The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-07-26
MAINE IN
THROES Or
BOOZE WAR
-----------
Tho Question Comes Up After
II Years Of Continuous
Prohibition


seven years experience with consti.
ltutional prohibition Of the liquor .raf-
INC Maine on September III. will hold
Ia special election to determine
whether the people wish to retain
prohibition as part OF the organic
laws Of the state or to cast Ii aside
las a failure and an obstacle In the
pathway OF reform While the pro
Ihibition element Is confidently claim
ling a sweeping victory, they are
| Tor the w. G. H. L., led by Mrs. L. Nj.
M Stevens OF Portland, national pres
iident, and many other organizations,
including numerous church and Sum
day school societies, are putting forth
| The most strenuous eyertions TO in
sure the retention of the famous firth
amendment, which was adopted by
vote Of the people in September, 1884.
AS a matter OF fact, those well in
formed, declare the issue is in doubt
Considering that Maine experienced al
political earthquake last fall, electing
a Democratic governor and legisla-
ture largely upon the liquor question
1T would seem fair to assume that
unless public temper has greatly
changed there should be at least as
strong an expression of anti-prohibi-
tion sentiment this fall
Different Views
The prohibtionists are proclaiming
sa the prohibition press and from a
thousand platforms that the repeal
Of the fifth amendment would be i'm
mediately followed BY the opening OF
saloons upon every street corner,
even at country cross roads.
The antis answer that such repeal
would simply leave Maine just where
it was in 1884, and had been for more
than twenty-five yearsv-with statu
tory prohibition dependent upon the
VIII Of the people for Its life or
death.
The antis further say Maine mas
had statutory prohibition for fifty
seven years, and constitutional pro
hibition for tWenty-seVen years, ana
vet saloons flourish and always have
flourished, In one form or another, in
every city and large town during all
of that time, while, except in rare
instances and at scattered intervals, |
the speak-easy, the blind pig the |
kitchen bar, the fake drug store and |
the town agency have always infested |
the smaller towns as we'll Just as
much liquor has been consumed here
as in license states. only 1t Is OF |
poorer quality and sold at higher
prices. Drunkenness is rampant--no-
toriously so, morals have been aor-
rupted, public service vitiated, crime,
lunacy and disease have increased
and no good purpose served.
Plenty Of Liquor
just at present, after period Qf
free rum" Portland Is experiencing
1 fit Of enforcement, the traffic being
driven TO cover, but ex-
sting none the less. while at The
same time Bangor is as wide open
IS New York or Boston, with no In
erference, either from sheriff or city
police 1t is the same everywhere,
leclare the anti-prohibitlonists
,lenty OF liquor of some kind, sold In
ome manner, the number Of dealers
icing limited only by the demand
rhe reason given for these condi-
ions Is that prohibition Is HANDY
hing for politicians. and, as a Bangor
republican paper recently pointed
MT the chief source of business for
great many lawyers
More than that, the vets claim
prohibition is favored by a very
arge proportion of the liquor sellers
lndcr license there wonld be heavy 4
xpense ard only fair proiM. Under
rohibition there is only an occasion
! fine to pay Jail sentences being
ew and far between, and immense
rodts are made from the sale OF the
cry cheapest class of liquors, much
[ the so-called whiskey sold In
laine being made while you watt
Maine liquor dealers, IL Is said,
'ita few exceptions, prefer what are
nown as tight times that is
erods OF attempted enforcement OF
he law for at such times they can
ct Is or 20 cents for a bottle OF
heap beer and rs cents for pint OF
lome made whiskey-
There are men in Bangor, accord
lg 10 the antis, who have grown
Ich in a few Years at that sort OF
uslness. These, they say, stand for
rohibition and will vote for IL IN
eptember They will be arrayed
18th the lawyers who get much OF
leir practice from liquor proseeu
ons and With many oihtrs who have
,uud the law source of profit
Fiddlers' Contest