Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-08
The Enforcement Commission.

cratic organs nave perSiStently de-
nounocd the Republican party for it's
alleged failure to enforce the Prohihi-
that a law which could not be enforced
should be stricken from the statute
books. These papers have net BEN
altogether consistent in their criticisms
inasmuch as they have, in one county
at least, viewed with equanimity the
spectacle Of a Democratic sheriff cool
ly usurping the functions Of the Legis-
lature of Maine, and making his own
laws for the regulation of the liqucr
traffic in blissful disregard Of the plain
provisions of the statutes.
1t has therefore occurred to thought
full citi2 ems that perhaps after all these
organs were not so much in favor OF
honest and impartial enforcement
az they were DESTROYS of opportunities
for making political capital. If they
had been sincere in their criticisms 1t
would naturally be supposed that they
the creation of a commission specially
charged with the duty Of enforcing
the ProhibitOry law, and composed OF
prominent members of both political
parties. But such has not been the
case. The commission has from the
first been the target of tie most Vitu-
perative and persistent attacks on the
Fart of these organs, and the attempt
has been made TO make it appear that
in some mysterious and unexplained
way it was foisted upon the people of
our state contrary to their wishes and
against their protests. Nothing could
lie further from the truth. The Enforce
ment Commission was created because
q majority Of the people Of Maine de-
sired it to be. If such had not been
The fact the peoples representatives
IN Legislature assembled would never
have enacted it into law by vote of
81 to so. Thoughtful citizens will not
he missed by the buster and sophistry
of organs that ore, and have been ac-
lively enlisted in the cause of the
Rum Trust. The II members Of the
Maine House who voted for the Sturgis
commission We're representative men
of their respective districts. They
were in close and constant touch with
their constituents. and in voting for
the creation of the enforcement COM
mission they knew that they were act
ing in accord with the wishes of the
citizens whom it was their privilege to
represent in the halls of legislation.
The enforcement law was, therefore.
no accident. 1t was not foisted upon
an unwilling public. II was put upon
our statute books, at the request of the
voters Ct Maine by the men whom they
had sent to Augusta to enact their
. wishes into law.
These are the plain facts in the case,
and the attempt of certain Rum Trust
organs to msreprescnt or befog them
will never deceive the intelligent vot =
ers OF Maine. A large majority of the
task of enforcing the Prohibitory law
should be given into the hands of n
commission clothed with special pow
er to carry into effect the will of the
and directly answprable to the people
for the discharge of the duties special
~ intrusted to them. But" say the
organs of the Rum Trust, 1.-THE work OF
this commission will cost money" Ger
tainly it WILL The people understood
this when they asked for 1t, and so did
their ropr. sentatives in the LegiSla :
ture. They were. however. perfectly
willing 70 pay the bills So far as
we have observed the people have
never objected to the expenses incurred
by the commission in the performance
Of the duties intrusted to it. That has
been confined exclusively to certain
organs that represent not the people,
but the Rum Trust.
1t Is an interesting fact that. in all
this dust that has been kicked up by
the special organs of the Rum
Trust. not one Of them has ventured
TO reflect in any way upon the high
personal character and standing of the
gentleuDen who compose the enforce
ment commission. Even the friends and
allies Of the liquor traffic are forced to
recognize the fact that they are clean
able, upright citizens. who have. in
their individual capacities. received
signal honors at the hands of both of
the great political parties of this State.
For Il time the organs of the Rum
Trust were content to criticise them
for their alleged failure to do anything
but now the same publications are be-
laboring them for their "pernicious ac-
tivity!" 1t is evident that the organs in
spS,