Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-12
PiNNiNG THEM DOWN.
Friend of License Admits That There
Is Only One Way to Stop Rum
Traffic.

Editor of the Kennebec Journal:
A few days ago in conversation with
La prominent citizen of Maine who IA
yors regulation" of the liquor traffic,
I asked him how IL could be expected
that the rum traffic could ever be over
thrown in our government by local op-
ton license. high or low. or by any
form of regulation. So long as our ma
ton is allowed by the people to remain
in the liquor business under license
laws SO long We will have the distil-
lery, the brewers. and open rum shops,
| will we not? l asked and he finally
admitted that we would. Now, asked
what measures must we adopt in the
end TO overthrow the liquor traffic. our
nations greatest woe and shame Isn't
prohibition of the manufacture, impor-
tation and sale of alcoholic drinks as
beverage the only remedy and at last
he admitted that IL was. But" said
he. LIQUORS are sold under Prohibition,
and l have friend who has been on
drunk ever since the Fourth of July,
and has lost his situation.
Now hold on" said I, while I am
indeed very sorry over the misfortune
of your friend through drink yet that
| is a personal matter. We are, however.
discussing the question of what shall
be done with the liquor traffic which
| is a question of government and by
far the greatest issue in our land to-
day, and so long as you and men like
you favor any form of regulation OF
the liquor business, so long will we
have the distillery, the brewers and
open rum shops. But when you and
men like you shall say by your ballots
| down with the distillery, down with
the brewers and the licensed grog-
shops the school of vice, crime and
political corruption the liquor traffic
will cease. Is this not SOP" He nod
ded his head and then bid me good
day.
The liquor traffic Is the greatest
crime known to man and there is not
home or hamlet in our nation that is
beyond its influence. The late John
Ruskin, who like Cato waged a brave
! fight against the evils of his times,
said: Drunkenness Is not only tho
cause of crime, it is crime; and the en-
Ieouragemenf of drunkenness, for the
| sake of profit On the sale of drink, is
certainly one of the most criminal
methods of ASA ssination for money
ever adopted by the bravoes of any age
| or country"
For every eight minutes one human
soul is destroyed by liquor. For every
| so minutes nearly eight people die as a
result of strong drink. For every "a
hours 300 people are killed by rum. For
every 365 days or one year over 100000
people fill drunkards' graves which If
placed in a procession single file would
reach one hundred miles in length and
! take a week If not longer for that DO
session to pass given point and IL
| these poor drink smitten victims were
to die at the same time it would take
over one hundred acres in which to
bury them.
The people of the United States are
working one day out of every nine to
keep the licensed saloons running, or In
other words, all the productive activi-
ties of this nation. over which iioats
the most powerful flag in all the world
are devoting one day out of every nine
| in sustaining the most brutal, and
/ deadly business known to man and yet
we are told that the first concern Of
good government is the welfare of it's
citizens, our national constitution also
states: article a. section 4, 1.-The United
States shall guarantee to every state a
republican form of government and
will protect each of them against in
vasion and against domestic violence"
! Now. ask. how shall this be done?
Does protection mean to encourage
those things in our government which
are detrimental to every interest save
rum sellers and their pocket books?
Does it mean that here in the State of
t Maine we will do away with prohibi-
/ ton and then encourage by "regula-
ton" rum selling which will only raw
age. plumber and destroy our homes,
break the hearts Of wives and moth
/ ers. capture the sons and daughters OF
our grand old State and make drunk