The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-12
MAINE VOTED WET
BUT MARGIN WAS
LESSTHAN 1000
Over 10000 Votes Cast In
Close Election
RESULT NOT DECISIVE
Legislature Must Enact Law Before
Prohibition Can Be Done
Away With
RESULT NOT DECISIVE

Unofficial and only partly revised
returns from 499 out OF 521 cities.
towns and plantations in Maine YES.
terday gave majority of 904 for re-
peal OF the prohibitory constitutional
amendment The missing 20 towns
cast less than 1856 votes at the state
election three years ago. The vote az
reported early this morning was yes
6O,782 and no 59,S78.
AS had been predicted, the cities
were the chief strongholds of the re-
peal faction, but the majority of H.
700 in the total city vote was barely
sufficient, according to the latest avail
able returns to Offset the vote of the
rural communities. Although the
vote cast yesterday did not equal
that OF a year ago, when the demo,
Gratis swept the state, which had for
years been a republican stronghold.
the election was without question one
of the most interesting contests the
state has ever known.
There was not home in any seq
ton of the state, no matter how deep
in the wilds it might be situated,
which had not been flooded with the
literature sent out by both sides.
while those voters in more accessible
sections were waited upon by personal
workers or haranged at numerous
public gatherings and urged to cast
their ballot either for or against re-
peal as the case might be. The result
was that hundreds of voters who had
not visited the polls for years, with
the possible exception of last year.
were recorded yesterday. Little en-
element marked the voting. Although
the polls In some of the cities were
crowded during much Of the time that
they were open. IL was an orderly
crowd. and gave the officials little OF
no trouble.
Since 1857 Maine has had a statute
prohibiting the sale Of intoxicating liq
uors. and since 1884 prohibition has
been part Of the state constitution
In that year. 1884, the question of plao
ing prohibition in the constitution was
put before the people. and prohibition
won by majority of 1898, carrying
every county in the state. In yester
days election Aroostook county, b
the northeastern section of the state,
was the chief source OF comfort to
the temperance people. casting large
majority against repeal, while Calais.
on the New Brunswick border, was
the only one OF the 20 cities of the
state to 90 for prohibition.
Gov. Plaisted was one of the first to
appear at the polls in Augusta yester
day, and half an hour later he board
ed train for Spring Lake. n. J. He
had nothing to say other than to pre-
diet success for the repeal supporters.
Threats Of injunction proceedings
when street cars appeared in Rock-
land yesterday bearing signs Vote
no for the children" which resulted
in a hurried meeting OF the directors,
who ordered the removal OF the signA
enlivened election day ID. ~ More
land, former state railroad commits
sioner and local representative Of thu
Maine nonpartisan local self-govern-
ment league, took the matter up frst
with the police court and later with
the railroad officials DR.. Morelane
alleged that the signs we're In the ma
ture OF intimidation of the voters by
a public service corporation, and the
directors promptly ordered their 70
moval.
Bath, the first place to count the
vote, favored repeal of the prohibfory
law by 1888 to 463. In 1884 Bath vot
ed for prohibition, 800 to Ala. The
city OF Rockland voted for repeal 975
TO 534 and the city OF Saoo did hlto-
wise, sos to sac.
After the prohibitionists had slo'
ceeded in 1884 In safeguarding the
statute law by having II made a par'
OF the constitution, the attacks OF the
antiprohibitlonist ceased for time
only TO be renewed In later years. Tia
democratic party last year made the
question of resubmission OF the eonsu
tutlonal amendment to the people .
plank OF It's platform. The democrats
swept the state In the election ana
the Legislature aided by republican
votes voted to put the matter OF con
stitutional prohibition up TO the PEG
pie. The apparent decision or th'
voters on the face OF the returns las
night TO take prohibition out OF th'
constitution does not mean that liquol
can lawfully be sold. The LeSfsln
ture must act before the present stat
utory law adopted In 1867 can be re
pealed and the question must aseii
10 before the people.
Whether Gov. Frederick W. Plaistss
will call a special session OF the Leg
islature for the purpose is not dsn
nltely known. but among prominen
democrats II ia reported that the gov
ernor will take such a step. On tn
strength of the returns Indicating tn
success OF the repeal movement Mrs
Lillian NJ. N. Stevens, national presl
dent OF the woman's Christan TEN
perance union and leader OF the DC
hIbltlon movement. issued the follow
ing statement last night. but did not
however. concede defeat. There \
no defeat. No call for retreat cea D
blown from the bugle OF right