The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-12-10
INVESTIGATING LIQUOR AGENCIES.
What was Learned at the Rockland Agency

What was Learned at the Rockland Agency.
RocKLAND, MAINE, December !; The
special committee OF the Maine leglsla-
ture, appointed to invest1gate me liquor
agency system throughout tne state, be-
gan it's duties today with an examination
of the local agency. The members OF the
committee present were SENATORS r Hafold
Washington. and Representatives Carl
M;1iiken of Island Falls, Fred A. Gid
mos Of Portage Lake, w. T. Reynolds
Of Winslow and Albert J. Skidmore of
Liberty. The investigation was conduct
ed by Judge B. F. Cleaves OF Biddeford
and the testimony was recorded by Cecil
CLAW. supreme court stenographer.
Fl was learned that the Rockland
agency did a business of about 5000 per
month until the advent OF the Sturgls
deputies, since which time 1t has often
exceeded $1,000. The agent. Sidney L.
Hall admitted that much Of the liquor
NAV have been purchased for improper
uses but claimed that he ceased selling
to patrons the moment he was convinced
that purchases were not made IN good
faith. The committee learned from him
that the sales were nearly twice as large
on the day before a holiday as they were
on the day after. Old rum, which cost
the CITY So per gallon, was sold at 81. The
net profit on liquor sold at this agency
was Judged to be from 10 to IL percent.
Asked as to the probable effect if ply
sicians' prescriptions were required at
the agency, Mr.. Hall said the privilege
would undoubtedly be abused; in fact, he
had already refused orders from physi-
clans. The agent was evaslve when ask
ed point blank if he did not think that
half of the agency's patrons perJured
themselves when they obtained liquor for
expressed mechanical and medicinal pur-
poses. 81 might have my opinion some
times. but l don't know what l don, t
know was his final rep y. Mr.. Hall
confe ssed that he was tired and disguised
with the whole job. The salary is small,
he said, and the agent is constantly being
scored by angry applicants.
Alderman Fred A. Blacklngton, CHAIR
man of the liquor agency committee, SAID
he had undertaken to order liquors
through a certain house and the State
liquor commissioner refused to sanction
the deal on the ground that ne was not
dealing with that party; Alderman
Blackington appealed to Gov. Cobb to-,
see why the city could not buy from any
legitimate concern, and the governors
reply was that he had tried to sift the
matter and found himself mixed up in
the rum business, so he had washed his
hands of the affair.
Ex-Mayor Frank c. Knight didn't
think the agency system conducive to
temperance, for it is an easy way to get
liquor when other channels are closed.
He opposed closing the institution be-
cause he thought that many people who
wanted liquor for legitimate purposes
wouldn't readily understand how else
they could get it.
Judge L. R. Campbell! said the Rock
land agency had been run slackly at
times and he had no doubt that several
small dealers obtained there supply for
illegal sale. In 1907, when the agency
was not open, there had been a very
large falling off in arrests for lntoxlca-
ton. Judge Campbell favored the agency
system because it gives the right to get
liquor in small quantities for legitimate
purposes. Albert H. Newbert, who IS
at the head of the local Sturgis deputies,
said that agent Hall had refused him per-
mission to see the books, although the
law says the public shall have that right.
Oliver Otis, a newspaper publisher,
said that the law was very loose in re-
gard to sales and that an agent had no
means of knowing just what mans
medicinal needs were. eff | have an
'all-gone' feeling in my stomach and
think that three fingers of whisky will
cure it, what agent is capable of saying
that l have not made proper use of it?',
he said. Mr.. Otis stated that he had
rather see the agencies closed and as
substitute have something in the nature
Of druggists law.
Judge Campbell contended that the
best system would be to have well regu-
lated agency in every town and city.
Clerk of courts G. B. Butler opposed this
proposition on the ground that that the
county towns do not want liquor sold in
any manner, the residents preferring to
buy what they need in the city.