Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-03
personal Liberty"
Editor Kennebec Journal:

There! They've been and gone and
done it l knew they would. They
never consulted me,--didn1 even give
me q chance to enter a mild protest.
What am l talking about?" Why.
/ The taking down of all those lovely
signs, of course. Some old scientific
crank went before the board and
gave them curtain lecture, or some
kind of a lecture; said those swing
ing signs were dangerous and prophe-
sled that in 1895, or whereabouts, there
would be an earthquake CT lorna
do and down would come the signs
and somebody would be killed or
have broken head, and so the per-
senal liberty, or privilege, was taken
away from them and now that beau
tiful business street looks as bare as
New York beauty stripped of all
her Jewels and other adernments. Not
satisfied with that, they ordered the
removal of the fine display of the
farm and the loom from the side
walks and the temptation to buy has
gone. l like to be tempted, just to
see whether | can withstand 1t or
not; that is easy enough when the
pocket book is fiat7-Which it is the
most of the time-but when it Is
bullying, once or twice in a decade,
then / like to make the money fly.
But how can l when the goods are
all tucked away where nobody can
see them? It's like everything else,
YOU give a man an inch and he will
take an ell every time. Hence the
order. WELL am sorry they are gone
those swinging signs-on another ac-
count When the street was lighted
up and those signs Illuminated, II
made a fine show and / doubt very
much If there was or is any business
street in Bangor, Portland, Lewiston
Auburn, Waterville or SkoWhesan
that could hold a candle to 1t for
beauty. Therel I've done it, I've left
out Bath. bit no matter. Bath Is
an oId-fashioned town anyway.
was born there eighty years ago,
lived there just one year ana, II l
remember rightly, 1t had one niue
crooked street, post ONCE, GUS
tom house, few sloops on the STOCKS,
but best of all $50 considered, thehJ
a brewery. Yes, sir, a ponyhoe
brewery, manufacturing good olo-
ia shioned New England rum, known
the world over for its reputation 10
make people happy, to make people
forget sometimes just what they Were
doing. Grocery stores had oarrels VI
II. hotels and taverns had plenty OF
it and even house-holders some IN
tbeir Collars. Personal liberty"
reigned supreme in those times. Ev-
ervbody could drink all they wanted
and it was the proper and courteous
thing to do to offer a guest or caller
n drink of rum or rum punch. Even
ministers and deacons were said to
get a little tipsy at times and no
wander for It was considered dis
courteous to. refuse. If man got
drunk and laid in the gutter 1t was
no matters. il. crazed with drink. ne
beat his wife. or drove his cpliafen
out into the Geld, it was no matter TOT
serious consideration; 1t was ohiy an
incident that couldn't be heipeo'
There were no bluecoats then ana no
sheriffs; there might have been con-
stahle-probably was--but ten to one
If he wasn't. in a tavern or saloon
playing poker and taking sip.
Does any one want those good %
old times restored? Not muchiy! NO
thoughtful man or woman WISHES II
for a moment. Women are the great
est sufferers, and, if they could vote
God hasten the time when they cam
the saloon would be out OF business
Since that time of free rum and per-
sonaI liberty 1 have seen scores OF
bright, promising young men and men
in middle life go down to death on
account of personal liberty" Let us
be thankful that there is a prohiol-
tory law and that restraint is neces-
sary against the awful curse, ana ie'
MS also be thankful that public senu-
ment is rapidly growing in favor Oh
national prohibition. Nine states are
in line for the measure and IN time
the necessary numbers states
will follow to change the constitution
All honor to those men who are WORK
ing hard in Congress for the OBJECT.
They have banished the canteen from
the army and they have been lnstrus
mental in securing the passage Oh
the webb law. Glory to God!
INV w. p. A.