Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-22
|ONLY PROHIBITION
SS-S '~f1
Diff0rGntiates Maine from
Less Prosperous States.
Striking Figures Compiled by
Ex-Congressman C. E. Liii|efIeId.
0usstrips In Wealth, Less Insanity
and Crime Than Massachusetts,.

From an article by ex- Congressman
| Littlefeld. in recent issue of the
Christian Herald
| "Whether or not a community mas
prospered during a given period.
from the material point Of view sug-
gested by Mr.. Garvin, clearly depends
upon the accumulation of wealth per
capita, and its increase or decrease,
and there Maine easily outstrips
Massachusetts. as her per capita
| wealth in 1850 was $210 while in
1900 it was 1882, an increase of
four and one-half times Massachu-
| sets had per capita in 1850 $517,
and in 1900 1883, an increase of
only two and four-fi times.
This is the period covered by
| the Maine law. Moreover, from
1880 to 1902 Maine has decreased
her Indebtedness per capita $40,
| and Massachusetts has increased hers
| by the same amount.
THE liquor traffic is the most
prolific and potential source of in
sanity, pauperism and crime. These,
| to quote Mr.. Garvin, are the evils of
drunkenness that are so common
and so potent. and make the loss to
society seem 50 vast Their con-
nection with the subject under dis
cussion is close enough to warrant
examination and analysis in this con-
nection.
I'm 1903 Maine had S85 insane
in its hospital, 1858 for every
100000 people. Massachusetts had
S67s, or 2SS.5 for every 100000,
more than twice as many as Maine,
Notwithstanding the fact that the
death record in Massachusetts for
insane in hospital was 1925, with
only sc in Maine, nearly eleven
times as many when there should
only have been four times as many.
Maine shows a decrease of the num-
Der of insane, with her relatively
small death rate of insane, since
1880 of 1928 in every 100000 peo-
| pie; while Massachusetts shows an
increase of l in every 100000.
In the Maine almshouses there
| We're, December 81, 1903, 1852
paapers, or 1881 for every 100. 600
people, and in Massachusetts 1894
or 1913 for every 100000 and
here again the death rate in Massa :
1 SHesCAA9 RAS $780, anu OftiN IoI III
Maine. Maine shows from 1890 to
1903 decrease in paupers of 9, and
| Massachusetts an increasing during
the same time of 1909.
There We're of prisoners in Maine
June 1. 1890, SIP, or ia for every
100000 in Massachusetts, 1927, or
1885 for every 100000. three times as
| many as in Maine. Among the Of
fences We're: Against the public peace
Maine ); Massachusetts, A.. Against
| the public morals, Maine 1913: Massa
chusetts 1712. Assaults, Maine, SO:
Massachusetts, 345 Drunk and disor-
DERBY, Maine, 146; Massachusetts,
ISL.
June 80. 1904, there were of
prisoners for drunkenness in Maine
l20 and in Massachusetts PHO, a
proportion of more than ten to one
when if parallel it should be four to
| one. This is a record with which
Maine has no occasion to be dis
tcouraged.
"Maine's death rate from alcohol
| ism in 1900 for every 100000 peo-
pie was %; that of Massachusetts
was 6.S, three times as great.
In this connection it is interest
ing to note that the record of Maine
and' Massachusetts in the produc>
| ton of teachers for every 100000
persons from five to twenty four
years of age is as follows: