Evening journal., 1907-11-01
WET EVIDENCE FROM DRY" MAINE

PORTLAND, Me.-Despite all the
statements to the contrary, it is a mat
Ter of positive fact that the prohibition
laws Of this state lAIaine) are purely
farcical and absolutely fail to accom-
plish the object SO dear to those who
think that temperance means total
abstinence" and that satan masquerades
solely in licensed saloons and hotels and
their wares and therefore, are uncon-
sciously it may be, working with all the
I forces they can command to inhict the
same system Of spcakeasies and their
attendant evils upon the little state of
Delaware-prohihition, legally. and Inn
mense liquor traffic, from which neither
city, county, or state derives any rev
enue- actually prevails here, aud has
prevailed for years, and viii prevail until
the decent law abiding citizens of this
aceuTsed bylaw state arise I'm their
might and repeal the infamous. ineiTec-
tive laws which have had the sole effect
OF making law breakers of men, women
and children.
lt took just fifteen minutes, after ar
irving in the city (portlandl TO drop in
a hotel, which IS one Of The best
hotels in this home of in'ct liguor
traffic, call a bell boy and order some
whiskey, which he said he could get
right in the hotel at any time lie de-
clined to say where he could procure his
bottled beer, fearing, apparently, that
he was talking to a state whiskey detec-
tive, or "Sturgis deputy" as they are
called here. But he soon produces a half
pint of whiskey, which had once been
pure. but which had been watered
] went to the city liquor agency, the
official in charge bald of head and
smooth and hard Of face. in answer TO a
query as TO where some liquor could be
procured, referred the writer to an
other hotel where. he said, .go
down stairs and they can accommodate
you" Here was another strong argu
ment in favor CD of Names pohibitionl
An official. whose sole duty was to assist
in the enforcement of a prohibitory law,
actually acts as an Indicator to point
out an illicit liquor dispensary. and di-
recting people where and how they may
violate the very law he is employed to
uphold in other words, this smooth
faced agent of prohibition, in his Off
cial capacity, refers the thirsty to n
place where. upon their arrival, they
find a fully equipped bar, wide open. ad
Joining the billiard rOom and where beer
was purchased, drank and the subject
discussed openly and without fear of
trouble. This beer was drawn from
spigots exactly as in Delaware licensed
bars. and there was the usual array of
fancy glasses whiskey aud brandy in
..f.t
thing usually sold over bars, aud not
procurable at this one, was cigars. The
bartender agreed with the agency official
who said that he was not in favor of the
law, as IL was far worse than license. A
half pint of "Old Taylor" was added
here TO the indutiable proofs of the act
ual operation of their Maine laws. which
are held up throughout the land as
models of efficiency.
Upon returning 10 the other hotel,
the bell boy knocked at -the door
of the room almost before the door had
been clqsed. and produced two previous
ly ordered bottles of beer, ice cold, which
he deposited on a table aud departed, after
demanding the price, twenty-five cents
bottle One of these was added to the
collection of facts which should convince
Delaware just how prohibition operates.
and just what condition would result
from the introduction of this system, in
our state, for that Delaware would have
the same system is foregonc conclusion,
since human nature is the same IN Della
ware, as in Maine, Iceland and Pata-
gonia, in California and the antipodes.
There seemed to be no necessity of
calling at all the well-known speak
easies.n "speakeasios" being used solely
as synonym for "illicit liquor stores
and surely if ene did call ON all of them,
freight car would be needed to trans
port the aggregate samples down to Del
aware. and besides, Portland covers a
4 large space of ground and there would
not be time to make a complete vista
ton before it would be time TO vote in
Delaware on this proposition. so a flying
tip was made Go Biddeford. about 22
miles away. One block from the rail
road station az Biddeford is the first
drug store and liquor emporium. These
words. too. are Synonymous IN Maine
Here hair Pint OF Prohibition "a a bottle
in which was blown "Guaranteed Full Y
Pint" was secured for the asking and q
quarter of a dollar Il Joined the rest of
the proofs of Prohibition" after IL had
/ been properly labeled. A i6-year-old boy
was serving in this place.
Five minutes walk brings one 20
Maine street. and in the same block with
the CitV Hall another drug store was
picked at random This example Of the
operation Of the prohibition law which is