Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-12

its judgment known to our law? win
you say in this tribunal that man who
mas held office but three, short months
IN the county of Penobscot, beset with
difficulties as he has been, has been suf-
hciently tried, and you will now cast
him out as an unfaithful servant?
hope there is more of the spirit of fair
ness, of the sense of justice existent in
this great court which | honor than to
thus treat this sheriff I say, he must
be judged by the surroundings; you must
take note and cognizance of the diff
. culties which have beset his path; and.
first. let us consider the task before him
when he took the oath of God that he
would execute the law three months ago.
1t has appeared plainly enough be-
fore this convention that the city OF
bangor is probably unique in the cities
OF Maine, perhaps in New England,
possibly in tins country that on its
business streets within its crowded
areas it has had a system of shops or
store or saloon or place, whatever you
may name them, that have exited
through ali administrations, under all
VlcissitHdes and have been used for
the sale Of intoxicating liquors. Thes
places are sustained by the vested
property interests; land owners, owner
of buildings for 80 years have derived
an income from the rental of these
buildings that have been devoted to
this purpose.
So that yen see that there is anchor
ed in pubic sentiment to an extent in
the interests et land owners y spirit of
life and endurance that the shop
should not have in a State where pro-
hibition exists. Yet they have flourish
ed Tsaided. broken up dispoiled one
! day, they have tiourished again IN
times of comparative protection-not
protection, sut in times of comparative
| immunity which have existed many
! times and through many years in the
| last 50, the shops may display its
wares and may assume an open eharac-
| ter. When seizures come and proSecu-
| tons come, the exposed wares are put
cut of sight and hidden in the ground
anG in dark places, but the traffic goes
| On, and the noticeable changes are
| that instead of the bottle on the side
| board or in the bar, il Is taken out Of
| concealment from a mans pocket. from
| the boot leg and the guest of the place
is served not with comparatively in
| nocent drink ale or beer, but with a
| connection that should never enter the
| human stomach.
The shops, as ] say, have existed,
] and they exist now. And to dispoil this
| traffic in the city of Bangor, to de-
stroy this traffic in the towns and the
county, for the duty and the oath Of
! the sheriff covered them all. it was his
hot 1,,r.- wit ,
courage. with fairness and hope. Di-
versions came, other duties pressed
| rpcAi him. and albeit lie HAD been a
| deputy years ago engaged in the pros
i ecution of the prohibitory law in the
| city OF Bangor, yet infinitely greater
was the task now after the intervening
four years of absolute notification. En-
| terng upon his duty, he appointed
deputies. He appointed deputies to en-
force the prchibitory law, he appoint
cd other deputies and he gave his dep
uties their instructions. He commenced
to make seizures on the 4th day of
January, four days after his election,
and he continued and has continued up
to now with all the force that he could
command with an honest purpose TO
enforce the law. He has not succeeded,
because despite of the many eXagger-
tions that have crept into the testi-
mony for the State as to the present
conditions of Bangor, unhappily, a con-
dltiun that needs his further corrective
force and effort during the whole, at
least. of one term as sheriff of Penob-
scot county.
Let us see. say that he has not been
free To devote his own personal ener-
gy to the prosecution of the prohibitory
law Am | right when l say it? Only
on the morning of the 18th day of last
January there was declared on this
Great line of our eastern railroad, the
Continued on Page Four.)
! Only One "Bromo Quinine"