be revived
except by reconsideration and no measure
containing the same subject matter shall be
introduced during the session, unless three
DAYS notice is given to the house of which
the mover is member
1t is not believed that the legislature will
be in session more than d day and not over
Two udyS DIV lllc UutoiuC' W. HIhteCIS W ia
undoubtedly be considered, the resolve to
appropriate $4,000 for Names representa-
tion at the St. Louis exposition and the bill
to use five-eghths of the bank tax for the
support of the common schools No inter
est seems to be taken in the st. Louis mat
ter so it is probable that no appropriation
| will be made The bill to increase the
money to be used for the support of the
| schools was introduced because it was be-
| ieved that the legislature having reduced
the tax on savings banks the schools
| would suffer The last commitment of the
bank tax shows that such is not the fact,
and as the schools will undoubtedly get as
much as ever out of the banks taxes it is
doubtful if the case again comes up.
A piece of political gossip in circulation
at Augusta is that Hon. Elliott Wood of
| Winthrop may be a candidate for governor.
! There are now three candidates in the field
and many uncertainties involved. Mr.. Wood
is one of the best known public men in the
| State. He has served in the Maine senate,
been member of the executive council and
| held various offices in Winthrop. He is now
| postmaster of that town. At one time he
was a member of the Z. S. senate, and for
awhile he served AS emigration commission
| Ell He has many influential friends.
| Candidates for the sheritfs berth in Ken
| nebec county are beginning to appear. The
present incumbent, Frank J. Ham of Bel
| grade, will be a candidate for another term,
in accordance with a time-honored custom.