The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-06-29
BATTLE IS ON IN
MAINE
Prohibition is Safe
Summary Of Field
Before Fight
Even Its Enemies Acknowledge Their
Cause Is Hopeless.


amendment In the constitution. For
something like ten years the Stats
has been strenuously discussing THIS
question and on September IL we
shall see Just how much foundation
there is for all the talk which mas
been made. Do the people OF Maine
desire to abandon the principle OF
prohibition? Are they convinced that
some other form of regulating the
liquor traffic would be better than
prohibition? Has all OF this agitation
been because OF politics or is there
really something behind 1t all?
These questions will be answered
on September II. From this view
point 1t might not be ninteresting to
take a survey of the field where the
battle is to be waged. In the first
place an attempt has been made to
organize the state for prohibition BY
some OF the prominent men of Maine
who have named their organization
the mo License League. They nave
made good Roadway, on paper, In this
organization and have stirred up some
people in some sections OF the state
to active work but only compare
lively small proportion OF the voters
of Maine are as yet enlisted. On the
other hand the efforts to organize a
Non Partisan Local Self Government
League, opposed to prohibition, which
was inaugurated by few Democratic
politicians, has not been a hatter1ng
success Its promoters have money
enough to work with which has been
obtained from some source either
within or without the State and have
organized a bureau in Portland which
is engaged in sending out literature
and preparing for an active campaign.
But recruits to this organization come
slowly. Few Maine men Of either par
ty care to become identified with such
movement and only those who have
4 heretofore committed themselves poll
tically have enlisted in the move
ment.
Outside of these organizations for
men the Women's Christian Temper
ance Union is leading the fght among
the women and is doing effective
work. The w. C!Ti U. has had an
organization to begin with and Its
leaders are using every effort to slim
ulate the membership of this organi-
cation to active work Meetings are
being held in the smaller towns, noted
speakers are engaged to come into
Maine to make a campaign and aided
by experience gained in other states
in similar fights every effort will be
made by the w. C. T. U. to stir up the
State to vote for the retention of the
prohibitory amendment in the consti-
tuition.
1t is only fair to state, however,
that the great mass of the voters yet
remain to be reached or enlisted on
either side of this question On the
railroad trains and where men meet
the subject is discussed with varying
opinions expressed as to the prospect.
AS near as the Press can gather from
interviewing many travelling men on
the subject there is little danger of
the prohibitory amendment being
voted out of the constitution. In the
rural counties of Maine the sentiment
is strongly for the prohibitory law as
it always has been. In many of the
cities the strength of the prohibitory
forces is much greater titan has been
claimed Bangor for instance is not a
hot bed of anti-prohibitonsts as is
generally supposed, according to the
talk of those who ought to be we'll
Informed. The Bangor politicians. the
newspapers and some of the hotel
proprietors are undoubtedly anti
prohibitionists but the mass of the
voters in Bangor are by no means
hostile to prohibition.
| Aroostook county remains unshak-
en-. Piscataquis is as sure to cast the
majority of its vote for prohibition as
the sun is to rise. Washington coun-
/ ty, all stories to the contrary not
outstanding, is in favor of the pro-
hibitory law, excepting that part of
the county where the anti-prohibition
sentiment has always prevailed and
where it will always prevail. Han
cock county, excepting along the
coast is still in the prohibition col
umn. Somerset is SO strongly prohi.
bition in sentiment that even the
leading Democratic politicians there
are openly working for votes for the
retention of the amendment Kenne-
bee county, outside the cities, is
strongly for prohibition and this ap-
plies to men of all political parties.
Anqroscoggin county outside of Lew
1ston cannot be counted an anti
prohibition territory. Old Oxford
county and FRANKLIN as we'll are
strongholds of prohibition as they
always have been. The coast coun-
ties OF Sagadahoc. Lincoln and Knox
are more doubtful and there the
anti-prohibitory movement has its
warmest supporters.
The sentiment for prohibition in
Portland and Cumberland county gen
orally has strengthened hundred
per cent since the people have had
chance to see how the open saloon
works, how it increases the number
or drunks, the petty crimes and all
that follows in the wake of a prom-
lscuous selling of beer and iiouor
Northern York county is as strongly
prohlbition as it has ever been all
though along the coast there is much
antl-prohibition sentiment.
ms In substance is the outlook as
II appears today without prejudice or
bias. vi
Talking will not change the situa-
ton greatly for all the people NJ
Maine know all there is to know
ABOUT this question. They don't have
70 be Informed that prohibition
doesn't prohibit. for they fully com
prehend that there are places. notably
tne city OF Portland, at present
where the law will not enforce itself
when the officials will do nothing 70
ENFORCE 1t. The very men who will
condemn things which have been
rone IN the past and who will ac-