The Republican journal., 1911-10-12
PHASES OF THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

In Bath, Mayor Frank A. Small, who by vir-
tue of his Office is chief of police, instructed
City Marshal Fred T. McFadden to stop the
sale of intoxicating liquors in that city. In
stead of obeying these instructions the City
Marshal addressed an impudent letter to the
mayor, and the mayor in replying said: "If
you are unwilling to perform your duties as
City Marshal you should resign" The Board
of Aldermen Wednesday evening ordered the
Marshal to obey his chiefs instructions about
cleaning up the liquor saloons, gambling dens
and houses of ill-repute under penalty of hav-
ing his case taken up by the Committee on
Police and reported to the municipal officers.
The Marshal in reply says that he is unable to
find any statute which places the burden of
enforcing the prohibitory law upon him and the
Police Department, but he does find that the
Mayor and Aldermen in every city and town
shall make complaint and prosecute all viola
tions of the liquor laws and promptly enforce
the laws against drinking Places He further
tells the Mayor that if he or any alderman will
make such complaint and obtain warrant he
will make every effort to make the arrest, pro-
cure the evidence and have it submitted to the
court. This is begging the question The
Mayor, whose authority is unquestionable has
given the Marshal explicit instructions which
that official refuses to carry out
The Lewiston correspondent of the Bangor
Commercial recently reported that CITY as
very "wet," the temperance people claiming
that there were at least 400 places where
liquor could be bought, and it was further
asserted that the authorities are making no
attempt to stop the sale of liquors and that
even on Sundays the traffic goes on unmoest-
ed" This condition of affairs is corroborated
by the Rev. DR.. Fred A. Leitch, one of the
most prominent Methodist Episcopal ministers
in this State, who, accompanied by another
man.has been investigating conditions in Lew
iston relative to the sale of liquor. DR.. Leitch
and his companion visited nearly 80 saloons,
and he said that he bought small quantity of
stuff in as many places as his pocketbook
would admit. He didn't make a purchase in
every place because he couldn't have carried
the supply home. "1n some places" he said,
81 had to push men aside to get to the coun-
ter" The Democratic sheriff was notified and
DR.. Leitch offered to accompany him to some
of these places but the sheriff 'had something
else to attend to- 1t is understood that the
matter will be taken up in some form at
meeting of men interested in the better OBJ
servance of the laws.
In Old Town the liquor question has another
phase. At the monthly session of the alder
men, Oct. 3rd an order was introduced by AL
derman Needham, in part as follows;
Ordered that the city marshal be and is here
by instructed to cause all places selling intoxi-
eating liquors to close their places of business
promptly at 10 o'clock in the evening of each
secular day and for the entire day and night
upon Sunday In connection with the order
1t was stated that there was protest from
the citizens because some of the saloons had
been allowed. it was sa i'd to run all night and
all day Sunday. The order passed. the only
opponent being Alderman F. Otis Guild, who
claimed that the enforcement of the law
was matter for the county officials rather
than the city. The new order went in effect
Wednesday night Oct 4th