Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-15

bert of Augusta why the law was not
enforced in Penobscot county.
He replied that the sheriff of Penob-
scot county was not doing what he
might to enforce the law and that il
was not as well enforced there as it
is in Cumberland county. He furthe.
said that he believed that he was
bound.
DO you have any evidence of that ?''
was. asked. NO, have not" was the
reply. He continued: There is no city
in Maine where such an amount OF evil
dence to convict is needed as in that
city"
Senator Sewall of Sagadahoc asked
the speaker why the Sturgis deputies
were not sent into Bangor.
He replied that he thought that the
commission had been i'll advised: too
much confidence had been put in the
statements Of the sheriff.
o. W. Norton of Portland, president
of the Good Templars, presented to the
committee a resolve against the repeal
of the law.
Senator Staples took the floor
again and after declaring that he was
in favor of temperance, said that the
faraticis,n of some of the opponents
of the resolve was breeding drunken
ness and told Mr.. Prlngle that he
would do more for civic righteousness
if he spent his time preaching to his
congregation rather than photograph
ing saloons.
Mr.. Norton asked him to define tenn
perance After admonishing the people
to practice what they preach, he de-
fined temperance as moderation in all
things"
He was then asked whether reguia-
ton would regulate" Not always.
was the quick reply.
Mr.. Staples then declared that if the
law must be kept, that commercialism
should b. taken out of it and a penalty
of two years Imprisonment for the first
offense
The next speaker was the Hon. Her
bert NJ. Heath Of Augusta. He spoke
in part as follows:
"Gentle!nen: l have devoted the past
years 10 building up and strengthen
ing the public laws of this State. In
1885 it was my responsibility to lead the
fight for this great law, which has
been much weakened since by ill-advis-
ed amendments. l was brought up to
believe in temperance SO 1 want no man
to misunderstood me. Now gentlemen
there is practical side of law as Well
as the academic and sentimental sides.
at must be evident to any man that
the active temperance people Of Maine
are very much divided on the eXpedi-
ency of this law that was passed two
years ago.
perhaps no section of the country
typifies the good New England home
any better does this good country of
Kennebec and 1 think, and any con-
sentative and careful thinking man will
agree with me. that the great ma
jority Of the voters of this county be-
lieve that this law has been an injury
to the county of Kennebec.
1T is a practical question. l sub
nit that the practical phase of this
question has been vastly changed in
the past two years. yes in the past IL
days. l have in mind the remarkable
change that has come over the en-
forcenent of the law through the re-
cent, l might say the two recent, de-
clsiOnS of the Supreme Court. Our
court has decided that no liquor can be
seized from the moment that it arrives
in this State in transit until it is set
down in the house. shop or store. This
/ believe minimizes the power of the
sheriff and enforcement deputies, who
have done great work and good work
i'll spite of their mistake. The great
advantage of the office of sheriff and
Of these deputies has been their ability
to seize liquor at the depOts.
"a bill is now pending before the
legislative bodies at Washington for
the purpose of giving us relief. 1t is
impossible that it be passed before the
first of March and it is impossible for
relief to come to the State of Maine be-
fore then.
1.-The power of the sheriff that had
become so marked, was in allowing
the liquor to come into their counties
unmolested. The great power of the
Sturgis deputies has been to enforce
that law and seize il. We still hava
one recourse, the honest county at
torneys of the several counties and ne
has three weapons. First he has the
fact that the payment of the special
revenue tax shall be prma facie evil
| utilCt VI ullt. IDS dHotlleI great
weapon one that the county attorneys
have not used, though l don't know
why. Some 10 or l. years ago law
was passed that upon a petition TO the
equity side of the Supreme Court and
then upon the proof that a building
was being used for the sale of intoxi-
eating liquors, the court had the power
that forever closed that building to the
liquor traffic. When that law was
passed the liquor traffic brought all
possible pressure to bear against il
and its cOnstitutionality was promptly
sustained.
"Then there is still left the injunction
process based upon the application fol
a special tax stamp, and of course the
chance seizures, but the last is the mos,
feeble way Of enforcement. To my
mind the real practical enforcement
must come from the first two process
ses which / have outlined.
Now these things have all got ia
| be worked out by the slow process OF
justice in the courts. 1t is all very
| well for my friend Staples to suggest
"A penaity of two wears irnprjSOnment