Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-17
HON. WILLIAM T. HAlNES
Continued from Page One.)

| and official channel through which a
party may gain information Of the pea-
PIES desires uron any subject. For this
reason alone. no one can blame the Re
publican party for not sooner adVOcat-
ing the reSubn1iSSicn Of this question 20
the people; but now the question seems
&c have taken on an increased import
| ance. and the demand for resubmission
has become SO general that to my mind
| it seems the duty of the Legislature
again 70 resubmit this troublesome
question for an expression of the pop
ul1r will.
1t is doubtless true that this desire
for rcsubmiesion has been largely ere
ated hy the persistent and clamnrnus
demands Of the Democratic party
through it's leaders, orators and news
papers, and | believe the result of such
vote is not at all uncertain. Many OF
the voters who are demanding resub-
rission are basing their demands
sruarely on the theory and belief that
tine prohibitory law will be sustained
by tie popular vote. thus strengthening
the cause Of prohibition and removing
the last excuse for the reinforcement
OF tho law BY shcriffs and their depu-
ties. With the Sturgis law repealed and
| rcslIGmission granted the much vexed
rum question can enter but very little
into the next campaign. except as TO
maia questions of prohibition or high
license, and the people will be given a
chance to consider those other ecOnom-
ic ana industrial questions which have
been 50 generally sighted during the
last two or three campaigns.
| have ore other suggestion to make
and that is the repeal of city and town
agency systems for the sale of liquors
for medicinal purposes. and mechanical
uses, and put it into the hands of the
druggists, and l recommend this in the
interests of temperance and decency. 1t
may be claimed that druggists will
ab;lsa such a privilege, bu. | ask, how
is it now? Any druggist disposed to sell
rum in violation Of law is going TO do
50 UGtil prevented by law from doing
So. But this docs net argue against {,
system by which pure liquors can be
dispensed by the druggists in an honest
and decent way for medicinal and mo-
Ch2nical purposes, whereas, today. we
have q system in the town agency in
which is more dishonesty, graft and
rottenness, as admitted by all, than in
any other agency of the government.
The only way to handle an agency now
seems to be to abolish it. Certainly
nothing can be worse than the agency
system. 1t is an absolute mockery i'll
the name and cause of temperance.
The system of prohibition carries
with 1t by implication necessarily some
way to dispense liquors for medicinal
and mechanical purposes. and the
agency system employed has done more
to disgust the average man who does
not believe in the open saloon than any
other argument used against the cause
of prohibition.
We place our drugs and poisons in
the hands of druggists and they seem
to me- to be the natural agency through
which to handle spirituous and intoX
icatirg liquors necessarily required in
our state. and a law can easily be
framed that will hold them responsible.
both criElnaily and financially, for any
abuse Of such a privilege and will
greatly aid the general cause OF tenn
pCrarC".
Tho Democratic leaders evidently rec
OgniZr that they have done about all
they can do to disorganzc the Republic
can party through this great moral
question and their next move has been
to attack e,-e"y public official possible.
by claims oc irregularities and by ridi-
Guile, and There viii be 80 heSitancy in
inisrcpresont ing ~ manufacturing facts
20 meet III" different cXigencies. N"v-
erthelnes. With the honorable and high
minded policies. ana til" efficient. eco
nomic. and progressive government
which has characterized the admins
trntionsc of the Republican party in
Maine for the last a. years, we shall
haV" 20 difficulty in meeting every p"-
sition. however unfairly and dishonest
" So, forth. The people ar always Just
and fair to their public servants when
thcy thoroughly understand and appr"-
ciatc what has been done by them ana
tie Fundamental principles Of Rcpubli-
canism are as firmly rooted in the
minds OF the people of Maine today rs
ever before.
Under the national leadership Of the
greatest President of recent years. ad-
yocating honesty everywhere and a
square deal for all putting forth the
most powerful efforts to up-root .and
correct every evil and abrsc i'll the diff
ferent departments of the governmental
service. none can doubt the !oyait? OF
the people of Maine. or that they Will
stand behind such principles and deeds
with their voices and their votes. Rash
statement. ridiculc and blaCkguardism
as now put forth by the Democratic
press. can never take the place in the
minds of the people Of honest purpose
aud efficient and economical manage
mont The cry Of the dcmaSog has al
ways been heard i'll governmental mat
tiers. from the dawn OF civilization. and
his arguments are always catchy
and seductive: but when fully analysed
and understood they arS easily dispciled
by the sound and sober arguments OF
justice and common sense