The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1906-02-15

has caused more mora deterioration
among the people than al the rum that
ever was sold. :" The Governor empha.
sized what his hearers already knew,
that it il not difficult matter to pro-
cure hquor in any city or town in Maine.
though the quality Of the stuff obtained
should make the drinkers prohibition
lists.
The Governor further argued that
he laws of the state against the saloon
must be obeyed as laws; but il might be
read between the lines that a governor
who believes that PROM bi'ion, Ar prac-
| teal in Maine, IL one II the greatest
political and M pral evils We have IL con
| tend with today is not likely to be
eIzealous in the enforcement of the
law az TO trouble himself to 90 distinct "
out of his way To hunt mp the joint
krerer and the blind pig owner
lie said in 40 many words that he
had j1urneyed to New 7 ork 10 tell the
former residents Of The state he govern
ed that obstensibly he was npholding
hypocrisy and moral evil and respect
ing law be believed u be curse
While conceding that a majority OF
the people are in favor Of that sort OF
prohibition that exists IN Maine, Gov
ernor Cobb believes that the element
opposed is strong enough To mock at
the law and breed hypocrisy and trick
cry that uullify all The efforts of the
authorities. Doubtless he also believes
that the quality of the alcoholic poison
that is more or less readily obtained, IL
as injurious physically az the practice Of
getting it is harmful morally.
The spectacle of the governor going
h. nIr
associated with the state Ia, however,
not likely to affect the people of Maine
beyond a certain expression of opinion
here and there. II may be of value To
other communities 10 which similar
legislation 10 contemplated.
Thus the "incrsasing prohibition sen
timent" OF the south is being offset by
false reports of what Governor Cobb
said, mixed with CARRIED and insulting
opinions of an alleged Chicago paper,
which puts into the mouth OF Governor
cobb words far more condemnatory OF
the laws of the State than did the IN
exact and misleading reports OF his
speech IN the New York papers such
are the methods of the Protective Blu
reau, and it is to the me mbers OF this
bureau and the business whose "Tghts'
the bure Al is engaged solely in defend
ing, that some Of our neighbors aud
friends have. we trust unwilling. given
their aid IN repeating and arguing from
the report which the Governor declared
at the time TO be false which declara
ton he now pnblically repeats To
this bureau doubtless, We also owe
much of the agitation which some OF
our contemporaries seem To think is n
foot in our ~t4te toward a resuhm sson
OF the Frohhlfnry amendment 10 Name
We should nor be far cut of the way,
we fancy, if We set il down as fact that
the plan Of the bureau is 10 get in its
work in Maine, just AZ II boasts It did
in New Hampshire and Vermont. But
in this respect It will find that it's es-
innate of the character of the people ot
Maine il much too low. 1t believes
that the people would not be affected by
the spectacle of the Governor gong
abroad to attack a policy distinctly
associated with the state. The people
of Maine are just. and they learn the
facts before they act, but they would
have been affected, and in "A way that
would have admitted of no mistakinR,
II such spectacle had been offered
them They will be affected, too, We
imagine by the spectacle of holesale
l. quor Dea 'ers' Bureau advertising
NJ aine in The false and malicious fash
ion through the southern part OF our
common Ountry.