Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-07-26
This weeks edition of The
American is 1850 copies.
WEDNESDAY JULY %, 1911.

Are Liquor Sellers for Prohibition?
In last weeks issue THE AMERICAN
said: ''About the silliest phase of the
anti prohibitionists' campaign is the
proposition that the wholesale liquor.
dealers are really working with the
prohibitionists, because Maine as a
prohibition State is better market
for their goods than 1t would be I'M
der license.n The Portland Argus,
after quoting that, endeavors TO show
that the proposition is not the silliest
phase in the anti prohibitionist cam
paign.
The anti-prohibitionists are saying
and doing 80 many silly things that
1t ia not easy to say which lie the
silliest. But it is difficult to imagine
anything sillier than the effort to con-
vince common-sense people that the
persons engaged in and representing
the liquor traffic want prohibition in
Maine or anywhere else.
Let us look ct few facts and then
decide whether such proposition 10
common-sense or uncommon nom
sense. The National Liquor Dealers
Journal OF April s, 1911, discussing the
"vital Importance Of the Issue in
Haine'', said:
"There will indeed be . monuments strug-
gle, for Maine constitutesthe keystone of the
arch on (which prohibits in this country
has been erected. II that stone should be
CAS- down there will follow such Q tumble
that not one stone will be left upon another
in the prohibition temple. And well do the
prohibitionists recognize the gravity of the
issue"
Then it goes on to say:
Now that the suspicious moment has ar
rived when the CALLING yoke of prohibition
can be cast of. there must and should be no
respite in agitation until the sun sets on that
eventful day in September, when by the voice
Of the people it has been proclaimed to the
world that Maine is free from her nightmare
of prohibition"
Certainly there is no uncertain
sound in this utterance as to how the
saloon regards prohibition.
Now when the liquor dealers speak
like this, could there be anything
sillier than the effort to convince
people that they want prohibition in
Maine?
Another fact, obtained on pretty
good authority, is that the United
States brewery association has appro-
priated S150,00 to be used in the
campaign against prohibition in
Maine. What is sillier than the
proposition that these people are Civ
ing away $4,000 to abolish some
thing which they are really in
favor Of?
When Boston liquor dealers appeal
to the manufacturers OF bowling
alleys, asking them to sign a petition
to abolish prohibition in Maine, and
asking them to get all those whom
they patronize to sign it, and intimat-
ing boycott in case of refusal; when
the bowling alley maker writes
lumber dealer asking him to sign it
and intimating boycott If he refuses;
and when this lumber dealer tells OF
this experience, it is rather positive
proof that the attitude of the Boston
rum-seller toward prohibition is very
much like that OF the rest of his ira
ternity.
A. this campaign goes on there may
be things said or written which CON.
tain more Of untruthfulness or wick
edness, but one can hardly imagine
that can emanate from pen
or tongue which will contain moro Of
genuine foodshness than this old
chestnut that "Boston liquor dealers
IRE In favor Of prohibition in Maine".