Middletown transcript., 1907-09-14
PROHIBITION DOES
NOT PROHIBIT
The Bangor Commercial to The
Portland Argus. And
This After 90
Years Trial
prohibition rosr Not Abolish

BANGOR, Me-. Sept. Z, l9O7.-The OF
fetal figures published in the Commercial
Tuesday show gain OF 718 arrests for
drunkenness in Portland during the past
seven months of this year, more than
we're made in the same months in that
city in 1906. In view of this fact the Com
niercia would suggest that the editor OF
The Argus instead of worrying so much
about Bangor should put forth all his
effprts in trying to dry up the fountain
that intoxicates in Portland.
We would ask if the Argus used good
taste or sense in urging reform on Ban
gnr when in its own city the arrests for
drunkenness this eur have increased 7l8
over the corresponding period OF 1906.
The Commercial has always claimed
that prohibition does not prohibit. The
figures given here Of the arrests in Port
land for drunkenness are silent witnesses
l., the truth of this claim. Our own mu'
nicipaI court tells the same story. On
Monday Is cases of intoxication were be-
lore the court, while 13 other arrests for
the same cause were not arraigned, max.
ing total OF %, Notwithstanding the
pre- ICE in the city of the large force OF
Sturgis deputies.
The prohibitory law was first enacted by
the Marine legislature in 1852 and for all
these years more attention has been paid
to enforcing this law than has been given
to the enforcing OF all the other criminal
laws of the State. The enforcement OF
tie prohibitory law in the city of Bangor
in the 70's by Sheriff Jerrard was far
more rigid than either before or since
that time, net only in Bangor and Pc
nob>cot county but more SO than III any
other city or county in the State and still
the arrests for drunkenness were more
than in the years when the enforcement
OF the prohibitory law was governed not
in radical, fanatical way but by the ex-
ercise OF reason and common sense.
The express companies are bringing car
loads of intoxicating liquors into Maine
every day and still the editors of certain
daily papers have been making an effort
to convince the people that the Sturgis
deputies are drying up the fountain that
intoxicates. This, when tits known that
liquors in any quantity legally may come
by express or freight from other states
for private use and that these Sturgis of.
fcials cannot prevent it; consequently the
more rigid the enforcement the more will
the business of the express companies be
increased.
Put 1000 Sturgis deputies to work and
they would only add still more to the re-
ceipts of the express companies and liquor
dealers in other States.
Between 100000 and 100000
worth of liquor is sent annually into
Maine from other states, by express and
freight, for private use and these the en-
forcement officials cannot reach, as they
can only enforce the prohibitory law
against parties bringing liquors to Maine
for illegal sale.
For more than half century the fanti-
cal prohibitionists have been unable to
dry up the fountain that intoxicates and
have admitted the truth of this state
ment by allowing the state liquor
agents to sell between 100000 and
$500, 900 worth OF Intoxicating liquors in
single years