The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-09-14
LESSONS OF THE VOTE.
wednesdays Kennebec Journal

4
At six o'clock, Tuesday afternoon, the
revision of Associated Press returns indi-
Gated probable small ''No" majority
on the prohibition amendment repeal
vote. This, if upheld by full official re-
turns, is gratifying to the bedrock citi-
zenship of Maine. 1t will be regarded as
victory, in that the expensive process
of putting the law back into the consti-
tuition will not be necessitated.
There are certain facts in connection
with this remarkable campaign and its
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. There ap-
pears to be less fear of encroachment on
personal liberty where the "people
are law-abiding and liberty-loving." In
our issue of Tuesday morning, we ac-
cepted the earlier returns and voiced our
opinion in the light of events. Now we
are compelled to revise them, without
for moment suggesting that those who
have stood by the law have been releas-
ed in any degree from the necessity of
preparation and duty as regards the fu-
ture. If we have been relieved of the
difficult fight to replace the amendment
in the constitution, it will cause only
temporary cessation OF the endeavors of
the liquor Interests to carry out their in
tentions 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-
lions to offer to those who have con-
sidered the probabilities of an extra ses-
sion of the Legislature and repeal Of the
statutory law. tits gratifying to know
that the real Puritan citizenship 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, Lew
iston, Bangor and Portland, could hardly
be expected to be overcome by the
''dry" determination of the country
voters. But, thank heaven, we still
have the common sense and character of
the rural population of such counties as
Aroostook, Somerset, and the agricul
tural districts of Kennebec, Sagadahoc,
Waldo, Franklin and others, which, if
they do not wholly counteract the vote
of their respective city populations, in
the aggregate they turn down such over
whelming majorities as Bangor and
Rocklapd boosted on Monday from their
regimes of notification and disregard of
law
Mondays vote is cause for con-
graduation to the rural districts of
Maine, whether or not it is determined
that the law has been saved in the
Constitution. The Kennebec Journal
would offer its congratulations in the
prospect of a 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 per-
lection 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 educa-
tors, the newspapers, and, in fact, all of
the societies, organizations, and individ-
uals which stand for upward progress
and better moral conditions in Maine and
elsewhere Now that we have been
aroused to the necessities and to recog-
milton of the intent and determination of
the liquor interests, it is time for us to
perfect such plans as will make US ever
ready and easily able to overthrow any
future endeavors for the conquest of
Maine, but also to stand forth as factor
to be reckoned with when we carry the
fight from Maine into broader fields with
the object of eventually forcing Uncle
Sam out of the rum business, as he has
been forced out of the lottery business
and kindred evils, in which, in other
days, he derived revenue as partner.
Even should the liquor interests tri-
umph to the extent of having removed
the law from the Constitution, by a
slight majority, the question of an extra
session of the Legislature is now beyond
consideration. If the liquor interests,
their Democratic allies and their paid
tools in campaign waged INSCRIPTIONS
ly for months, could not accomplish the
overthrow of the law, with all their
sophistries and misleading presen tation
of their aims, how useless it would be
for them to attempt the repeal of stat
utory law and the enactment of pro.
visions FIR local option license in the
State! There is no question that the in
itiative would be promptly invoked and
the matter once more referred to the
people. In such case, the liquor inter-
ests and their POLITICAL allies could nc
longer declare that ''this vote changes
no law" On the next reference to the
people, it would be a question of direct
.yoto on rim trl1St apOr0yad law, and