The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-04-24
A Warning to Our Citizens

The good citizens of Maine need tc
be warned against a forthcoming de-
termined attack to be made by the
leaders of the Democratic party upon
the Prohibitory Law. The warning
signals of such an attack need to be
displayed now
For a good many years back, but
more particularly since the Davis
campaign OF 1904. the Democratic
party of Maine has openly advocated
along with resubmission, the repeal
of the Prohbitory Law and the sub
stitution therefor of some form Of
license. 1t is at once interesting anc
suggestive to note that during al
these years most of the leaders of the
Maine Democracy have done every
thing within their power to discredlt
the Law In the eyes of the people,
while the Democratic press OF the
state, notably the Wateryille Sentinel
and the Portland Argus, have preach
ed In season and out that the principle
of Prohibition is wrong in theory and
that the Maine Law built upon 1t is
incapable of proper enforcement.
Such an opportunity of showing up
the inadequacy of the present method
of handling the rum business in
Maine as has been offered the Demo-
Gratis at Augusta recently Is precisely
what they have been most anxiously
awaiting What they are really count
ing on for political benefits is this:
First, by unmistakable and indisput-
able evidence, to show the people OF
Maine that under Republican and un-
der Democratic Sheriffs the Prohi-
bitory Law is openly, f1agrantly and
persstently violated; second, by testi-
monial evidence to show that the peo-
pie of various sections of the State
want a, particular brand of enforce
ment; third, by extensive advertising
OF rum" matters and by making
clear the amount of valuable time
which our law makers consume in
dealing with Prohibition, to so sicken
the people against the Law that II
given another opportunity they will
willingly vote Prohibition out of the
Constitution
Behind such planning is the Demo
cratic party's present leader, Mr.. Pat
tangafl. Anyone who has been fol-
lowing the work of the Augusta Con-
the excellent political work of Demo-
cracy's master mind. He has fought
the cases, there tried every inch of the
way and he has fought them in man
ner to advance primarily the political
benefit of his party. The next campaign
speeches of Mr. Pattangall have al
ready been written.
We hope sincerely that the people
Will not be fooled by the astute
politicians in the Democratic party.
We believe that the people of Maine
need to keep constantly in mind that
whether we live under Prohibition or
under some form of license we can
never be free of the heavy RESPONSE
bilities of properly administering a
law which is extremely difficult Of
ideal enforcement. To answer the
advocates of license we need but turn
to the files of our Massachusetts pa
pers and see the amount of space
given annually to the license or no
license fights. For what may hap
pen under license we need but turn
to the reports of the disclosures
made some years ago in Boston when
1t was discovered that every line of
license regulations was broken. That
any change from Prohibition to IL
cense will take the regulation of the
rum traffic out of public discussion
must be regarded as mere political
elap-trap.
The people of Maine, then, need to
keep constantly in mind that the work
of administering law honestly comes
only at the price of eternal vigilance
and only under the constant guidance
of the firm hand of justice. The re-
moval of three county officers who
were charged with faithful perform
ance of duty and who failed miserably
in doing that duty should be regarded
as the most hopeful sign Of the times
that the electorate of Maine Is alive