The Republican journal., 1911-07-27
Why are the Liquor Dealers
IntereStered.

Why should the organized liquor
dealers in and out of the State be so
interested in the repeal of the prohi-
bition Law? Is it because they have
: the interests of the State at heart, and
are working for the States good? Far
from it! They are looking after the
immense profit which will accrue to
them from the unrestricted, or licensed
methods of selling rum
One authority calls attention to the
fact that personal liberty is the most
frequent cry that is, made against prohi-
bition. He asks why such liberties are
not claimed in connection with. the quar-
antine of contagious diseases. He asks
to hear from some of its friends as to
how local option or high license will
benefit the business of the grocer, dry
goods merchant or the shoe dealer. He
declares that people who deride prohibit
ton make no effort to prove that the
saloon evil is checked by license or local
option, or that their laws would be any
better enforced than the present Maine
law; that the efficiency of any other
system must depend upon the honesty
and the energy of officials as at present.
Then he asks, "Why do not the friends of
license come out in the open and explain
to the common people some OF the bene-
fits of their SYSTEM
This same authority declares the pro-
hibition law of Maine has been maligned
and misrepresented by the powerful
interests which would be affected by its
overthrow. For half century they
have fought against it, and now in the
crisis which marks downhill slide for the
entire liquor business the liquor interests
NJ for tic y,,nro1
effect upon the rest of the country.
They wish above all other things to say
after so years of prohibition Maine has
found the law failure, and has repeal
ed it,
If the liquor sellers and the rum press
could shout this in big type to the world,
it would have an all important effect upon
the rest of the United States. If they
are able to make such an announcement,
, it will be to the everlasting shame and
disgrace Of the people of this State, a
, discredit to them that will be deeply
felt in the better element of the peo-
pie of every State in the Union and in
: every civilized nation of the world.
With the progress that is being made
by the leading minds of the age in the
: direction of wiping out the liquor evil,
!: and in which effort Maine for half a
) century has led and has been given
credit for being the advance guard of
1 this great moral and humanitarian move
ment, it would be a distinct blow to
: civilization for the voters of the Pine
9 Tree State next September to remove
: the prohibitory amendment from oul
: constitution.
i Not only is money without stint being
i used to defeat the Maine law, but al
sorts of deceit and sophistry will be re-
sorted to, to convince the people thai
THE LIQUOR BUSINESS is A NE
IL CESS1TY, and that the way which they
l, recommend is the only way which i:
e satisfactory to everybody. They will
e denounce prohibition and tell you tina
l. the towns, counties and State can derive
:. revenue from the sale Of liquor.
e They do not tell you that the increase
0, in lunatics, paupers and jill birds will
e more than offset the revenue and tina
)" the only ones to realize any money bene
$; fits from the business will be the liquo
al interests. They do not point out tina
which is uppermost in their minds thei
determination to make liquor selling lega
and thus be able to fix beforehand tn
costs of liquor selling and the chances o
y interruption.
s. Under prohibition there is always {
,f hazard to the man who is selling liquor
. however lax the government may be
IS Under the prohibition law no man cal
= step out and make a bid for your Sol
10 without taking the chances of a Jail sen
r tence, as we'll as fine.
:. That is why they hate the law-profit
r. are uncertain and the rum sellers bust
j. ness precarious.
# That is why those who are paid t.
:. oppose the law attack it so fercely.
IS 1t is the policy of the rum trust ant
e its agents and Organs to denounce tn
e prohibitory law and all supporting it ant
e to hyprecritically cry ''hypocrite!"
q Tt ey hate the law because they can
l. not control it; they want a law they cal
o buy at fixed price. They decar
: that the prohibition law has debauchec
J. the courts.
IS If they had anything but false state
@ ments, trumped up by the paid tools o
: the liquor interests, in support of thei
i license doctrine, instead of masqueradins
a under the sheepskin of 1.-The fairness o
d local option" it would be worth while t.
n read their doctrine. If our readers will
" take notice the distinguished men whom
V they quote live outside of Maine ant
e know absolutely nothing about condition
J. here under prohibition, except what ha
n been pumped into them by the smooth
tongued representatives of the liquo
e interests.
J., Against the feeble few who arr
o alleged at some time to have made
S break that can be distorted into supper
t are thousands in this country and othe
!. countries who stand for the law as it il
# in Maine. They see in it an advance
# step ahead of the world-and all stats
tics prove the wisdom of those VIII
q drafted the law. -Aroostook Times