Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-29
The Sentinei's Logic


On the logic that the county offieiai'
are diligent and are capturing a large
amount of liquors and hence grea
samounts are being struggled into th'
city, the watervilie Sentinel builds Its
typical rum trust argument that the
o1lcers ARE not making much progress
in suppressing the liquor traffic.
The Sentinel quotes the Portland
Evening Express as saying that one
day last week there were 5000 gaIions
of beer stored in the county buildings
awaiting condemnation. 1t also de-
scrtbes the reproduction of a photo
graph taken in corridor of the bulid-
ing ("suggesting a scene in bfe"
ery") which last week held 2so kegs
ard barrels of booze. Our up-rlVef
neighbur takes this as conclusive eVi-
slence that If after five months OF
eGfarts they still fiid beer and a great
variety of other liquors coming INTO
the city of Portland. it is evident thai
their diligence has not resulted III
xtoy,pipr the traffic in intoxicants.'
ssThat ought to settle prohibition Tor
All time. now hadn't it2 Because THIS
xnu,A organ would tell you that, If all
this stun that has been seized by the
SAesiH and his deputies had been con-
sumed. conditions would have been no
worse. And If added to the amount
which has been seized and the amount
which has got by them into the hands
If the ..personal liberty element, we
count the amount that would nave
Lcep brought in by those who nave
been driven out of the traffic by fear
ct the law. Portland would this year
have had conditions about like those
under the Patta'ngall free-rum regime.
OF, course the Sentinel would pre-
2sni TO. think them were the happy
days" because that is rum trust log
SCI and Instructions to the liquor IN
terests, friends. supporters and tools.
But. thank heaven! the days when
the better element of Maine citizen-
ship will sit meekly and dumbly down
before the avalanche of rum trust So
pilistry and lies, has passed That old
bach OF falsehood, deceit and cunning
play to. the feelings of the rabble, as
sent out constantly from cincinnati9
and Louisville, is being discredited,
tay after day. 1t is being shown up
for what it is. and the contempt for
those who make use of it to Increase
the booze business, is increasing just
assrapidly.
The truth about Portland and other
Maine cities is, that the large amounts
OF liquor seized has not gone down
the outlets Of the personal liberty"
gang. and just that amount Of public
disgust, abuse Of peaceful citizens
beating of wives and children has been
saved. Just the amount that would
have been spent for this far worse
than useless stuff, has gone into the
channels of honest trade, and more
children are wearing good shoes. more
wives enjoying the comforts of home.
OF course it displeases the booze
sellers beyond the borders of this
state; displeases the peddlers and go
betweens within this State; displeases
the poor tools of the traffic who are
fiki1ting vainly to overthrow the law
and open up our cities first. and ev-
cry Town and plantation later, to the
ravages of the liquor interests.
OF course it displeases those who
have been Proclaiming and continue
10 proclaim, that the law cannot be
enforced. They pretend to think that
because every drop Of intoxicants has
net bcen eliminated from Maine by
Honest endeavors to enforce the law
Mn spite of the constant attempts of
the Sentinel and its fellows to breed
contempt OF law and to encourage all
engaged I'm the Illicit trafiic) within
FEW months of the opening of the
real hattie. that il can never be handl-
I'd as other crimes are handled.
Murder has never been eliminated;
arson has never been wiped out; high.
way robbery has never been wholly
prohibited; advertising OF the run
trust has never been prevented il
bpite Of the prohibition, but all These
ars held in restraint by the law. ant
aal Of them have been reduced by en-
forcement OF the law prohibiting tn,
liquor traffic.
One crime is the eomrade Of an
other: they go hand in hand. Wer
Nh those who make, sell and adver
tise intoxicants. in Jail where they be
loug the rum traffic would be ende
ana ali other crimes would be lessene
II least 90 per cent. Accidents of a
kinds would be reduced enormousl,
and the high cost of living would b
seduced by stupendous sums whic
- ssou, nav for support and care {