Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-03-10
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning March IA, 1909.
BY REV. 5. H. DOYLE.


IRE very much varied in character.
The regulation of such laws is I'M
der the control of the various states
and not the government at Washing
ton, and hence this tariety of laws. In
some states liquor selling is absolute
" free. Any one may open brewery,
q distillery or a saloon at any place.
In number of states license laws ex-
nst under which saloons pay the state
for the privilege and are permitted by
the states and protected by them.
Pennsylvania is perhaps the best Illus
IRA ton of this kind of law. In the va
rious counties license courts are ap-
pointed. consisting of certain judges
0f the county. Those desiring the
privileges of selling liquor apply to the
court, when it sits, through a lawyer
and petitioners Citizens In the neigh
borhood may by petition demonstrate
against the application. The saloon
keeper must be a man Of good moral
character and show that a saloon is
necessary in the place for which he
asks 1t. He is not allowed to sell to
minors, to habitual drunkards. and
must close upon the Sabbath day from
midnight to midnight. The license
laws Of Pennsylvania are fairly well
enforced. for the breaking OF the law
means usually the loss Of the license.
But the results do not prove that even
high license is the best way Of ham
aling the liquor question.
Other states prohibit the manu-
1acture and sale of Intoxicating liq-
uors within their boundaries There
are now seven or eight prohibition
utAtes In our country. As to the en-
eorcement Of the laws In a prohibition
state, the answers usually given are
IN accordance with the view Of the
Dsrsons asked The prohibitionist says
that 1t does prohibit. Those In IA
vor Of the saloon declare that 1t does
not. But there are two facts that can
not be controverted. First, II prohibit
Zion does not prohibit It greatly less
ems the sale Of liquors. Any reasonable
person must admit this much. 1t is
against all common sense to argue that
- much liquor Is sold without open
saloons as with them. Thousands of
men who would visit open saloons
would not sneak into ''speak easies"
and dens which are prohibited by the
law. The young are also greatly pro-
tected. The gilded saloon might at
tract them. but scarcely the dark cor
Ners where an Legitimate business is
carried on. Second, If prohibition does
not absolutely prohibit 1t Is not to be
ment Is also too reasonable even to
need argument. We have laws against
murder. yet murder has not altogether
ceased; laws against theft, but all
thieves have not therefore gone out of
business Yet there Is no doubt that
Nhere are fewer thieves and fewer
wanderers because Of the laws and
penalties against such crimes. So
khere must be greatly reduced liquor
selling and liquor drinking in states
where 1t Is against the law, for. after
m. only a comparatively few men care
10 break the laws at the risk of dis
grace and punishment
A<oSui OPtiOA Ia We dtC NSiy POPulat
IN many states today. The legislatures
of such states give to the people Of a
certain locality. such as county. town.
ship or ward, the privilege at stated
Hines of voting for or against the sa-
looms. Up to date this has been the
most successful and effective means Of
Aghting this great curse. Hundreds of
counties In varies states have voted
dry" and through the various meth
DDS over one-half of the United States
Is under state or local prohibition laws
Local option laws are usually well en-
forced. for when the people living so
closely together favor such a law the
executors of 1t must enforce 1t. Pub
lie opinion is a great factor in enforc-
ing all laws.
The temperance question is one of
the greatest questions before our coun-
try today. Our largest business in
terests as well as our religion have
declared that the saloon must go. For
self protection one section of our coun-
Try is rapidly voting out the saloon.
The liquor dealers are frightened and
On the run. If the temperance cause
advances for few years as II has re-
GENTLY the national government viii be
compelled In some way to take hold
of it. 1t will be forced into the plat
Forms of the great political parties.
and uniform law for all the states
Will be put upon our statute books,
and the federal government will en-
force Its laws. 1t will be impossible
to jump from one state to another and
nom one county to another TO get d
supply of liquor or to devise methods Of
smuggling ii into prohibition territory
nom points where it is allowed to be
sold. If once the entire nation rises
and says. Liquor must co. it will go.
The people do rule.
BIBLE READINGS.
Lev. K. 8, 10; lisa. V, Ii; Joel i. s:
Prov. Xxx. /; xiii, 20. p. 29-35; Rom.
Kill. 1914; Cor. vi, 10: Gal. v. 1926:
1Pet. iv, Is; Rev. xxi, 1915.