Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-20

State liquor commission, with power
u send for persons and papers and re-
port thercupon. The motion to amend
prevailed. ana the order as amended
was passed.
This same matter is further referred
to on pages $40 and 341; and, under tht
present condition Of affairs, il would
be pleasant reading, 10 the senators, 10
see an examination of these records
how then. on the sth day of February
the senator from Knox county per
sisIently ana actively insisted that this
investigation should b. pursued under
his method of procedure which he
wanted the Senate to then adopt, and
hich they refused to adopt.
There has been 4 sudden light she'd
upon the senator from Knox county.
Why ana wherefore l cannot say. L
can only assume that since that time,
several cities of this State in which
are located liquor agencies. have fallen
under the administration OF the Dem
ocratic party. and it may be that self
interests prompt some people TO act in
these matters as they do in other mat
tiers.
Bat this has nothing to do with this
| order under consideration. The puT-
pose Of the order as | presented it last
Friday, was then explained by me full
| ". and as | believe, fairly. | used as
| Illustrations only those agencies from
hich l had any information. / dill
| not have any information OF the other
II agencies that exist through this
State. Had l. at that time. had the in
! formation which since then has com"
| to me i'll regard to the manner in which
| the agencies are conducted in Lewiston
| and other places, | m&ght have fOrtiti Il
my illustrations of the need OF an cX-
animation into this law, by referring
/ t. facts and figures from those places.
/ l did not take this particular agency
I for the purpose Of singing ont. in my
/ own jurisdiction, cities and towns
where | have friends ana acquaint :
ances. TO bring these facts and these
I cities and towns before the Senate FIR
pc rSonal reasons. / did it simply to il
/ luStrate 10 this Senate Il fact that was
50 palpabl! evident to every citizen ni
I the State that il hardly needs illuStra-
ton to show that these agencies. as now
conducted. are disgrace to the state
and there it is possible for the drunk
ards and for the minor t. secure liquor
for beverages ami that there the cities
ana towns Of the state use thos" agcr-
cies for he purpose of making gain by
a traffic which IS prohibited BY strict
laws to an Individual from doing in
this State
Is it right Is it proper?
| hold in my hand this morning an
edition Of the Portland Argus and for
the information for the senator from
Knox, let me read from the editorial
Of that paper:
More ana moro the agency has he
come The lcgalizoi rumshnp To supply
an illegal demand. 1t is a demand that
! is legal i'll other states and it will per
sist in Maine. But the liquor agony
should not he prostitutrd to this use.
If the system cannot he restricted in
fact as it is i'll law it should he abol-
ishrI. whether any substitute. as pro-
posed ~ one Of the bills now before
the legislature, nc adopt"d or no..
Meantime. it will he We'll to have the
investigation of the liquor agency i'll
stitution called for by the Heselt0n
order"
Now to show that I did not malign
any citizen in tn" city of Waterfalls
which waS far from my purpose, | wish
to read 20 the senate the letters which
| have received III relation 10 The mat :
ter from the rity Of Watcryiln. You
! will probably recognize the authors Of
these letters.
.Watervilln Nc, F,b. 1G. 1867.
Senator George w. HrseItun.
Gardiner, Maine.
Ny Dear Sir: