The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-10-06
RtSJr MiScION.
Mrs. Stevens Admits That it is Coming,
But Says That Prohibition Will Win.

The annual convention OF the Maine
Womans Christian Temperance Union
was held in Portland last week. At the
session Wednesday evening. September
%, the president, Mrs. L. NJ. N. Stevens,
after referring to the leaders in the W.
C, T. u. movement and to the world S
convention in Glasgow, where so or more
nations were represented, said that the
two principles Of total abstinence and
prohibition were closely and logically as
ISOLATED.
Rum is the greatest curse in the
world is an assertion we often hear
and to which we agree. but there is an
other statement sometimes made In con-
nection with it which causes US to wonder
at the lack of logical reasoning. The
statement is in effect that lit is no use
to try to prohibit the sale of strong drink,
for it can't be stopped. The best that
can be done is to regulate the sale. -
That is: To allow certain number OF
people who pay for the privilege in the
form of a license fee to dispense that
which is undoubtedly curse to humani-
ty. This is not the treatment accorded
to other evils, curses or crimes, such as
gambling, lotteries, theft, forgery, muir
der, houses of i'll repute, white slave
traffic, etc. Laws have been enacted to
prohibit these crimes. They are often
violated, but it has not led to their re-
peal If there were laws licensing these
grimes they would be far more prevalent
than they now are, for in addition to
those who hold the license to do evil
there would be others who would steal,
forge, gamble, engage in the white slave
traffic in spite of the fact that they were
not legalized to do it.
Mrs. Stevens said that in New Hamp-
shire is the best form of high license law
known, but there is the most conclusive
testimony that it increases drunkenness
and crime. In 1902, the last year Of pro-
hibition in New Hampshire, the total
number of criminal DRINKS was 473. In
1906, after four years of high license,
the total number of criminal DRINKS was
2,lS1.
CONDITION IN ROCHESTER, N. H.
In Rochester, N. H., where the people |
vote on the license question November
Sth, the liquor men contend that more
liquor is being sold in blind tigers and
kitchen bar rooms than there would be
in licensed saloons. But in Dover and
Somersworth, where they have licensed
saloons, there are more blind tigers and
more illegal selling than in Rochester.
This is probable because prohibition
Rochester has 10 United States reve-
nue. tax receipts, five for drug stores
which have right to sell under the New
Hampshire law, and 1t is clear that the
other five are illegal sellers. Licensed
Somersworth has Is legal saloons and 80
Z. S. revenue licenses, so that. Somers-
worth has IL illegal places and 81 U. S.
iIloraI rlocaS Those
facts prove that in licensed towns there
is more illegal selling of liquor than in
prohibition towns.
Will anyone attempt to prove that
the saloon makes kind husbands, loving
fathers, happy homes, good citizens? Is
there a mother anywhere who can bow
her head and thank God for what strong
drink has done for her boy?
Mrs. Stevens said that the marvel and
pity of it is that there are those in this
State who would give the legal right to
sell that which debases manhood, defrauds
robs childhood and ruins
homes.
God forbid that the liquor traffic shall
ever come back to Maine.
THE UPHoLDERS OF LICENSE.
Maine has continually to battle with
in the coming year will be harder than
ever, but our State is not likely to sur
render its Prohibitory Law, for the peo-
pie know too well its great advantages
and many blessings. If resubmission is
ever thrust upon US we shall have cam
paign of worldwide Importance. Who
will be arrayed against the temperance
forces? The brewers, the distillers, the
liquor sellers, the gamblers, the crimi-
mails, the keepers of the houses of i'll re-
pute, the promoters of the white slave
traffic and their allied forces.
Mrs. Stevens said it was true that pro-
hibition was not the issue in the late cleo
ton, but there is no doubt in the minds
of we'll informed people but that the
brewery and distillery business lent a
hand with money to elect to official posi-
tons those opposed to prohibition. In
support of this statement she said that
there is a society in Maine with head
quarters at Rockland, named 'The Peo-
ple's Association for More Just and Lib
eral Laws in Maine,'' and Massachu-
setts man, who is president of distiling
is the secretary of this Maine
society This society has its branches in
every city of the State and used its in
fuence to help elect men who favored re-
submission. Inc society is actlng IN mar
mony with the National Liquor Peoples
Association.
The liquor interests are spending mil
lions of dollars these days in the attempt
to overthrow prohibition where it exists
and to prevent further enactment Of pro-
hibitory laws. They are at work in every
State in our Union, but above all other
States they covet Maine-the State which
longer than any other has maintained
Prohibitory Law in spite OF all liquor op-
position. Let 20 one be deceived. The
liquor tribe considers that now is their
time to capture Maine in order that their
business may have full sway in the State
such as it has not had for half hundred
years. All well intentioned men and
women should resent such invasion of
such heinous foe.
LICENSE DEFAMES MAINE.
The liquor tribe defames the State of
Maine, calling its people race Of hypo-
critics, and declares that the churches,
the schools, the character of the women,
the general financial prosperity of the
State are below the average State and
that this comes about as the effect Of
prohibition. The churches and the women
of Maine need no defense, and the fact
that larger number of pupils are gradu-
ated from the elementary schools in
Maine than from any other New Eng
,o,d S+oto and that Maine nroducaS more