Evening journal., 1907-10-21
Alfred, Me, october II, 1907.
H c. Eastburn. ESQ,
Wilmington, Del.


Wilmington, Del.
have been asked to write you in re-
gaYd to a letter from one Frank S.
Smith. temperance man in Biddeford.
published in The Morning News Of
Wilmington, Del
1 have lived in Alfred, IL miles from
Biddeford. 80 years and have for so
years had a wide acquaintance with
temperance workers in. this state; yet
1 never before heard Of this man as
an advocate Of temperance or anything
else. whenever any man makes con-
siderable talk about how honest he is
/ am inclined TO watch him, and when
he tells how truthful he is I think it
best to accept his statement with eau
ton. How is it in this case?< He COM
mences by saying that he is only stat
ing facts and closed by the same as
surance. Now let us examine. He says
our County Jail at Alfred is always
full of drunkards. BY actual exami-
nation Of the records il is found that
for the past seven years have been
committed for drunkenness to Alfred
Jail an average of 1877 persons per year.
AS they are mostly for 30 days, that
would be an average of Is at one time,
and reckoning the population at 10000
Of the county, it is about one person in
1888 He says full" Facts say Is.
He also says our courts and jails are
full of drunkards. have already given
the number in York county. The num-
Der in the whole state for the year 1906
is 1880. This would be for each of Is
counties 1872. dividing this by 12 shows
there were IL on an average at any
one time One in 1884 of our whole
population. This average Of Ills what
this truthful temperance man calls
full"
The reason why York county shows
a lower record than the rest OF the
state is apparently that it lies along
beside the license state of New Hamp-
shire. Again he says there are two
carloads of liquor coming into Bidde-
ford every day except Sundays He
says this without. any qualifications.
Now reckon for moment; A carload
is $4,000 pounds. If one gallon would
weigh about 10 pounds, the two car
loads would be 5000 gallons. AS the
city has about $4,000 inhabitants, and
no wholesale trade they must all, men,
women and children drink more than
three pints per day on the average. If we
should consider that women and chill
dren and one half of the men don't
drink much 1t would leave three gallons
to each drinking man every day. How
is that for truth? Again, he says that
at the last Republican state convention
held in Portland, a large majority of
the delegates were in favor OF re-sub-
mission OF the constitutional amend
ment 10 the people. Now what are the
facts? At that very convention a mo-
ton in favor OF such re-submission
was introduced and voted down by a
majority of about 25 to 1. He says
further that the leaders forced a pro-
hibition plank into the platform and
the usual majority OF 25 to 30 thous-
and was reduced to s thousand. Now
what are the facts2 First about the
25 or 80 thousand majority. BY actual
count the Republican majority for Sc
years has been 16,679 instead of 25 to
30 thousand. The platform of that
convention was nO clAOAbtA lawn
OF prohibition than the Republican
platform usually is in Maine, and the
Republican majority was not reduced
on account of it. The Republican vote
was not reduced. The Republican party
gave Governor Cobb the largest vote
with two exceptions. ever given to g
Republican candidate for governor in
an off year and 10 thousand more
than the average off year vote for the
last so years.
The reduced majority was not on ac-
count of a reduction I'm the Republican
vote, but the large increase in the vote
of the Democratic party and their allies
the saloon interest. This unholy ALI
ance more close than had ever existed
before together with some reported dis
sentions in the Republican ranks en-
couraged the allies to make desperate
efforts to carry the state, and the.
succeeded in reducing the majorit!
about one half Again he says tha
Governor Cobb said at a banquet. ''T'
hell with the Sturgis Law" Now thi
especially truthful Mr.. Smith ant
everybody else in Maine know per
fectly well that the Governor neve
said any such foolish thing. Governo
Cobb asked for some law TO enable hin
to enforce prohibition whenever tn
county sheriff refused or neglected t
do IL and at his request the Sturgi
Law was enacted.