Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-28
Grand Temperance Rally
Held Saturday Night.
Grange VIII Talk Temperance
T0nIghi--A Near Smashup.
Anniversary cslsbratIon..sad Acct.
dent.-personal Notes.

square long before the time set for
the speakers 10 arrive. Many of the
best citizens We're present and the in
terest was keen. The program start
ed With a few selections from a brass
quarter. The speakers We're in an au-
tomohile stationed at the north end
Of the station platform. and from
Which the addresses were given The
speakers We're literally applauded dur
ing their remarks. The first speaker
was Rev. John Evans. pastor of the
First uniYersalst church, whose re-
marks, although short, were convinc-
ing and to the point. showing that
prohibition was far superior To license.
he introduced the chief speaker of the
evening. p. j. Youngdahl of Minneso-
ia, who made four points;
/. Granted that all civilized govern
ment exists 10 prevent that which
works for the highest welfare OF the
greatest number il clearly follows
that all civilized government exists
Tor the purpose of preventing as far
as possible that which is harmful TO
society In other words, all law is by
nature prohibitive Ali laws against
stealing exists for the purpose of pro-
tecting the property OF people This
they do by saying to the thief. Thou
shalt not steal" They prohibit steal
ing All laws against murder are for
the purpore of safe guarding the in
diyiaual from the hand of the muir
deref These laws prohibit murder. Sc
il IL with the whole category OF laws
they one and al stand on the statute
books for the sole purpose of prohibit
ing that which will work for the harm
of society Laws like locks are for
dishonest not honest people.
II. Drunkenness is bad. Everyone
admits IL. even the saloon keeper who
puts on his advertisement for bar
tender only total abstainers need
apply" II is bad for the man VINO
drinks. his earning power is deereas-
ed Ii is bad for his wife and children.
1t is bad for his home and bad tor the
city IN which he lives.
II drunkenness is bad then it follows
that that which causes drunkenness
is bad also and that the business of
liquor selling is pernicious, working
not for the welfare of society but for
its injury
Therefore since the liquor traffic belongs
IN the same class with stealing and muir
der it should be treated in the same man
ner Ii is then the duty of civilized gov
eminent to adopt that course which will
admit of the least possible sale of Ii
quor II takes but common sense to see
that this course is not permission" but
prohibition II the reverse of this be
true then all law is farce and has been
ever since the days of Sinai.
things VI hicb
all will agree as essential to mans high
est welfare: l. Prosperity. Every man
wants TO be prosperous. 1t means health
and happiness to himself and family. The
saloon instead of making for prosperity
takes prosperity away from the laboring
men and leaves in its place poverty. The
money which buys liquor cannot buy the
needed stove. or the needed dress. or the
needed pair of shoes ?. Good govern
ment. 1t is necessary 10 the conservation
and protection of society's highest well
fare. Here Mr. Youngdahl met the fake
argument so often heard that license
liquor law would take the saloon out of
politics. He eonclusively showed the re-
verse of this to be true by illustrating
from his own state. In Minnesota 80 per
cent of the licensed saloons are owned
by the brewers and are under the control
of an alleged ward politician. Instead
of taking the saloon out of politics 1t
pushes Il in 3. Good citizenship. II is
the very foundation of good government.
That which destroys manhood destroys
good citizenship and thereby strikes right
at the root of good government and I'M
dermines ii.
Thus the liquor traffic because il en-
dangers prosperity. because il Injuries
good government and because IL spols
manhood and good citizenship, ought to
be prohibited by law.
". Finally the speaker answered eff
fectively the argument that clean, vel
regulated saloon is preferable to a blino
pig.
/. Less liquor is sold by the blind pigs
under a prohibitory law than by the sa.
looms under a license law: because IL is
harder for a man to get liquor under a
prohibitory law than it is under H.
cense law.
2 The blind pig will not attract sc
many young men and boys-or indeed
old men-as will the open saloon of this
responsibility.
3 The number of women drinkers un-
der prohibitory law is practically few
Therefore the dirtier the pig the better
and the better the saloon the worse II
is for society.
The idea that the licensed saloon keep
er will enforce the law against the blind
pig is ridiculous Recorded statistics OF
every licensed city prove this to be un-
true In the city of Minneapolis, where
Mr.. Youngdahl makes his home. there
are ABS saloons now open under license
and in spite of the law there exist IN
addition TO these 1000 unlicensed bhno
pigs.
Because a few pigs have broken
through the fence into the pasture ano
are eating corn is Maine on Sept II
going to tear down the fence and lei
all the pigs in. Her job is to get busy
and repair the fence and save the corn
Does the farmer up in Aroostook try
to regulate the potato bug which is eat
ing his potatoes? No, he poisons him
Poison the saloon that is eating YOU
manhood and put it out of business b,
your votes.
Mr.. YounEdahl is master of Illus
trariou and StOry Rv most brilliant