Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-30
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
Who Wants the Saloon in Maine7


Who Wants the Saloon in Maine7
portland Express)
| Stripped of all pretences, the campaign
now on in Maine is reduced to the ques
ton, Shall we legalize the saloon il
| Name? IT Is upon this question that tn,
| voters OF Maine are to pass in September
| The claim that the people ought to b,
| given an opportunity to vote upon prop
| osition contained in the Constitution o
the State is but idle talk, for the oppor
tunity is now at hand and the people %
| Maine are to pass upon that very ques
tlon, when they come to cast their vote:
| in September. Arguments in favor vi
local option are idle. because it is loca
option which We have now. The State i.
| the unit The question before the people
naked and alone, is one of license ano
| no license. Some of the Democratic poll
| ticians and organs are disposed to covel
up the issue, others are more open an,
| above board, bat the majority of the PEG
| is to be settled, before the campaign
closes, and their votes will be recorded
| accordingly. What will be the result
Can there be question in the minds OF
any who are conVerSant with the mora
character of the people of Maine? Does
any one doubt what the verdict will be
when the people register their will as to
the continuance of the policy which has
SO long been in force. the policy which
has so long been representative of the
opinion of the voters of Maine, as regards
| the liquor tfaIHc.
Who wants the saloon legalzeG in
Maine? Who wants the liquor traffic t.
become factor in all cur State, county
and municipal affairs? Who wants the
in ward, town. city and State manage
ment? Who wants the degrading infiu-
ence of the saloon to offset the influence
of the churches and schools of Maine? II
is easier to tell who does not want it. Nc
good citiZen<Wants it. No man with n
family of growing boys wants it. No one
with the good Or th, community ut heart
wants it. No man with a business which
the profits of the saloon would interfere
with wants it. No man who loves his fell
low man want it. No one who hopes for
the welfare and happiness of the rising
generation wants it,
How then it is possible that the De-
mocracy. with it's avowed favoritism for
the Gan ne gs6 Of vote Mane
would seem to be a literal impossibility.
Every vote in the State ought to be
thrown for the candidacy of Governor
Cobb and the continuance of the policy
of Prohibition. 1t is not reasonable to
expect such a vote TO be cast. for the
reason that many who have long been in
the habit of voting for a certain party.
drawn to it because of principles which
have nc connection with the liquor traffic,
will fail to see the vital Importance OF
rcbuking the alliance between the Demo
cratic leaders and the dram shops. and
will cast their votes in accordance with
their long established custom.
Then there are the victims of the drink
habit themselves. Some of these have Sd
far Succumbed to the influence of the
appetite for liquors that in order to
get what that appetite demands. and tn
get it easily. they will vote for that
which, if they would Soberly consider the
question. they know to be against the
best interests of the people as whole.
There Is a certain vicious element en-
duwed with the right To vote. The crimi-
nails and the would be criminals will vote
every time for saloon. 1t Is the duty OF
the people, without regard to party, to
arouse the unthinking from their lethar~
CIV. to show to them what it means to
have the saloon in power here: to illus
trate to them what it means to have a
fight annually with the saloon in every
town and city in the State and To see II
they now securely debarrcd, shall he al
lowed to come in and to do their ne
farious work in each community.
There are thinking men who are op.
posed to the policy Of Prohibition eh H., B su
loon. It is unbelievable that they will
vote for that which they know and ac-
knowledgs to be sr what EVIL their
Judgment is better than the system now
in vogue.
Whoever does want the saloon We do
not believe that the people. OF Maine as
a mass will ever endorse it; The sober
minded citizens Of this state VIII never
vote to engraft this tremendous engine
Of destruction upon our system OF gov
ernInenI
It is therefore with the greatest con-
fdence that the Republican party goes
before the people pledged to the prln
| cple of Prohibition and presents lls
candidate for Governor. n man IN Whont
| the people NAV safely trust one who is
| committed to the policy of the defence OF
| the homes Of Maine. an of1icial VINO III, 5
proven his worth nv his services. both in
| connection with and apart IRON me sra ga
question of the campaign surely thr
people Of Maine, the church gong Scaool
supporting, order loving saloon na.n.s
people of Maine will stanu Nv w hrpnn-
strous evil and s1tpport its candidate for
| Governor. the tried and proven citizen.
| the chief magistrate whom we an ho''or
and esteem. William 1. Iop"
The Splendid Financial Record.
(Somerset Reporter)
| As thu State campaign op"hS: outsIde OF
| the moral issues. one OF tne nrst thiIlsa
asked by the intelligent voter IS now now
| heen managed? The Republicans nave q
| ready answer. With tax rate OF oniy
| was halancn In the State treasury of
| over $40 nm During 1905 the bonded in
dahtedness of the state was reduced W.,
| ON: during the present year IL mas Deen
| reduced $23O.0O and there is every pr1s
poet that another large reduc,ioai VIII III, ne
| made before the close OF tilt, stai. ! ms
| besides paying all bills and leaving
| good s,,rnIuc in the trea During the
| two wears Of Gov Cobb frSt admlnls-
| tration the bonded indebtedness OF Maine
will be cut down fully $s s,anac rr T
| the interest account Dy Si"yTvV mn q
State under Democratic ruie ''''' Has
done as well.
The Letter From Gov. Pattison.
| fcoxxor.at RppOrter.)