Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-10-25
This Era Of Growing Publicity.

This Era of Growing Publicity.
One of the penalties of disobeyine
moral or statutory laws is publicity
1t takes hardened criminal to escape
the bitter punishment of general pub.
ncity for his offences, The average
petty offender, could he suffer impris.
onment or fine without the accom-
panying publicity. Woald do so cheer
fully. Even the worst of criminals
such as murderers, haye expressed
more sorrow. because of standing be-
fore the world, confined, or free, con-
victed of an offence which makes the
average person turn from them in
horror or disgust, than because OF the
punishment to come to them in the
way of imprisonment or execution.
Recognition of these things. in hter
years, has led to a continuous progress
in the way of publicity. It might al
most be said that these days are only
the beginning of an era of publicity
which it is hoped will spread until it
becomes factor more powerful than
all the army and police forces Of the
world. Sometimes, in the careers of
men and publications whose position
before the world at large forces upon
them the duty of making public affairs
which they would leave untouched.
brings home to them the strength OF
public ostracsm of those things in op-
position to, or defiance of moral and
legal law Considering these things,
leading news carriages must accept the
responsibility, odious and disagreeable
to them and to their friends as it may
be at times, of, insofar IS possible,
informing the public as to evils and
their sources and the opportunities or
possibilities of corrections. The people
of Maine have always known that the
prohibitory law Of this State was be-
ing violated; they knew that hundreds
OF men We're engaged in business, in
partnership with the Federal govern
nfent, in violation OF the Jaws of this
commonwealth. They have realized
that they We're helpless TO prevent the
existence of a certain amount of such
criminality. For stipulated sums. the
United States. government authorizes
any person or number of persons to
CARR on business in violation of the
laws of the State of Maine without
fear of interruption on the part of the
Federal authorities. That is one of
the sources of Uncle Sans revenue.
That is one of the ways in which the
United States government is in part
nership with the greatest factor in all
the evil on the face of the globe--the
American Rum Trust.
Many people have long realized that
II was possible to discover jusr who
the naine laws We're, and where they
Were located. by visit to the internal
revenue Office at Portsmouth, N H.
Sucn trip. to the average person,
prohibits the probability of a discovery
whether or not any member of their
community is engaged to any extent
in such violation of the Maine law as
the possession of an United States Ii
cense would indicate OF course there
is large number of law abiding
druggists who are obliged to pay the
u. L. D. Getail liquor dealer tax, on
account of having. for sale alcoholic,
medicinal compounds which the anal
yses of the revenue department show
TO be notable. Also. there are some
dealers in light beers. containing one
or two per cent. Of alcohol not prohibit
ted by our, State law, but taxed under
the federal law. 1t is an easy matter
for the average man to pick the per
son or firm who is doing legitimate
business. and the one who is carrying
on a trade in violation of the law. In
q, published list of all those in Maine
who buy United States licenses to deal
in prohibited, Intoxicating beverages
ii is easy for almost any man of a
community TO pick out the druggists
who are selling medicinal compounds
only and are thus obliged to pay the
United States revenue tax, and those
men who are doing a wholesale or re-
tail business IN malt or distilled Ii
quors Few. If amy. druggists, who
oonfne themselves strictly to their
business under the law, have ever been
accused Of violating the law il is
not, therefore, a danger TO the bust
ness of man doing legitimate bust
ness 10 make public the full list of
United States liquor tax entries in the
State of Maine
Our purpose in publishing the full
list, as given in the Kennebee Journal
is obvious. II is matter of record
and to it the people of the state Of