Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-14

| fic is simply run to cover. You sjmnIv
take it out of the best hotels and nut
1t into the lowest dives. You hand the
traffic over to the prostitute class or
drive it into the homes Of the poor A
school teacher in Portland is reported
to have said that 1000 school children
in that city We're identified with the Ii
| qIor traffic. What an arrangement Of
| the prohibitory law. Is it better to have
the homes of the poor turned into bar
| rooms, with little children runners on
| the streets at night, or does sober
! thought devise some better way?
Is there any hope that conditions
which have become intolera BILE will i'm
prove? Admitted TO be a farce and
failure, shall prohibition continue to be
the policy of the State? If we ever are
to adopt rational and cosmopolitan
attitude towards the liquor question
action on this great issue of resubmis-
sion can not be taken too soon. II is the
one necessary step for which all others
wait. Will this Legislature take ii?
1t is my Arm belief that 4 radical re-
vision of our liquor laws is imperative
ly necessary in the interest of law and
order. Let the citizens of Maine de-
Inand rcsubmission until the popular
Will is obeyed and the old corrupt alli-
ance of prohibition and machine Toli-
ties is forever done away. Once let all
our people know all the truth OF fail
ure, discredit and dishonor and the
past in Maine politics will be past. and
the future will be full of the promise
of better measures and better men.
(Applause)
Mr.. DOW of Brooks: Mr. Speaker
have been Very much interested in the
remarks of the gentleman from All
gusta but | cannot agree with what he
says in the last part of the address.
l am one of those who are opposed to
resubmission and ! am not ashamed Of
it. l am not prepared TO reply to him
in a way that l should like, but as
temperance man and one who believes
in the prohibitory law Of the State Of
Maine. who has faith i'll the honesty
of the people of the State of Maine and
their opinions on this subject. l wish
to stand here and protest against re-
submission of this amendment to the
people at this time.
We believe that the question of re-
submission is one very vitality im-
ests of our State. 1t introduces an ell
enent Of uncertainty into the cOnsd-
GRAFTON of a question that was suppos-
ed to have been settled for all time.
The distinct understanding of the peo-
pie when prohibition was made a part
OF the constitutional law Of the State,
was, that the matter had been taken
out of politics forever. If l remember
rightly the law was adopted by over fif-
~ thousand majority. 1t was prac-
tlcally the unanimous sentiment If
the state that the correct thing had
Deen done. Everybody seemed salts
Hed The courts acquiesced in the opin-
ION that the law was constitutionally
correct and just, and undisputed conf
delice seemed established. But now af-
Ter the lapse of q score of years we
ma IL asserted that some of the peO-
pie are discontinued with the fact that
they did not have a chance 10 vote on
the subject. Some of them were not
porn early enough to get into the Pro-
hibltion band wagon. and they de-
mand the right. it is said, to have the
Whole thing done over again. so that
they may give the matter their per-
sonal endorsement In addition to the
personal qualification it would give
.hem, they desire to strengthen this
law by giving it the honor of their
well-considered approval Why do
ohey select this one phase Of our
constitutional law and omit all the
rest. We became a state over eighty
years ago and not a man is living who
voted on the Constitution when it was
originally presented to the people. Why
not nave the whole Constitution re-
submitted to the people that they may
vote on it to make sure it is all right.
Our resubmission friends, who wish to
undo the work of years of honest en-
ueaVor, FOR the simple reason. as they
say. that they wish to have a chance
10 vote on it. do not. it seems to me.
10 appreciate the difference between
simple proposition for their considera-
tion and well established constitu-
tlonal law. 1t is a we'll established
principle which has come down to us
from the nations of antiquity that con-
stltutional law should not be disturbed