Evening journal., 1907-10-19
THE SITUATION IN MAINE.

Since 1881 Maine has had PrOhihi-
tion law. The law has been changed
a number of times, always for the
better. There have been periods of
lax enforcement, and one or two cit
les Of the State have been conspicu-
Gus from time 10 time for non-en-
.forcement of the law bur those who
point TO these cities as being evidence
OF the failure Of Prohibition overlook
the fact that these cities are conspic-
uous OF the success Of Prohibition in
the remainder OF the State.
No one with any brains claims that
Prohibition will enforce itself, or that
Prohibition law in the hands Of
whisky soaked politicians will produce
very great results
But OF the Prohibition States, Maine
/ perhaps has suffered more from crit
icism and abuse at the hands of the
press than any other State in the
country. The fact that IL has had
Prohibition longer than any other
State accounts in part for this Here
is what some of the papers have said
about Maine:
The Syracuse Post STANDARD asks:
"Can Georgia do what Maine has so
pitiably failed TO dor
/
quor has been for years hardly less
free, and In some cases freer, than
where the license system prevails"
The San Antonio Press says 1T is
well-known fact that as much liquor
is drunk in the capital city of Maine
and as openly as in any other city OF
equal population in the Union"
No facts are presented in support
I.aF Fnf hnI1
assertions of the liquor men, based
upon tho say-so of some individual
already preiudiced against the opera
tion of prohibition. and so II is re-
freshing to read letters such as are
presented herewith from public mer
in the State OF Maine who know
whereof they speak, and who are IA
miliar with conditions as they hav,
existed in the State for years.
Tv-ry argument of the pro-licenss
press is shattered by the facts from
men on the ground. The following
letter by f. L. Dingley, editor OF th'
Lewiston. Maine, Journal, written t
a prominent Georgian during the pro
gress OF the Georgia Prohibition fight
is especially worthy OF attention:
NO OPEN BARS:
} To the Editor of The Georgian:
It is asked II Prohibition Of the sa
loon prohibits the saloon I'm Maine.
reply that our prohibitory law is a
effective against the rumshops a
against gambling and houses Of I'll
fame You will find in Maine no opel
= bar There is drinking; the expires
. business flourishes; private club
, prevail as private gambling prevails
, but through the outlawry of the gro
shop we accomplish all that can rea
sonably be expected. There is hu
one city in Maine where the saloon ]
tolerated, and there the saloon is nc
an open bar in the sense in whic
bars prevail in license States.
We have IN this State what
4 known as the Sturgis commission
= which has proved useful In enforcin
/ the law in such cities as were begin
p ming to be lax in their treatment {
! the outlawed traffic. We have ha
proofs OF nullihcation, of graft an
= corruption in the city politics, such q
; prevail under license in New Yorl
and such as prevails under all sys
/ tens when public sentiment lacl
vigor, but, all in all, the saloon
J Maine is under more serious restriC
& tions and penalties than in almost an
e other part of the country. There
v less drunkenness on public occasion
4 in Maine than in any part of n
!, world in which I have travelled, and
= have knocked about a little in the o
- land new world
l. The most serious trouble with ten
lperance men. I think, is that in Main
in particular. having got adequa
law to drive the saloon from ope
business, the friends of temperan,
neglect educational methods al
+ moral suasion. and 1 am glad to 81
l. that a temperance movement has a
y. ready been started in this State. FIR
IS suggested by some of our drinkir
Is men, who believe that If teetotalis
Z and good fellowship could be broug
to cooperate, enforcement OF the a
would be more easy. and the drinkil