The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-05-18
( PROHIBITION ADDRESS
BY DIR. LE|TCH
Auburn Minister Speaks TO Lewiston
W. c. T.. e.


"The greatest question of the hour
that confronts the citizens of the
State If Maine, is the question of the
prohibitory law vs. License" said
Rev. Fred A. Leitch, D. D., o.s Au-
burn, in his recent address before the
Lewiston w. G. T. U. This was the
second of a series of addresses which
will be given in the city by promi-
nent men on the live issue which is
now confronting the people.
Continue Hr. Letich said: "This
question is more than political, 1t is
social, 1t Is moral, it is religious.
This question not only interests the
politicians but it is of supreme i'm
portance to every citizen, 1t is bust
ness and moral issue, it touches
the home, the school, the church.
ut effects directly and indirectly
all classes and conditions of society,
the boy, the girl. the son, the daugh-
ter, the mother, the father, youth,
middle age, and old age. This ques-
ton is not simply one for the po1fti-
cal platform, it is one for the school,
the home, the church, the rostrum.
This question is discussed from
Portsmouth to Eastport, from Carl
bou to Gilead and Parmachene by
lawyers, doctors, merchants. mechan-
les, farmers, You hear it in the
store and Office, in the bank and on
the street. 1t Is talked up and down
the Kennebec and Penobscot In
courthouse, in farmhouse, in Legisla
ture and in cabin. The press blazes
it, periodicals herald it, pamphlets
are filled with it, You cannot kill or
down it.
when Plato, the Greek philoso-
pher stood upon the rostrum in the
academy at Athens and looked into
the face Of his students, this man
of high ideals said, Greeks, see that
the state receive no harm When
Daniel Webster arose to address a
representative gathering of Ameri-
can citizens, under the shadow of a
profile rock of New Hampshire, that
statesman and scholar said Your
profile of the old man of the Noun
tain is Gods call to citizens of New
England to grow men, When our
beloved ex-President Roosevelt stood
upon the platform of his car and ad-
dressed the mighty crowd that surged
around the train at Old Orchard, he
said as the chief executive of this
mighty nation, Enforce the law as
you find it upon the statutes of the
State When eX-Gov. Cobb accepted
the nomination of his party he said
at Bangor: 4 shall insist upon the
enforcement of the prohibitory law
In his speech at Deering he said:
The prohibitory law is the best and
most satisfactory method of dealing
with the liquor traffic in Maine These
are mighty statements coming from
mighty men-Plato, Webster, Roose-
velt Cobb:
"'See that the state receives no
harm.
Let the state grow men,
Enforce statutory law
Prohibition is the most satisfac-
tory method of dealing with the IL
quor traffic in Maine
Let us add the words of another
statesman and prophet of God:
"'Woe be to the man that putteth
the bottle to his neighbours lips, that
makest him drunk
We'll, did all these men know that
the bottle meant the downfall of the
State, the destruction of man and the
disregard of all law?
Mighty questions have faced this
nation and have been settled Mighty
questions are before us at this hour
and are in the process of settlement.
We expect this as we are great ma
ton, we are strong in national de-
fence. We are rich in resources, our
commercial and manufacturing inter
ests are unparalleled Our forests,
mines, farms. streams, lakes, rivers
and mountains are among the best
in the world. We do not fear any
foe We can meet all competition
we trade with the world. Yet there
is a danger within. We face a great
issue. A civil and national issue"
And then the speaker showed very
convincingly how the question of
Prohibition vs. License" effects ev-
cry individual, every home, every
pocketbook He pictured a man pos
sessed Of one dollar which he in
vests in a quart of split. The man
gets the split, the saloon gets the dol
lar. Very rapidly DR.. Letich put the
audience through their mental arith-
metic, taking out of that dollar the
per cent which would go for United
States revenue, to the town for Ii
cense, to the brewer to the politi
clans, to the gambler, to the prosti
tute-making so per cent taken from
legitimate trade and so far as th'