The Republican journal., 1911-07-06
The Farmer Vote.

those of the manufacturing class and
those in which the foreign element pre-
dominates, that the liquor interests have
fair show of winning on the issue of
prohibition VS. license. And in every
city their chances are better than in the
country towns, by reason of the closer
concentration of the elements of ignor-
ance, vice and the greed for easy money
regardless of the consequences to others.
Therefore it is the farmer vote which
will, in all probability, decide the contest
with regard to Constitutional Prohibition
on the 18th of September next. The
balance of power, it is quite generally
conceded, lies in the hands of the farmers.
And for this reason the order has gone
forth from the officers of the liquor as
sociation, as we learn from good author
ity, to ,'Look out for the farmer vote;
we can hold the cities.'' Upon the
voters of the country towns, then, rests
a great responsibility. To greater ex-
tent than in the cities they are home
owners, property holders, and more
directly interested as citizens in the
general welfare of the community in
which they reside. 1t is proposition
which cannot be successfully refuted
that the legalized saloon is a constant
and persistent injury to all legitimate
lines of business; that it is an active
factor in the promotion of immortality,
pauperism, vice and crime 1t has no
reasonable claim for support from the
property holder or the business men. Its
most distinctive work is to corrupt, break
down and destroy. 1t takes to it's Golfers
the money of the community, which is
thus diverted from the useful and bene-
fetal channels of trade, and puts it into
the control of venal, corrupt and dis
reputable few, who for the sake of gain
would pauperize the community, destroy
the homes and ruin men, Reason and
common sense, statistics and business
principles, all go to show that where
liquor is easily obtained it will be more
freely drank, and that where freely
drank it will lead to general drunkenness,
the deplorable effects of which are al
ways apparent.
The generally contented and prosper
GUS condition of the people of this State is
to quite an extent due to their temperate
habits. 1t is admitted that liquor is
brought into our country towns by ex-
press and drank there; but the quantity
is very small as compared with that which
would be sold with legalized saloon on
every corner. Before the adoption of
prohibition in Maine vessel loads of IL
quors were brought to Portland and from
there distributed by teams over the
State. Every grocery store sold rum.
The greatest number of charges on their
books, as shown by those preserved to
this day, were for liquor. 1t was rum
first and the supplies for the family later,
If anything was left. The people were
generally poor and much hardship and
suffering prevailed. You see nothing of
such conditions in rural Maine today. A
few men receive liquor by express and
drink it. But they are no longer the
moral or even respectable citizens of the
community. The business is an outlaw
and it is not handled decently or by self
respecting men.
And because some liquor may be
brought into our country towns from
license States, is no argument against
our Prohibitory law. We do not have a
distillery in Maine, but we are powerless
against the bringing of liquor here, as
that matter Is controlled by the federal
law and it cannot be abolished until the
prohibitory sentiment of the nation is
strong enough to demand it, which will
not be very long as present indications
show. Meanwhile We should sustain our
own State law and then unite with the
other prohibition States for the enact
ment of federal legislation, which is al
ready being favorably discussed and
which will put quietus on this business
of expressing liquors into prohibition
States. The farmers as class have to-
day no use for Intoxicating liquor. They
know that it is of no benefit to them
selves, to their families or to the COM
munity. They know that the chances
are that it may prove to be a great in
jury to all the interests which personal
ly affect them.
Every personal interest, as we'll as
every moral consideration, would lead
them to vote no on this question. But
their vote is being sought by the ene-
mics of law and order. Every effort
will be made by able and INSCRIPTIONS
advocates of license to obtain their sup
port. Great financial results will be
promised from the municipal revenues to
be derived from the liquor business. AS
in other swindles the instability of the
propositions presented does not render
them the less attractive before the in
evitable result is proven. With the cities
practically all for license it requires only
small break in the country vote to
make great change in the general re-
suit. Therefore the farmer should