Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-09-02
To Convincing Speech Of
John A. Nichols.
Names Per Capita Debt $50
Less Than Massachusetts.
Aroused Sentiment for Pro hibition
Throughout the State.

gathered FRIDAY evening III Market
square to hear the pointed and force
ful arguments in favor of the reten-
ton of the prohibitory amendment put
forth by Prof John A. Nichols OF
Boston were men and voters in the
city of Augusta. The rally was held
under the auspices of the w. G.. r. L.,
hut an overwhelming proportion of the
audience were men and they proved
most attentive listeners. Prof. Nichols
Was driven To the square in the auto
mobile of Hon. G. 4. Milhken. from
when he spoke. Two cornet selections
hy Arthur c. Davis of this city pre-
ceeded the address.
Prof Nichols began by demoliShing
the argument in regard to personal
liberty. THE constitution speaks of
civil and religious liberty, but the on
iy place where personal liberty can
be carried out is on Il desert island,
said the speaker
The right Of the law to prohibit the
sale of liquor was next taken mp and
il Wac pointed out by the speaker that
the law prohibited the sale of diseased
meat. Notwithstanding that some peo-
pl" liked what was called high game.
THE law docs not permit a man to
kick his dog in brutal manner with
out being called Ia account for il. You
cannot license n man TO kick his own
dog why should YOU license a man 10
sell what is an injury 10 SO many peo-
Pic and pulls men down To destruction.
mo one is here who is willing 10
say that the liquor traffic is good
thing The friends Of license do not
tel YOU that The liquor traffic is a
good thing they simply say that YOU
are deprived of your liberty. They
admit that liquor is bad thing, but
that the best thing is To regulate II.
Lei me ask You what liquor does
for Z community. what its value is
from al economic standpoint. We
measure the value Of the preacher, the
farmer and the blacksmith To the com
nunitY by the result Of his work, the
finished product. The saloon is not
willing to be Judged by its finished
product. II takes the boy and makes
4 sot of him.
Those who favor license tell you
of the large revenue that the saloon
would bring to Maine. but they do not
tell of the crime the saloon causes and
the extra cost ii brings to the people
in larger jaiis. more eonstables and
police officers.
The speaker remarked that willie in
New York state they had sent 4 great
brewer like Murphy TO the United
States Senate a man who manufac~
tured OF sold liquor in Maine would be
sent To all. 4 like 4 law" he con-
tinued. that sends a rumseler to jail
instead of placing him in the United
States government TO make laws for
US. have rumsellers sitting in the
representatives, seats in the Massa-
ehusetts Legislature ard | have Won
dered what the old Puritans would say
| If they should arise from their graves
and see saloon men sitting in the seats
| of government.
Maine has not suffered under pro-
hibiton. Before the lays of orohibi-
lion Maine began to cut Off her forests
and sell them for rum and there was
Int little money in the savings banks
| Now you have more money in the saw
| ings banks than the great stat OF
Ohio with FIVE times Your popula ton
You send your children to school in
larger numbers than other states tio
| that sell rum. 1t is because you are
a temperance State that you have sen;
great men in the past to the halls OF
| Congress. men who have had great in
fuence in the affairs and government
| OF the nation.
| you have no such public debt as
my own state of Massachusetts. You
| have a public debt of about So per
capita while Massachusetts has pub
lie debt of $72 per capita. Your pub
lie debt is $50 less per capita than that
OF a state that licenses the saloon.
| DO NOT be deceived. Do not be mis-
led. The liquor business has never
existed anywhere "a hours but what
| is had added to the sum Of human
misery, woe and degradation The
more beer, the more suffering; the
more whiskey. the more misery. You
| have been told that the licensing of the
saloon promotes business. What kind
of business does it promote? The
business of the courts. the constable
| and the police station