Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-04-27
Drunkenness Not Prohibited.

question of prohibition in Maine was
the principal one discussed. Members
were present from Augusta. Hallowell,
Waterville. Brunswick, Lewiston, Au-
burn, and other cities, Rev. }. ii.
Durkee of Rochester n. Y, a temper
ance orator who is well known IN
Maine and now here in the interest of
prohibition, spoke on the evils of IL
eense as he had seen its workings in
other states Many points which this
orator made are we'll worth noting by
the people of Maine. He predicts, as
one of the results in this State, If the
prohibition law should be repealed.
that a special session of the Legisla-
ture would have to be called to make
many changes in the laws.
While engaged in temperance work
in the last Is years, Mr.. Durkee has
travelled over almost the entire United
States. and has by correspondence with
personal friends, kept in close touch
with conditions in Maine. Mr.. Dur
kee at one time was pastor of the
Court Street Free Baptist church in
Auburn, and at that time became deep
~ interested in the welfare of the
Pine Tree State. He remarks that of
course there is drinking in Maine, as
there are other crimes which cannot be
entirely suppressed. but he remarks
that he believes Though of course
having no proof that any man in
Maine who is willing to become in
toxicated can, from now until election.
get all the liquor he needs for that
purpose, free OF charge. Mr.. Durkee
continues:
But why should there not be drink
ing in Maine? The law of Maine does
not forbid drinking. 1t is just as
legal to get drunk in Maine as in any
license state. The law of Maine pro-
hibits the manufacture and sale of
drink, but it does not prohibit one from
buying and drinking it.
And the interstate commerce law
permits any one in Maine 70 order
liquors for his personal use and bring
it into the State. Why then should it
be expected that there would be no
drinking In Maine. or why hold the
prohibitory law responsible for the
drinking? | believe there is far less
drinking in Maine than in any license
state and far less than there would be
under any form of license, and Maine.
under prohibition. is not legally en-
gagged In the drunkard making bust
ness.
Instead of repeating the present
law, Maine should work for an amend
ment to the interstate commerce law
so as to protect herself from invasion
by the liquor vendors outside the state
and should demand an honest enforce
ment of the law on the part of every
official of the State, and by her influ-
ence seek to induce adjacent states to
adopt the prohibitory law"
An exchange, in attempting to an
swer DIR. Durkee's suggestion that Con-
gress be asked to amend the interstate
law in a manner to protect Maine from
the invasion of the liquor interests
quartered outside of the State. says
LET this commonwealth govern itself.
II Maine citizens want to import
liquors for their own use, let them. II
our citizens misbehave and we cannot
manage them. let's stand it. We ought
to be too proud to call on outside help
from Washington as much as from
Canada or Europe. Let this common
wealth govern ITSELF
We presume the editor of our con-
temporary would allow the sale of lot
terry tickets if any other state in the
Union chose TO perpetuate lottery
and make a bid TO the passions or the
foolishness of those in Maine who
might be inclined to invest in its
wares. OF course this worthy editor
knows that all the lotteries that have
been conceived since the world began
never cost one small fraction of the
suffering that the sale of liquor causes
in the United States every year Yet
lotteries are outlawed. Their litera-
ture cannot be sent through the mails
1t cannot be sent by express. Uncle
Sam guards against it with an iron
hand. If the national authorities
should discover that a representative
of a lottery company in another coun-
try was travelling In any one OF the
United sta ~.--snrxsgruttingo pt his
wares 10 more or less innocent specu-
kioFs, be would be hunted down BY an