Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-24
THE GREAT PERFORMERS i,
D'stilIers, Brewers, Wholesale Rum.
sellers, Retail Liquor Dealers and
Drinkers

Drinkers.
Editor Kennebec Journal:
write line to congratulate Governor
burleigh upon his letter. in behalf of
clean life and HAPPY homes in Maine.
winch recently appeared in The Portland
Express and also in the kernebec Jour-
| MAJ, daily paper which | have taken
ana read for IL years, ever since II was
ISSUED as a regular CAT in 1870 In all
| these years it has ever teen found strong
| on me clean side of all moral questions.
vi course you are July aware that in
| the work which you are doing in behalf
| OF prohibition and for the retention in
our constitution of the TEMPERANCE pro-
VISION, which Is the very strongest law
We can ever have for clean life and COM
| portable homes in our State. YOU are
placing stumbling blocks in the way of
the great reform movement" lust now
/ being instituted in old Maine nv a host
OF "reformers" made up of distillers
brewers, wholesale rumsellers. would be
wholesale and retail rumsellers and
| drinkers. You know, because fhesa ere
formers say so) that there is much
| more liquor sold here under your svstarn
| of law than there would be under their
| reform system, regulated license, and
don't you know that is why the rum
maker and the rumseller and their pro.
spective customers are so anxious to
bring in their great reform?
| Then we could have the legaIized rum
shops all about us. selling our peonle
| good" rum. because the proprietor after
paying license fee would be anxious To
pay higher prices for his stock, and Won
know these reformers would regulate
| everything. They would provide that
when a customer in the exercise of his
| personal liberty" should get full and
| running over drunk the bar keeper OF the
| regulated saloon should not sell him
any more until he ind more room for it
| unless said rumseler might believe there
was little more money in said custom
er's pocket; because IL the man in such
a condition should happen to get home to
his happy family, possibly his wife might
get it. Then she might become extrava-
| CANT or purse proud and that would be
| bad.
| So you see the rumseller being a re-
/ former, must not allow his customer-to
| leave the shop with much money in his
| pocket-money being the foundation of
this great reform which the rum interest
| Is so anxious TO extend to us.
And now, IL the legalzed sale of rum
would reduce the evils of prohibition
would make more sober men, would
| make happier and more comfortable
homes. better husbands and fathers. more
| reliable employees, would open up brighter
] outlooks for our boys and girls, why
would it not be wise to open up the legal
| ICED rum shop all over our State, in all
| the towns where men are restrained i'm
the exercise of their PERSONAL LIB
| ERTY and are bothered to find rum
| easily-although there is great deal
| more sold now than there would be I'M
der this great reform system of "Regu-
| lated License" We know this is so be-
| cause these great reformers-the distil-
lery man. the brewery man, the rum.
] seller and the rum drinker tell US so.
| And they are anxious to reduce the sale
of rum in Maine by legalizing it-and
| they would make the people PARTNERS
in the legal rumshop and We would re-
ceive part of the income of the traffic.
| Now, wouldn't that be grand when We
would no more be interfered with in the
exercise of our Personal LIBERTY
and the rum would be so much better.
too because the seller would have to pay
| a license and would therefore be anxious
to buy higher-priced rum. OF course I'M
| der this reform system CIRCULATED Lii
cense), there would be no DARK HOLES
where liquor could be sold illegally, No
kitchen bars. oh no! In New York City
| where these reformers have, for some
time. operated their great system, it was
found recently that there were only some
| five or six thousand illegal rum holes and
dives doing only a million dollar business
| a year. So you see how we would be
blessed here in Maine if we would only
vote temperance out of our Constitution
| in September, so our great reformers
| here could call their Legislature In ex-
| ira session and vote rum into our land.
oh, why should we stand in the way of
such reform? And you know that these
great men, distillers, brewers and rum
sellers and drinkers would relieve us OF
all responsibility in the management OF
our municipal and State governments as
they would do when their system is ac-
cepted. This is an important part OF
| their great reform. How restful that
would be lust to have this great system
| OF LEGAL RUM TRAFFIC take charge
of everything. Don't you see?
Your OLD ramrod friend.
| ORAMANDAL SMITH
| Litchfield, Me-, Aug. TO-