The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-02-11
Frank w. GOwen on the Tenn
perance Question.

recently, while on business trip to the
western part of the State, l met promi-
nent member of the legislature on the
train whom l have known for number
of years and with whom have had most
pleasant business relations. After we
had greeted each other cordially and fell
to chatting about our present legislature
he said: ''You radical temperance men,
if you keep on, will kill the Republican
party in Maine; and l predict" said he,
with some heat, that unless this Sturgis
commission, which is un-American, is re-
pealed at the present session of our as
senbly that Maine will have Democratic
governor and perhaps Democratic leg
islature, two years hence" Now, as this
gentleman carries good deal of influence
in the Republican party listened very
carefully to what he said, and remarked
to him that it seemed to me that he made
a pretty sweeping assertion. THAT may
be true, " he replied, ''but | know what
am talking about He also said that
while he believed in reasonable temper
ance legislation, yet he thought more of
the success of the Republican party than
he did of radical prohibition, and then he
accused me of thinking more of the prin-
ciples of prohibition than for the success
of the Republican party, and I thanked
him for the compliment Thus it will be
seen that my friend whom I like in
social way exceedingly well, places party
first and principle afterwards, and there
are many other respectable men in the
State of Maine today who are in the
same boat. Sumner once said, "where
principle is. there is my party Would
that we had more Summers today in poll
tics. Demosthenes, the greatest of ora
tors, said, ''all law in politics is the in
vention and gift of heaven" Would that
we had little more divine law in human
government today. "What is needed
now | said to my friend, ''is to teach
young men to place principle above party,
and they ought not to be Republicans
iust because their fathers are Republi
cans, or Democrats because their grand
fathers were Democrats, but they ought
to be men and think for themselves upon
great moral and political issues and then
he ready to support only those candidates
for plblc office who will carry forward
their principles. - As cur train sped on
its way through the magnificent winter
scenery in western Maine we discussed
other phases of the temperance question,
outside of the Sturgis commission, now
before orr general assembly, and he ask
ed NV views in regard to Senator Hast
ing s bill in relation to sentences in crimi-
nal LIQUOR cases, and | told him / was
heartily in favor of this bill and earnestly
hoDe3 our Legislature would pass it, or
rather adopt the same. In fact | told him
chat was the very thing we temperance
men have been working for for good
while-to place the imprisonment clause
in our prohibitory law back where it be-
longs When the original Maine law was
passed Imprisonment was made the pen
atty for rum selling and it should be to-
1av. Now. let our legislature hasten to
pass the Hastings bill, and matters will
then be so fixed that judges will have no
discretion in liquor cases, as at present,
and Imprisonment will again be obliga-
tory under our prohibitory law. ''Well,
said he, after while, ''what do you
think of taking plebiscite on the Sturgis
bill. so as to see whether the people want
to retain it or not" / laughed heartily
and said: MY friend, l think this,
that it would look more honorable and
worthy on your part, as members of our
legislature. to stand up like men and
either have the courage to repeal the
Sturgis bill or retain it. 'Wel," said
he, with a good deal of heat, 81 favor
invoking the referendum on this matter"
Il am indeed sorry to hear you say so"
replied. sbecause if the plebiscite is or
1ered by the legislature, which is strong
ly Republican, it will simply show the
cowartiice on the part of the Republican
party and work great injury to the party.
The idea of putting the State to the extra
expense of holding a special election next
September, | said, ''to simply see
whether the people want to retain the
Sturgis commission or not. | am opposed
to any such work on the part of the
members of our legislature and you
ought to be. Is it all that you Republi-
cans are going to do this winter at Au-
gusta, to wrangle over the liquor question
and try to hide behind the people through |
plebiscites? tell you that the result of
such action on the part of the Republican
party will result in great mistake and
will be regretted by the Christian and
moral people of the State of Maine. My
advice is to drop this plebiscite matter
and retain the Sturgis commission, at
least until something better can be de-
vised 10 take its place, for the paltry
dollars spent in the maintenance of this
enforcement commission are not to be
considered in comparison with the great
benefits derived from enforcement of
our liquor laws" "Then again, | said,
rsC1na+or Hamilton of York county was