Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-09-13
Lessons of the Vote.

turns indicated a probable small NO
majority ON the prohibition amend
ment repeal vote. This if upheld by
full officials returns. is gratifying to
the bedrock citizenship of anime II
will be regarded as a victory, in that
s the expensive process of putting the
law back into the constitution will not
be necessitated.
: There are certain facts in connection
{ with this remarkable campaign and it's
resulting vote that must not be lost TO
/ view. One of the most significant
things is the showing for prohibition
where the law has been best enforced.
Z There appears to be less fear of en-
croachment on personal liberty
where the people are law-abiding and
! liberty lowing. In our issue of Tues
/ day morning, We accepted the earlier
returns and voiced our opinion in the
3 light of events. Now we are com
. PEELED to revise them, without for a
itObttHl SoSttoitiE Altti i'ttst niip DeNt
stood by the law have been released in
any degree from the necessity of
preparation and duty as regards the
future. II we have been relieved of the
difficult fight to replace the amend
ment in the constitution, 1t will cause
only temporary cessation of the en-
deavors of the liquor interests to carry
out their intentions as indicated the
very moment the law was adopted in
1851
But there are lessons to be drawn
from Mondays vote, as well as sugGes-
tons to offer to those who have con-
sidered the probabilities of an extra
session of the Legislature and repeal
of the statutory law. 1t is gratifying
TO know that the real Puritan citizen
. ship of this great agricultural State is
still able to overcome The more or less
transient and foreign elements which
largely dominate our manufacturing
cities. Such wet majorities as shown
by Biddeford, Lewiston, Bangor and
Portland could hardly be expected to
be overcome by the dry" determine
ton of the country voters. But, thank
heaven, we still have the common
sense and character of the rural popu-
lation of such counties as Aroostook,
Somerset, and the agricultural districts
of Kennebec. Sagadahoc. Waldo
Franklin and others, which, if they do
not wholly counteract the vote of their
respective city populations. in the ag-
gregate they turn down such over
whelming majorities as Bangor and
Roekland boosted on Monday from
their regimes of notification and dis
regard of law.
Mondays vote is a cause for con-
graduation to the rural districts OF
Maine, whether or not ii is determined
that the law has been saved in the
Constitution. The kennebec Journal
would offer its congratulations in the
prospect of small No majority,
when the official returns have been
completed. We would suggest to those
who have fought so nobly together in
maintenance of the law that now is the
time and the accepted time for the
perfection of such an organization as
might be brought out of an alliance
between the Christian Civic League,
the w. c. T. u. and the No-License
League, backed by the churches, the
Oranges, the Young Mems Christian
Association, the educators, the news
papers. and, in fact, all of the societies,
organizations, and individuals which
stand for upward progress and better
moral conditions in Maine and else
where. Now that wc have been arous-
cd to the necessities and to recoGni-
tion Of the intent and determination of
the liquor interests, il is time for us
10 perfect such plans as will make us
ever ready and easily able TO over
throw any future endeayors for the
conquest OF Maine, but also to stand
forth rs factor TO be reckoned with
when we carry the fight from Maine
into broader fields with the object Of
eventually forcing Unele Sam out of
fhe rum business. as he has been
forced out OF the lottery business and
kindred cyils. in which. in other days
he derived revenue as partner.
Even should the liquor interests
triumph TO the extent of having re-
moved the law from the Constitution
10y a slight majority, the question of ar
extra session OF fhe Legislature is now
beyond consideration. If the liquor in.
terests. their Democratic allies ane
their paid tools in a campaign wageo
unscrupulously for months. could moi
accomplish the overthrow of the Law
with all their sophistries and misIead-
ing presentation of their aims, how