Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-18
SHALL MAINE suRRENDER2
What Is to Be the Future Public Policy
Toward the Saloon?

The pro-license press of Maine
argues the folly of prohibition because
the United states government main
tafns an attitude favorable to the
lliuuor trade and allows the use of its
machinery To promote the liquor bust
ness in all prohibition territory. IT is
taken for granted that the liquor bust
ness which we OUTLAW among our
selves is forever to he thrust upon our
homes and communities by the Ii
censed dealers Of other states, under
the protection of the federal interstate
commerce laws. aided by the federal
post office department. They would
have us believe this is To be the per
manent Interchangeable policy OF the
federal government and for this rea-
son claim that the only sensible thing
to do is to surrender the prohibitory
idea and fall in line with the model IL
cense plan of the liquor dealers.
But this plea for the surrender of
prohibition, because the United States
| Government takes an adverse attitude
| and, in part, destroys the results which
| prohibition would otherwise secure,
rests ON shaky foundation Who
| knows that the United States govern
ment is always to maintain its present
attitude toward the liquor traffic? An
| important part of the federal govern
ment has already gone far toward n
different attitude. The supreme court
of the United States has pronounced
| decisions in opposition to the saloon.
Let three quotations show that atti-
tude. by the general concurrence Of
opinion of every civilized and Christian
community there are few sources of
crime and misery to society equal to
the dram shop where Intoxicating IL
quers. in small quantities. To be drunk
al the time and sold indiscriminately
To all parties" Justice Field, L. s.
Supreme Court. 137 L. s. Sc. Again.
II the public safety or the public NOR
ais require the discontinuance of any
Manufacture or traffic. the hand of the
| Legislature cannot be stayed from pro-
viding for its discontinuance by any
incidental Inconvenience which individ-
uals or corporations may suffer- Beer
Company VS. Massachusetts. 80 u. 6.
30. Once more: IF loss of revenue
should accrue to the United States
because of prohibition) from a dfmin-
ished consumption Of ardent spirits
she will be a gamer a thousand fold in
the health. wealth and happiness of
the people" License Cases Howard
GAG U. 81 573-632.
Strong men of both political parties
agree that the Interference of the fed
| eral government in promoting i'm SOW
erign state a traffic which that state
has outlawed and the national supreme
court has pronounced against. is moth
ing less than an outrage which ought
not to be tolerated.
Once. the federal government al
lowed the use OF its machinery To pro-
mote The lottery business in states
where that business had been prohib-
tied by law. The Louisiana Lottery
did a great business in Maine through
! the United States Mail long after
Maine had prohibited the lottery: but
| the time came when the federal gov
eminent denied the use of the mail To
the lottery business everywhere. and
| the time is coming tthe liquor people
know IT'D unless the tide of popular OPP
| position to the liquor traffic can be
| stayed, when the United States Gov
! eminent viii deny the use of it's ma
| chinery to aid the license liquor traffic
in carrying on its business in prohibit
| ton territory.
This it is which makes the present
| campaign in Maine of such VITAL
| IMPORTANCE" to the liquor trade of
the United States. Should Maine stand
firm by its prohibitory policy on Sep
tember 18th. 1t means that the gall
| ing yoke of prohibition" may never be
ifted from their necks. and that no
power on earth can prevent a change
| of attitude on the part OF the federal
government toward their business.
They have grave reason to fear. The
attitude of the federal government up
on any great moral issue will always
| be determined. i'm due course of time,
| by the attitude of the people of these
United States upon the question. Dur
ing the past decade popular sentiment
relating To the saloon has been chang
ing with great rapidIty. The liquor
people themselves recognize and be-
wall this fact They note the change
of attitude Of the newspaper and the
magazine, the fraternal organizations,
and the employers of labor. They
| eringe especially under the published
results of scientific investigation set
ting forth the effects of alcoholic bey-
erages upon health and industrial eff
lficieney. These things are but the wa
ter marks of the popular tidal wave
| which has been sweeping the shores OF
civilized society with terrific force
| during the past generation.
! The saloon people are not ignorant
of the fact. though some of us may
| be, that over more than two-thirds of
the area of this great country today
the saloon business has become an
utlawed business by the votes of the
people. and is actually prohibited by
law. The saloon people know that re-
viewing this nation by counties, on
January first. 1911. out of the 1892
| counties in these United States 1892
| counties. or a majority of 572, had out