The Republican journal., 1911-06-29
PROHIBITION vs.. LICENSE.
Taper by Frank T. Jellison of Scotia, WASH.
read at meeting of Hancock Pomona at
Surry, June 9th.l


Surry, June 9th.
To the officers and members of Hancock
Pomona Grange:
While looking over The Ellsworth
American, | was somewhat surprised to
find my name on your program for your
meeting with Arbutus Grange June 9Th.
/ regret that l cannot be present and
answer to the call of my name, but as
that is impossible, will write down a
few thoughts to be read at your meeting.
/ realize that the question you have
chosen is of great Importance, not only
to the State of Maine but to every State
in this great country of ours, and to
Maine all eyes will be turned next Sep
TENDER.
Resolved, That the prohibitory law is pref
cradle to any law relating the sale of intoxi-
eating liquors."
lwant to say, first, that it is an indisput-
able fact that intoxicating liquors are
the greatest evil in all this broad land.
1t has repeatedly been stated by court
officials and presiding justices that seven
eighths of all the crimes committed
throughout the country are directly
caused by the use of these liquors.
There are thousands of people in dear
old Maine, where the open saloon has
not been in evidence for so many years,
who do not know its evils. l have often
heard men argue that there would not be
so much liquor drank under license as I'M
der a prohibitory law. Now l want to
emphasize this fact-that men making
such statements are laboring under an
awful delusion, and they are either work
ing for the interests of the liquor-deal-
ers or they are ignorant of conditions
existing where license law is in effect.
Let me relate a few sketches that have
come under my own observation since l
have been where l could observe the
working of law in local-option State.
When first came to the State of Wash
ington worked for three months within
one-eighth of a mile of licensed saloon,
and during that time l saw more drunk
enness than l ever saw in Maine in my
whole life
1t is claimed by some that license
law would be better enforced than pro-
hibitory law; that the saloon men would
see to it themselves that the laws We're
enforced. In my observation / have
found that it is not so. The law in this
State provides that no minors shall be
allowed in a saloon, yet the proprietors
of these places are violating that law
every day. To be sure, they have signs
on their doors, ''no minors allowed" yet
the siXteen-year- old son of the proprietor
is often behind the bar waiting on GUS
toners.
The argument that taxes would be less
under license is proven false by facts
beyond contradiction. A little town not
many miles from me, one IN which the
population is not as much as that of
Surry, was dry by vote of its inhabit
ants. They had no marshal or police
officials. At their last election they
voted the town "wet" A saloon was
licensed and began business, and now
they have marshal working on a steady
salary of $50 month, and it is often
necessary to put on special policemen.
| fail to see where there was much
money saved to the payer in that
deal.
One of the judges of Spokane county
recently made the statement that he had
presided at twenty-five murder trials
since his appointment, and twenty of
them were directly caused by intoxlcat-
ing drink. Now, lhink anyone with an
unprecedented mind will agree with me
that it would take quite good many Ii
cense fees to pay the cost of those trials.
The fact that the whiskey men are all
fighting against prohibition is one of the
most conclusive proofs to me that prohi-
bition is right. Every man engaged in
the business is there for the money he
can make out of it, and for no other pur-
pose, and the great majority of them do
not care how they get that money SO
long as they get it. If they could make
or get more money under prohibition
than license, you would see every one of
them fighting for prohibition. But they
are not doing that; they are leaving no
stone unturned trying in every way in
their power to defeat prohibition.
Even in this far-of State of Washing
ton | have heard men interested in the
traffic say that if the people of Maine
take the prohibitory amendment from
the constitution, it will be a great vic
tory for the liquor interests. Think of
that, my brothers, when you go to the
polls to register your opinion, and bear
in mind that he who votes to remove
that amendment is voting with the liquor
interests, and not for the protection of
the boys and, yes, the girls, of Maine. |
entreat of you do not be deceived by the
willy arguments of the crafty saloon men
and their representatives.
| would that | could look into your
1dCes LO-udy anu Ten you OIL the many de-
basing and shameful scenes | have wit
messed since leaving the land of prohibi-
ton. All on account of there being open
places egalized by law where men can go
and get booze whenever they have the
price. Do not be deceived by the argu-
ment that better whiskey would be sold
under license law, for it surely is not true,
and if you could see how quickly men get
crazy drunk on the miserable stuff dis
pensed over the licensed bar, you would
not hesitate in declaring that very
false argument.
| want to say few words to the sis.
tiers and urge upon them to do all in their
power to save the prohibitory amend.
ment to the good old State of Maine
Many of you have never known the evi
influence of the open saloon, and you
may think it not necessary for you te
take any part in the coming conflict, but
sisters OF Hancock Pomona, you surel y
have a work to do, and firmly believe
you will not shirk your part of the work
in saving Maine from the grog shop.
Let me relate one incident that oc.
Cured just after Christmas one yeal
ago. | had occasion to be in certain
store in small town where there was
licensed saloon, and many of the tax.
payers voted for it because they foolish
l., ~. q IL