Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-29

LICENSE THE SALOON,
And II Will Violate Every Law OF the
Land" Writes a Citizen.

The following letter on License" is
written by y. B. l." to the Portland Elk
Advertiser.
What is it? Permission to sell intoxi-
eating liquors, it is a business legalzed
by city or town, by state or Nation And
what does that mean? Why that the
government sanctoning 1t, must defend
It. and protect the rumselcr in his ne
farious traffic And that's just what he
Wants-and is willing to pay for-h"
wants the defense and responsibility Of
law no matter how harmful his business
IS, nor how much 1t degrades and ruins
his customers. 1t is nothing to him what
poverty, woe and misery it let's into the
homes Neither does he care how heavy
are the taxes which are thus imposed
ing of it's shame and disgrace.
Look al the courts, the jalls, the poor
houses and the insane asylums that have
to be paid for in consequence of it. It
needs no argument to prove that the
licensed saloon puts temptation more
strongly, more directly, in the way of
dives in dark alleys. Vice and crime of
all Sorts are encouraged by it.
The licensed saloon is an open door
to robbery, graft the white slave traffic
and murder. Who wants to employ
drinking man in any decent business?
The saloon units its patrons for any re-
sponsible place in life All our engineers,
conductors and motormen ought to be
teetotalers; otherwise how greatly will
they imperi the life of every passenger.
1t is impossible for drunken man to be
his brothers keeper. Shall the saloon be-
legalzed to produce such citizenship as
this?
Be not deceived, God is not Knocked.
Whatsoever IA man sows, that shall he
also reap The saloon violates every
precept of the moral law. nill you vote
to license all the evils of selling strong
drink? The rummakers and sellers and
drinkers may want you to-because they
wish the privilege to do as they please
But the word of God tells us to 'abhor
that which is evil and cleave unto that
which is good Shall we obey men
rather than God?
every law in the land If you vote for
license, do you not become responsible
for the results of 1t? Vote II IN, give u
legal existence, and must you not IN court
defend it's business-always evil always
dangerous?
Bringing a rattlesnake to the train, in
a box under a glass cover, you might
venture to look at 1t. But would you
senger car, to run about as 1t pleased?
oh no, you would say, BY all means
keep the ugly creature closely confined TO
the box Don't you dare to let 1t out
But isn't that what will happen II
Maine votes prohibition out of the con
stitution? Wouldn't that leSalize the
to run anywhere 1t pleases OF. on
our chief business streets? No matter
how MANY husbands. fathers. brothers
or boys get bitten, no matter how many
wives mothers and daughters are stung
by it's deadly fangs; vote Tor license, ana in
YOU will give it liberty to run and bite
whom it will The way to restrain such
a viper is not to put him behind glass
windows on the priqeipal, street corners
might do but by putting such big stone
on his head, as soon as you find him.
that he cannot crawl at all. a..
Restrain him from destruction SO th az
he never will hiss His existence enc l. # me ne
and most inaccessible caverns of the
earth.
"WiI the citizens of our beloved state
vote next September to make II easier
for our young men to go down the pfoaH
road to ruin and shut themselves out Oh
the Kingdom of Heaven Thousands up
on thousands are doing so every year, IN
our Country but far less in pfohloltlon
than in license states. Shall we AFTER
30 wears of restraint, vote to increase tle
st army of drunkards by legalizing the
public dram shop? God forbid It.
eff earthquake or fire shook license out
of Charleston, S. c, and out of San Fran