The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-04-15

power, is in my judgment, equally clear
upon principle. If it be assumed that the
traffic in intoxicating drinks as bever-
age be injurious, then it necessarily fol-
lows that such traffic cannot with pro-
priety be permitted, cannot be licensed
or tolerated-but the enacting power
must forbid it altogether. And this rule
is as imperative in legislation as in
morals - prohibition is the only intelli-
gent action in the case Of a conceded
wrong.
''The annals of legislation upon this
subject in this country may also be ap-
pealed to, in proof of the correctness of
this position, as practical question.
The license system has proved wholly in
adequate everywhere. Under it, the
sale and consumption of intoxicating
liquors has greatly increased. Our type
of intemperance, both as to quantity and
quality of liquors used, is severer than is
known elsewhere Experience proves
how futile are all attempts to subject to
authority, and wisely control, a practice
which claims to act by permission. The
utmost vigilance over licensed houses
has always been in vain-all efforts to
prevent abuse of authority without sue
cess.
"Under the present law the traffic in
intoxicating drinks for beverage is
becoming quite common in all the cities
and towns 1t is fraught with ills in
Vulnerable to the State-with beggary
and crime. 1t may we'll be considered
whether, for such use, it should not be
considered ontraband.
while experience and history clearly
indicate the duty Of the State to prohibit
the traffic for beverage, it is not equal
ly clear that those liquors have not an
important use in medicine and the arts
if indeed the converse be not true, and
therefore it would seem their sale for
such purposes should be provided for, to
such an extent, and under such restric-
lions and regulations, as the public inter
est and safety require. | commend the
whole subject to your special attention.
''In a popular form of government,
where the efficiency of the law depends
upon the unanimity of the people in their
support, particularly in that class of en-
actments which intimately affect the
social habits of community, it is highly
important that they should have the
popular sanction. With the hope, also,
that some common ground may be found
upon which all we'll wishers to the public
sobriety can unite, and thus place the
question, by decided action Of the peo-
pie, in their primary assemblies, above
partisan aims, | commend to your con-
sideration whether it be not wise to sub
NIT to them for approval, in such man
ner as shall most likely elicit general
expression, any law you may enact upon
this subject"
/ In 1858 the Republican party pledged
itself to take a plebiscite, or refer the
license law of 1856 to the people, and
when this matter came up the following
winter in the legislature the Democrats
supported the license system and the Re-
publicans the prohibitory system. 1t was
voted by the legislature to hold special
election on this question, which was Or
dered for the first Monday in June of
that year. At that election the vote
stood as follows: for prohibition, %, 865;
for license, 5,912; and | am indeed very
sorry to state that Aroostook county was
the only section or county in Maine to
vote for license; but nobly has Aroostook
redeemed herself since the days of EX-
Congressman Shepard Cary of Houlton.
He was one of the most bitter opponents
of prohibition that Maine has ever had,
and welded much influence in the Demo-
cratic party in the days before the Civil
War, in Aroostook county, and in the
State. But today, under the leadership
of such men as Hon. Charles E. Dunn,
Rev. Geo. M. Parks, Hon. Ira G. Hersey,
and many others might mention, Aroos-
took is one of the banner prohibition
counties. God bless Aroostook and its
noble work against the saloon. In this
election | find that Waldo county voted
strongly for prohibition, as the following
official returns of the vote show: