Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-25
THE NATION LOOKING ON.
To See " Maine Sells Herself to Run,
Sellers and Politicians.

printed III your paper strong argu-
, ments for prohibition ever since the
law makers of this State passed along
, the question of repeal for the voters to
settle in September. This stand of
your paper for law and order is as it
should be for the press, the pulpit. and
the public school should all cooper
ate. SO far as possible, to lead the peo-
| pie along the pathway of good morals
Man comes into this world having
certain tendencies to evil which IL left
to grow unchecked may soon land him
| within the deep ditch of everlasting de-
struetion.
The truth of this is manifested in the
multitude of men and women who are
| locked UP to keep them from doing
mischief. The business that makes 50
many of these criminals. luuatles and
paupers is one that decent people rath-
cr not have located near their homes
fand this is the reason that the better
element of our people will vote for
prohibition. The fact that mure than
half of these locked-up citizens have
come 10 grief on the account of sironi;
drink shows that the sale of intoXi-
cants is no joke.
Men who wish to put temptation in
The way of their weaker brothers are
lacking in right moral sentiment and
should not be given power to rule the
affairs of Maine.
Show me any man. who wants open
bars located all over this State, who is
not interested in getting drunk himself
or in making profit out of his neigh
bors' failings. Some one must provoke
the sons who will drink themselves
into the grave that never opens toward
heaven. We might as well let the
criminals make the laws for their own
punishment as have this rum soaked
element control the liquor traffic in
Maine
The reason given why many viii
vote for repeal is that the drinking
man wants his booze and that it viii
cost something to enforce the law of
prohibition. Well. it cost something
to establish and maintain all the in
stitutions that we have in this world
to provide for the victims of the sa
loon. 1t means that the Taxpayer has
got to settle for one of those bills any
how and it is for US to say which,
when we vote in September. for one
think it cheaper in the long run to en-
force the laws than to pay for the
criminals, lunatics and paupers made
out of those who indulge in fire water.
Some say that the law cannot be en-
forced. anyhow, and so what is the use
to dispute with these law breakers?
say the law can be given stress that
viii make it unpleasant for those who
sell intoxicahts. Give the rumsellers
the lock steps and short rations with
plenty of exercise every time he IS
convicted and he will see things differ
emily when coming out from seelusion
at Thomaston. There are men and
money enough in this State TO make
the pocket peddler mighty sick of his
job We read in the good book that
the strong should bear the burdens of
the weak and this is the mission OF
good government
Laws are made to give every home
and family protection. No one is
strong enough to fight all the battles
of life alone. We all need aid from
others all the way along from the era
die to the grave The men are not In
debted to the government for sons
| law which have helped them arc the
only ones who should vote for repeal.
Some one has paid the bills to estab-
| lish governmental rule i'll this eoun-
| try and 1t has been of some benefit 10
US and so we are indebted to brave
| men and noble women.
There is only one way TO discharge
| this great debt of the past and that is
| to do what little we can to push up
ward the standards of civilization.
The rum dealer takes the greater
{. profit and gives the least good in re-
| ,urn of any class of men doing bust
ness. The great oil men of our coun-
| try never saw the day when they
! could bleed the people 50 much gallon
! for gallon as the rum seller does with
| ms parrel of booze.
| Strange in view of this fact. that
Iany working man should stand UP for
| the rum trust. The drinking man VIII
give the saloon keeper more profit over
the bar in one evenings treating than
| all his lights ut home cost for the week.
| The best job for the trust busters 81
| this State is to vote next month to set
the rum dealers pounding stone. This
| is no party question now, as the lines
were crossed last winter in the Legis-
Ilature at Augusta. The men who vote
| for prohibition will do so thinking it
the best policy for Maine.
| Those who vote for repeal are work.
ling for the rum dealers of Boston. On ,
Iparty of this State has stood for pro-
Inhibition ever since it was organized
and it is the duty of its members to
have the courage Of true conviction
and vote for prohibition in September.
There are some in the other party who
stand for law and order and they of
course will vote for prohibition. Pro-
hibition will thus win, if all its pro-
fessed friends are true and have their
votes counted in September. But il
the friends of temperance are defeated
in this contest they will go down as
4 the great moral teacher of mankind
1 did, erucified between two thieves, be-
ing in this case the rum sellers on one
i side and the office seeking politicians
on the other. The nation is looking
! on to see if we will sell ourselves and
this is our great battle for time and