The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-04
LEEDY ON MAINE
AND ITS STATUTES
Prominent Birmingham Citizen
Makes Sharp Criticism
POWER OF THE MINORITY
Hands of Majority Tied, Prohibition
Remains In Constitution and Farce
continues-strone Arguments
Advanced.
POWER OF THE MINORITY

Two years ago while the anti-saloon
campaign under the local option law was
in progress, ex-Chief of Police Mcdonald
made a trip to Maine in order to see how
prohibition was operating in that state.
He brought back reports showing that
prohibition did not prohibit, and that con-
stitutional prohibition was great scan
dial. W. B. Leedy, the prominent real es-
tate man, and president of the Southern
club last year, is now in Maine, where he
has been for several weeks on his vaca-
ton He writes about prohibition and
how 1t is not enforceable, even though
are busy at a heavy expense to the tax
payers. His letter follows:
To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
In the state of Maine many years of
costly and bitter experience, under actual
and tried conditions, have shown that the
ilicoI pora ton into state constitution OF
amendments prohibiting the sale and man
ufacture of Intoxicating liquors never has
and never will accomplish the results
hoped for by those advocating such a
course for relief of the rum evil.
From experience in this state it can be
said fairly that prohibition does not pro-
hibit" and that so-called enforcement
does not enforce. Also 1t can emphatical-
ly be stated that constitutional amend
ment Is of no more efficacy in enforcing
the Law than a statutory inhibition, and
that SO far as taking this ethical question
out of politics, in this state anyhow, the
constitutional amendment never has ac-
complished this result.
Political Issue.
- On the contrary the repeal OF the
amendment now is, and for a long time
has been, made by the political parties a
party question and to such an extent has
1t become a political issue that never yet
has the real feeling and conviction of the
people of Maine been registered in any
vote taken on this question.
The law here prohibits the manufacture
and sale of intoxicating liquors and there
are many and different provisions of the
statute for its enforcement. While the
law without doubt has stopped the manu-
facture of liquors In this state, it is equal
ly as certain that 1t never has, never will
and never can stop It's sale and consump-
ton Just so long as the federal inter-
state commerce laws permit the shipment
of Intoxicating liquors from one state into
another, by means of any carrier doing an
Interstate business, without Interference
from state authorities, and liability to
seizure while in transit, thus giving a
free and ample source of supply, just so
long will it be sold by and supplied to the
people of any so-called prohibition"
state.
In all the cities and large towns of
Maine saloons exist as a matter of course,
and strange as 1t may seem, in direct
o-ffN nc fha aff porAfe ot axrtt. an
forcement of the law increase, in the
same proportion do the drunkenness and
convictions for drunkenness increase. This
is borne out by the police records of Port
land, Bangor and other cities of the
state.
Open Saloons.
In. Bangor, a city of around 5000 peo-
people, 1t is estimated that there are at
any and all times from 100 to 200 or more
saloons all doing business more or less
openly according as it is period of So
called strict or lax enforcement of the
law But in either event that approxi-
mate number of places where liquor is
sold in violation of law are always open
and accessible to the public in the city
of Bangor.
And yet there are in Bangor today. and
have been for over two years past. not
only the city and county officers elected
for and sworn to enforce all laws, but
large number of special officers deputy
enforcement commissioners, so-called,
whose sole duty and business is the en-
forcement of the law against the sale OF
intoxicating liquors. And yet again the
police records of Bangor will show that
since these special officers came to the
city there is no diminution of drunken
ness or convictions for drunkenness In
the city of Bangor
Tn fact 1t is believed by all observers
of the situation here that the greater
the attempts at enforcement OF the law,
the more liquor is there consumed, and
consequent drunkenness. And 1t is n
certain and sure proposition that during
the times of attempted enforcement the
quality OF the liquor sold and consumed
Is even more deadly than ever, and the
results even more disastrous to those
imbibfng.
In Bangor, the saloons in years past
and until the law was enacted four years
ago creating the enforcement commits
sion and special state enforcement Of
ficers, presented the appearance Of
saloons in license cities. Open doors. open
bars. liquors displayed and all the para
phernalia and fittings of a licensed saloon
greeted whomsoever might enter. The