Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-18
Move Made to Establish City
Liquor Agency,
But Meets With Opposition-Laid on
TabIe-Other Matters.

The regular meeting Of the city
council was held. last evening, and as
is usual at this particular meeting each
year. an unusually large amount of
routine business was transacted.
The orders passed or referred to the
different committees relative largely
to new sidewalks, new street lights,
highways. etc, and if passed would
call for the expenditure of a sum of
money that would tend to raise the
tax rate instead of lowering it, as is
the desire of the mayor.
The only feature of the evening
which would be construed as any way
exciting, was the presentation of an
order by Alderman harrington. looking
to the establishment of a city liquor
agency.
In presenting the order, Col. Far
rington spoke as follows:
Mr. Mayor and gentlemen of Board
of Aldermen:
Il offer this order after most care
full consideration of the subject. The
State by the enactment of the prohib-
itory law. recognizes the necessity of
its citizens in having an opportunity
to purchase liquors for mechanical and
medicinal purposes. To that end the
State has established and for long
term of years provided a State liquor
agency. giving towns and cities a
chance to procure such liquors The
principle involved, to my mind, goes
beyond the right to have towns have
this right TO purchase and dispose un-
der proper restrictions.-the right of
the citizen to have some place pro-
vided where he can take advantage OF
the provisions of statutes. and get
such liquors as are kept for mechanical
and medicinal purposes. / have long
held that the State. could not consist
emily stop, after recognizing the right
of the citizen by establishing a State
agency, but should have gone further
and at convenient places established
other agencies, that the people might
have the advantages afforded by the
statutes.
Nov it is left with the municipal
officers of the cities and towns, and if
the majority say that there shall not
be an agency. the town must be denied
| of what the State virtually declares to
| be their privilege. There is a legiti-
| mate demand for liquors for other than
! for that of beverage. That deman
is recognized by law. 1t is not met
and cannot be met. except by the es-
Establishment OF agencies in cities and
towns. A person desiring liquor for
proper use. cannot now get it i'm this
city. That persons who want it for
drinking purposes can get it in one
way or another in limited quantities by
methods understood by them may not
be denied.
"The condition of things now is diff,
ferent from what it has ever been be.
fore. The State has time after time
t-it was for the enforcement of the law
against liquor selling for drinking pur-
poses. Governor Cobb was nominated
and elected after boldly declaring that
if elected he would honestly and faith
fully do all he could as Chief Execu-
tive to enforce the laws against ille-
gal liquor selling. No man who knows
him doubts his purpose. The Legislature
has gone beyond any previous efforts
| in passing prohibitory legislation. by
enacting law which gives the Cover
nor a power no Governor every before
had. We already see the effect Of that
| commission law, by much more rig.
l id enforcement in counties where il
was lax before. The commission has
been appointed and there is no longer
no doubt, il ever there was any, tina,
the Governor will see to it that the law