Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-02
UNCLE JOSH AGAIN
WRITES HIS nephew
=. ON RESUBMISSI0N.
Augusta, Maine, April I, 1904.
LETTER NO s.

Augusta, Maine, April 1, 1904
Dear Nephew: Your letter in reply 10
my last is before me and l nave read
tie same very carefully and VIII, at
first, answer the questions you ask.
II seems that the claim advanced py
some Of your fellow students that pro-
hibition is an out-of-fashion idea BOTH
ersi YOU somewhat, but il that IS the
strongest argument against our pro-
bibitory constitutional amendment,
YOU and the Journal readers need not
worry in the least about the result. L
have already claimed that, should the
question again be referred to the peo-
plc a campaign would be inaugurated
that would result in every fact being
presented for the consideration or
Names citizens so that no voter
would ever have any reason to say that
he did not understand the question to
be voted upon. To show you that pro-
hibition Is not unpopular or antequated
consider that in the North, the South
and the West prohibition is more gen.
orally popularity enforced at the pres
enI time than ever
or the As counties of Florida -
are dry and in some Of the wet coun-
ties the salOOn territory i restricted
alone to the county 50 At. In Arkansas
in 1902, 80 counties We're Di oh!bition: in
1903, As of her counties were prohibition
ones In 1908 Vermont voted license
but in 1904 nearly all of the towns re-
pudiated the saloons and the four Ii
cense cities went license by an aggre-
gate majority of only 250. Massa-
chusetts sometimes called a license
state is, in fact, a prohibition one,
something like $50 of its 3J3 cities and
towns being overwhelmingly no-license
which is the same as prohibition as far
as results go. Tennessee has SO cOun-
ties under prohibition and in Ohio, at
the close of 1908, the dry territory
included $40 cities and towns, 935 town.
ships and 3 counties. Indiana is also
restricting saloon territory under the
Nicholson Bill. One-third of the popu-
lation of Virginia reside in AZ counties
in which there are no saloons. OF the
- counties of Mississippi. 63 contain
prohibition territory and in these dry
areas live 80 per cent. of the popula-
ton of the state and the recent legisla
ture voted upon the question of sub
hitting Il constitutional prohibitory
amendment to the people. There are
pa counties in Texas and since 1891 the
number under prohibition hrs increased
from 50 to 12S and in these dry" cOun-
ties reside three-fourths of the ropula-
ton. An attempt to repeal the liquor
laws of North Dakota was defeated in
the legislature by n vote of &c to 81 and
the druggists bill was amended SO
that Il druggist must obtain the sigma
lures of so per cent. of the freeholders
IN
ward or village before he can get a per-
nit to sell intOxicants. A bill adding
an Injunction feature to the liquor laws
was passed 81 to . in the house and 20
to 1 In the senate of the Kansas legisla-
ture. In Kentucky out of 1l9 counties
only AZ are wet" In Georgia out of
1877 counties only "a are wet counties.
To further prove this contention from
the words of the liquor men | will
quote from an address delivered by f.
l.. Jordan. president of the National
Retail Liquor Dealers Association be-
fore more than one hundred delegates
in convention at Pttsburg last Octo-
Der. Mr.. Jordan said:
ITO be honest and not to deceive our
selves. If we glance over this great
country we find that prohibition local
opium. HlSn llcellSe. anu UNJUST legal
restrictions are in the asCendency and
growing more popular i'm the different
states at the present time than ever be-
fore Peer into every city.
town and hamlet, then read the city
ordinances: visit the council chambers
in the various cities, visit the different
legislatures and the halls of the con-
Sress of the United States: consult with
your lawmakers and you will be as
founded at the combinations arrayed
against the traffic we represent. The
national association in it's uphill bat
ties against such tremendous odds has
done well. 1t has accomplished more
than any reasonable person could well
expect. but the truth is the enemy is
gaining ground rapidly upon US. and
we are being ovcrpowered by the ire
mendous forces battling against us:
and Just as rapidly as they gain ground
just that rapidly we are going into de-
cline and being surrounded and
hemmed in by these adverse forces
Prohibition was never so popular as
Mt the present time. Citizens OF all
Creeds. professions and occupations are
awake to the seriousness of the matter
and when the people of this great gov
eminent become wakened. the world
would best take heed. Yours
UNCLE JOSH.