The Republican journal., 1907-12-12
MAINE is ALL RIGHT,

ceeded to answer it with convincing
array of facts and figures showing that
Maine is all right. The Express edi-
torial was inspired by statements made
by delegates selected at a liquor dealers
convention held in Birmingham, Ala
bama, to investigate conditions in
Maine, and by a gentleman from New
Zealand, who told the Philadelphia
North American that he was represent
ing the political party in New Zealand
that was fighting against the party
that was pledged to drive the saloons
out. and these gentlemen" says the
Express, "have blackened the fair
fame of our State, have found the Eng
lish language too poor to express to the
public mind their horror of what has
been wrought down here in the Pine
Tree State because we do not protect
and legalize the sale of intoxicants."
This led the Express to enquire what
is the matter with Maine? 1t found
that in 1855 when the law against the
saloon was first in operation there were
deposited in the savings banks OF
Maine 1926, S1516, representing exactly
S1.25 per capita of the population of the
State. The Express also gave the
figures by decades since then, showing
steady increase. In 1908 the figures
were S113,92 per capita, In the last re-
port of the Bank Examiners of Maine
the combined assets of 1l9 institutions,
savings banks, trust and banking COM
panies and loan and building associa-
tons, are given as S126, GAS, 03S.12,
while tine 50 national banks in the State
showed an increase i'll total resources
during the past year of $3170, 751.S2,
which added to the total increase in
the resources of the State institutions
shows net gain of ST., 061, 352.Sl.
Then the Express points out that
there are other evidences of wealth
than those found in the banks 1t
saws: In 1902 Maine had 50, 299 farms,
worth Sgh, SOP. $50 OF these Sc, 524 were
cultivated by their owners, 2,030 by
tenants, and 40 on shares. There
We're that year 6,7o2 manufacturing
and industrial establishments, with a
capital of Sl22, 9lS, $50, producing an
nually 1927, 3Gl, 49,, paying to 5000
employees for wages SIS, 527 SO, for
salaries to officials, clerks, etc, 3, 229 in
number. S3,171, ABS. miscellaneous ex-
penses S7,7742l6, and for material
Sos. SOB, los. making net profit of S19,-
0S5,579, or more than 1920 on the capital
invested. These Maine industries re-
uuire all kinds of labor from the most
skilled down, and it is the universal
testimony of the manufacturers, both
in this State and elsewhere, that the
sober man makes the most profitable
employee, and that the presence of the
saloon near manufacturing establish
ment is a direct and heavy tax upon
any concern operating it because of the
lessened efficiency of the men who
patronize it In this connection a
quotation from an article III a recent
issue of The saturday Evening Post
i'e '''''io " '''o l,0'''o' >, LII
quest On .''e oeoiSi" o"iooiis is pei
ILneiV' l ~ l o'' says
The net earnings of all the railroads
in the United States will pay the ma
tons drink-bill for less than sixty days.
Prohibition Maine has more individ-
nal depoSltoIs IN her savings banks
lll@i sue LAS Ieslstvleo ro.eio iio
Eatroni2e the savings hanks rather than
those who patronize the other institu-
TONS. lie keeps SOBER himself, requires
lt,s e,Tihf W M ny nc he0p'
Th4 6nsiness man is 6eginnino To
to count the cost and the drain of
Whlskey wastes. Every dollar spent III
tndI way "0u!u 4I t,5:. wise 20 loI sh9eS