Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-29
o the joint standing committee on

to the joint standing committee on
salaries.
Mr. DEASY of Hancock-Mr. Presi-
dent, am not prepared to say that the
law providing for our State liquor
commissioner and town agency for the
sale of liquor should not be, in some
respects amended. l am not clear but
it ought to be repealed in examining
this measure. / am not satisfied and
very far from satisfied, Mr.. President,
that it is any Improvement upon the
existing condition. AS l read it, there
is one very important and significant
section-the first one. There are %
other sections. and it seems to me they
are every one inane and inconse-
Quential.
The first section contains all the
meat of the act and the second sec
ton provides that the liquor commits
sioner shall not violate the United
States law. The United States and
the officers of the federal government
can be trusted to look out for that.
Another section provided that the pro-
fit to be derived for the sale of intoxi-
eating liquors shall be divided between
the town and the State. Now l do
not believe that the ether towns of the
State where liquor agencies do not ex-
list, can, either share the profit or the
possible opprobrium that may be at
tached to the agency in towns where
they exist. Another section provides
that town liquor agents shall not sell
liquors except on a physicians pre-
scription to any person with whom
they are unacquainted.
Mr. President, if q town liquor agent
desired to sell for improper purposes
he would make very rapid acquaint-
ance with his customers. By the other
section except the first one provided
for an elaborate method of preserving
the liquor in its original package. From
the time it leaves the wholesaler until
it reaches the commissioner it must be
kept in this original package, and
every official through whose hands it
passes must put a label on it and at
tach n number, but when it reaches
the man who purchases the liquor of
the town agency, he does not have to
put any label on or attach any num-
Der to it. All he has to do is to pro-
vide himself with a cock-screw and
proceed in the same old way
The one section as l have said be-
fore, in this bill that is not in my
judgment, inane and unconsequentia is
the first section and that provides for
different method for purchasing
liquor. 1t provides for advertising for
bids and for purchase of the lowest
competitive bidder. That may be a
good feature, l do not know but it is
but it is not a way business men or
great corporations conduct their bust
ness. and | am not satisfied that is any
great improvement for the present
system.
But, Mr.. President, there is another
consideration connected with this, that
the senator from Penobscot has touch
ed upon. We had the assent, without
the acquiesence l know, of my friend
the senator from Kennebec. This bill
has become identified. has become
blended with a gross, WantOn, cruel
cowardly, personal assault upon the
State liquor commissioner. Justice NJ
l.eaVitt-upon man whose personal
and final character stands. | believe
foresquare to every wind that blows.
This attack has been carried on in the
columns Of the Boston newspapers and
through ScurrilOuS and ANONYMOUS let
tiers, or in other like reputable methods.
And while this attack has been carried
on he has been lying in a hospital I'M
dergoing a critical operation fer ap-
pendicitiS, from which he has not re-