Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-01-28

for the entire state.
The towns that still vote for license are
coming to envy and initiate those that
prohibit the saloon, and these latter
realize more and more that they will
never be wholly free from the curse OF
the saloon SO long as their neighbors
tolerate il.
Maine has planted the standards well
forward into the enemy's country. and II
is not for her to bring the coIors back to
the line, but for otheT states to bring the
line up to the coiors.
4. Under prohibition Maine produces
no intoxicating liquors for export into
Massac busetts or Africa. Bat under
local option Massachusetts allows the
manufacture OF liquors to be forced upon
the people of Maine by every device
known to the organized liquor interests.
Let Massachusetts, and similar states pro-
htbit the manufacture of iDtoxicants as
Maine does, and Maine will have no
difficulty In enforcing her prohibitory
law.
5. peculiar difficulty with which
Maine has to contend lies in the influence
OF the vast number Of people who resort
here from other states for recreation,
many of whom, trained under other
systems of temperance legislation, refuse
to respect that OF the state whose hospi-
taiity they enjoy.
This influence Is felt especially in our
fas hionabe summer resorts where the
81, al. .
and ability Is to be made this comm G
summer. And among those whose infiu-
ence tells against our law are many excel
lent Christian people who, In the use OF
liquors at their own tables, create an
excuse for the saloon as needed to crafty
the similar ana equally legitimate tastes
of the poorer ciasses.
These people, though Christian at heart,
do not rise to the standard OF St. Paul in
the matter OF personal example, nor are
they willing, like Christ, to sanct;fy them
selves for the sake OF their weaker
bret hren. The Chr list ians OF Maine should
rise to this higher standard.
g.. Another difficulty in the enforce
ment Of our prohibition law Is toe WE'LL
meant but hurtful criticism OF its work
ing by many sincere friends Of temper
ance, who, becsuse they prefer some other
plan, lose no opportunity to point out the
local failures of prohibition. Such criti.
cisms are not fair to the law. They tend
to discourage many who are friendly to
the law, but lack the power OF indie
pendent judgment, and they correspond
ingly hesrten the saloon. keeper.
Now submit that there Is no remedy
known to medical science that can do Its
proper work II every friend who meets
the convalescent takes pains to tell him
how poorly he is looking. Yet such is
the service that many wouId-be friends
of temperance outside the State, on the
platform and In the press, are rendering
the people of Maine in their recovery
from the disease OF the saloon.
Massachusetts, Is experimenting with
local option, New York with high IL
censs, South Carolina with the state
dspensary and Maine with prohibition.
Our health is steadily improving under
prohibition, thank you, and we only ask
OF our local option, bighlicense and
state-dispensary friends OF Temperance
that they give our experiment also a fair
chance.
believe the people OF Maine will not
recede from the advanced position they
have taken, but In spite OF the enemy in
front, and occasional wounds from we'll
meaning friends in the rear, they will
hold their ground where they are. and
where all the other states will eventually
join them.
One word of warning before closing:
Our present revival OF enforcement comes
simultaneous with an era OF unparalleled
industrial prosperity. Experience tells
US that every such period is followed in a
few years by period OF depression. 1t
will be SO this time; and when the hard
times come again, the friends of the
saloon will make the most OF them as
due to the suppression of their So called
industry.
Let US be on our guard against any such
Interpretation of the inevitable fact. Not
only is the suppression of the liquor
traffic not cause of hard times, but IL
will do more than anything else to relieve
the severity Of them when they come.
DEAN A. WALKER.