Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-04-11

ana DONG II because he believes ii to be
his contribution to the cause OF good
government and good citizenship. The
enforcement commission is not playing
politics, but is attempting to uphold and
vindicate law OF the State Of Maine.
have right to speak of the methods
and purposes Of that commission for /
have been in close and constant touch
with its deliberations and conclusions and
these conclusions have had invariably my
approval and assent.
4 want 10 testify, too, to the absolute
unanimity and harmony that has pre-
vailed between the members OF the COM
mission, and between them and myself,
and to shy that the responsibility for
their acts should be borne, not by them
alone, but should rest upon me as we'll.
No sooner had the enforcement commits
sion begun its work in some of the locali-
ties where the law was openly defed, than
certain counties were in an uproar and
the downfall of the republican party was
freely predicted. The democratic party
believed it saw its golden opportunity and
loudly called for recruits TO support the
proposition that those places which
wanted notification should have il.
Faint-hearted republicans forgot their
platform and began to question the wis.,
dom OF attempting to put avowed po-
litical principles into practice. The feel
ing OF DOUBT and uncertainty spread all
over the State, and naturally enough the
Sturgis Law was held to be, IL not the
reason, at least the scapegoat for all the
woes OF the republican party. So far as
actual and known results are concerned,
the dissatisfaction eliminated in the
spring elections, and almost every man
who for one cause or another cherished
resentment against the party, masked
behind the Sturgis law and contributed to
republican defeat.
The issue must not be COMPOUNDED, how
ever, and while our opponents call 1t the
Sturgis law yet as O matter of fact it is the
principle of enforced prohibition that is
on trial and every thinking fair minded
man knows this to be the truth. Has the
republican party been sincere or insineere
in ITS professions of belief in that prin-
ciplef Has it used that principle In its
platform only as a meaningless declara-
ton TO catch votes, or did it mean what
II said and does it propose to stand by it?
Has a few months OF attempted real en-
forcement so pricked the hollowness OF
its convictions that they vanish at the
first sign of possible disaster, or does it
intend to hold fast to that principle and if
defeat comes go down with coiors flying
but still true to itself.
Those are questions that the republican
party must now face and answer, and
ought to face and answer, and ii the
Sturgis law has no other claim for the
right of existence, one is found in the fact
that it has shown what enforced pro-
hibition may mean, illustrated its merits
and defects, and at last we may expect
vote upon this question that viii express
the wishes OF the people of Maine. The
State is aroused and believe will stay so.
This condition OF affairs was bound to
come sooner or later and it is well that it
is here now. Notification of the law and
all the corruption that follows IN its train
has made the situation what it is, and
whatever the result OF the fall elections
may be l confidently hope and believe that
Maine will come out OF the contest with
strengthened regard for law and deter
minstion that it shall be respected and
obeyed.
he Sturgis law is only a means to an
end and that end is to prevent nullifica-
ton. II will go into every county where
the local officials are permitting nullifica-
ton, and IL will come out the instant that
such officials give reasonable assurances
that they will again try to do their duty.
The fundamental question OF enforced
prohibition versus local option and license
Is altogether too important to be treated
in a narrow spirit or in spirit colored by
party prejudice alone. There are many
who honestly believe that evils growing
out of the use and abuse OF liquor can be
regulated best by some form OF license,
and it is wrong and absurd to question
their sincerity. 1t is only truism to say
that in the final analysis the people will
have what they want.
l haa hoped, however, that the republic
can party, having been committed to the
principle OF prohibition for so many years,
would not be so cowardly as to abandon
that principle upon being confronted for
the first time with an enforcement that
meant the downfall OF notification, but
would stand firm as a rock FOR party unity
in giving enforcement fairer trial than
can be secured in years time under
present excited conditions. Notification
OF law was never a declared principle OF
the republican party, yet under that
party's domination notification has had a
long reign in Maine. Why not be fair and
honest and give enforced prohibition
chance to show what it will do for Maine?
Our democratic friends are impatient
and want control Of the State at once -
this fall. They want local option and
license openly and frankly, but they will
not carry the State this year on that issue
unless they do ii with the aid of men who
as repu biicans have heretofore subscribed
either openly or tacitly to the principle OF
prohibition.
am opposed to local option and license
but better than that notification. be-
lleve that enforced prohibition, the kind
that many counties enjoy to-day and many
more might enjoy under the control of
local officials were it not for political cor
ruption, is the best and most satisfactory
method to regulate the liquor problem in
Maine. This view may be narrow, pro-
vincial and unpopular, but it is my own
and stand by 1t. OF those who disagree
with me, led by whatever course of
reasoning or experience to a different
conclusion, ask only that they credit me
with the same sincerity OF belief that they
feel to be their due.
am republican, but my own political
faith is not measured by the standard of
prohibition alone. l want to see the re-
publican party succeed and retain control
of the State government and legislature
because l believe that in its hands the
economic and social interests OF Maine
are best conserved. There are other ques-
tions vital to the States welfare that, tenn
porarily pushed in the background by
this intense discussion OF the prohibition
issue, demand a thoughtful consideration
and an early settlement.
Tax reform and caucus reform, the ref
erendum and good roads, the broadening
of the common school system at the
expense Of the State, and the care OF GER
tain unfortuuates not now our benficiaries,
are some of the things that must engage