Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-03-01

large county in which to buy any kihu
of Intoxicating liquor, and on the l-th
OF September last. when we Dailotteu
for Governor OF the State OF Name
there was no liquor license ip my couh-
~, although some three or four l think
have crept in since. I think that this
is sufficient to satisfy those who have
been arg suing in the past that the law
could not be enforced. L think 1t is SUI
t:cient to show that it can be enforced
if the sheriff and county attorney tries
to enforce ii.
The lawl is being better enforced now
in the State of Maine, | believe, with
the exception of two or three counties,
than 1t ever was before; and L believe
Mr.. Speaker. that when we vote on this
question we should vote as we were
elected, vote upon the same principles
that we proclaimed in the campaign.
last fall. L know that Il great many
people believe that it is all right to re-
fer this question back to the people
Generally that is true, but is there any
call for it? DO the people of this state
ask To have il referred to them? l ul-
derStand there is "a petition here of 6l
names only asking for this to be re-
ferred. The gentleman from Lewiston
(Mr. O'Brien) said that there were pc
titions of some $4,000 voters who had
upon lines strictly drawn, declared
their intention of asking for resub-
mission: but he did not say anything
about the nearly 10000 voters who
asked that this question should not be
reSubmitted.
A great deal has been said in refer
ence to the ladies of our State. | Know
and it is one of the greatest arguments
to my mind that women should per-
hapS be granted the right of suffrage
if they ask il, that in all great ques-
tiOns like this they have always Deen
found on the right side and upon the
moral side of the question. If petl-
ti,,ns We're presented to this House
signed by the members of the churches
of the State of Maine. by the women
who are interested more than amy 9TH
or reoule in the State of Maine upon
the decision Of this question. by the
Grangers and others and the educators
OF our State. asking that TINS queslioh
be rcSubmitted, l would then be WliiliS
to favor resubmitting it to the people.
but. gentlemen, l believe That IL we
should vote to resubmit it. 1t would
simr.y paralyZe the hands of all tenn
norauce men and women for two years
at lerst; and 1 hope that the motloh
| of the gentleman from Lewiston 70
substitute the minority report tor that
| nj the ma aiority will not prevail. CAP
plause)
II nf lewiston.
Mr.. Sneaker: I am aware that the
ouestion before this House is not Pro-
hibition versus License or Local Op-
| ton or License versus Prohibltlon But
| the question at issue seems TO nave
given way to what l might call the real
| issue And on that ground those OF us
who do not believe in prohibition well
come the discussion and stand ready
to meet the friends of prohibition. the
friends of the dear old prOhibitory law
so dear to the gentleman from Houl-
ton.
| Hence. the question before us is nei-
| ther more nor less than question OF
| morals that affects us not only as in
dividuals but as State. Our votes or
| these reports from the temperance
| w III DC IL Stt y toh az ''7 49,
| cuing our State from law that has
| brought upon the people nothing but
| Giscredit, dishonor. shame and degra
datiOn. or else it will keep the State
| and its inhabitants for years to come
under despOtic rules.
Therefore we say that this amend
| ment prohibiting the sale and the man
ufacture of intoxicating liquors adopt
ed years ago should be resubmitted tC
the people. And if you are not afraid
to trust the people you will see youl
| way clear to support this minority re-
port now before you.
Mr.. Speaker. we should not lie any
| longer to the people of our sister states
and to the world. Notwithstanding oui
| 30 years of prohibitory laws, we have
not succeeded in regulating the appe-
| tite of men within our borders and We
| never shall. Prohibition means that
| and nothing else Prohibition says &c
| every one of us. that we shall not
drink that which we want to drink
| That to drink liquor or sell liquor is
bad 20 the individual and to the State
| Now has the law. the liquor laws, Sc
| called, contributed to make us 50 good
so temperate, that the appetite clamors
| no longer even for Il little beer or wine
| And are We all teotOtallerS? Then vote
down this minority report, But if you
| Still indulge. | do not care to what III
| extent. notwithstanding the law. ther
| before Your God YOU cannot vote
! against this minority report. After -
| years of the most miserable admins
| tration of the liquor laws it seems tha
| the people of the State of Maine ough
to have an opportunity to set them
| selves right with the world. And tt
| Him who still proclaimS to the worlC
that prohibition prohibits. | say: For.
| give them. oh Lord. for they know no.
what they do daughter and ap
| plauSe).
When I was a hoy in my native land
| we would often hear men talk of tn,
Maine liquor laws. And it came to us
that to sell liquor in Maine. you hat
to buy the law. What Il proposition
1t was Greek to us and / little though