Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-09-02
Keep These Points for Argument.

Names Democratic papers have
made much Of the discovery that, add
ed - the 100000 worth of liquors
which have been sold annually in the
liquor agencies of Maine noR closed
about 81 .06d, 600 a year has been going
out from Maine for intoyieants. This
may he true. We have no statistics
a. hand To prove that il is not true.
Granting the claim. however. that
81. 1907 600 worth Of alcoholic beverages
have been consumed in the state of
Maine, annually. in recent years. %c
find that the total expenditure. per
capita, is thus $l.4S.
From figures furnished by the Unit
ed States Bureau OF Statistics we
find that the total expenditure for
alcoholic beverages in the entire
United States, on the average of the
last three years, is $l,j9s .92l, 4l6. This
sum, divided by the total population
of 1882 66. gives the total expendi-
ture per person, for the United States,
as Sl7.99
If the reader of the above has been
undecided how TO vote, because of the
claims of the liquor interests and
their political allies, that prohibition
does not prohibit; that the law in
terferes with personal liberty" and
that cities and towns should be de-
irving revenue from the sum which is
now going to the rum shops, We would
ask him to again look at the figures
above presented, for an explanation OF
the reason why the liquor interests
wish a different law in the State of
Maine.
Maine is consuming s1.4S worth of
intoxicants. per capita, annually. The
United States, as whole with
Names small average reckoned in TO
reduce the tetaD is expanding $3.50
per capita, for intoxicants. Is MOI
that sufficient evidence why the IL
quor interests are making such des
perate efforts to establish saloons in
| Maine?
Should the total expenditure for al
coholc beverages in the State of
| Maine he increased TO the United
| States average the total would reach
the startling sum of s12, 925 000. which
is $l1,s25,oo0 more than the sum nov
claimed by the liquor interests, anG
their Democratic allies in Maine
Now let us suppose that the State
| Of Maine has 1000 saloons. each Of
which pays a license tax of $1,000. Civ
ing Maine an income for engaging IN
the rum business. of $l,09o.0o0 annual
ly.
Deducting this from the total in
crease. and we have the nice little TO-
tai of $Io,s25. 900 annual ontgo Which
we now do not have.
This slO.s25.00o goes to the support
of the proprietors Of 1000 licensed sa-
looms, and to the brewers and distillers
of other states
Is there any way in which the par
tisan supporters of the liquor inter
ests can figure profits for anyone else
in the State of Maine?
Can the rum press of Maine tell us
| how this increased expenditure for al
coholie beverages is going to aid le-
climate business?
! And again. after we have adopted n
license system how are we going to
get rid of it? When the liquor in
terests have secured foothold ;hey
are hard to dislodge.
Should Maine adopt license sys-
TEN for the sake of furnishing itself
for negleeting to enforce the law, il
would he in the same position as the
lrishman who climbed a tree and cap
tured wildcat-she would need lots
of help to let go.
If you are abusing the present law
and complaining because it is not en-
forced, what have YOU done toward