Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-10-27
Monday, October 27. 1913.
Governor Raldwin's Protest.

Governor Baldwin of Connecticut u
his remarks before the National souugi
of Congregational churches on the sup ~.
iect of national prohibition, took w
common sense view of the matter IL
stated two valid objections TO the pro
position One was that national pfohipi
ton would be an INVASION oi the .is II ~ +
of the states to regulate their local al
fairs The other was that natfoba
prohibition law would not be entorce'
in the cities. ,...,. .u,
for no extended comment here In Name
The fact that q prohibtory law catiho
be enforced in communities Wnere ~
not supported by public sentiment na'
been demonstrated in this state IL doe'
not require much space to picture VIVA
would be the result If an attempt VIZ
made to enforce prohibitory laws IN GU
les of the first-class, such cities as NV View
York. Chicago. Baltimore, ST. LOUIS ant
and Boston. How far would any set o.
officials, whether state or national ee'
in an attempt to make prohiDitlon pro
hibif in the city of New York with lts
population of many diverse elements
many peoples with widely differing ldeds
as to what is reasonable ana proper
in the use of fauor?
Governor Baldwin is clearly right
Church members who are sincere friends
of Temperance will give heed to what ne
says. The way in which TO pronnots
temperance is not to be found IN eh,lnerl,
cal schemes for national prohiDltofs
legislation n-Waterville Sentinel.
You poor make believe, How far
do you think New York Chicago, Bos-
ton, or any other city would go with
its booze peddling, if Uncle Sam were
to go out of partnership with them?
Suppose the United States govern
ment were honest enough to say that
ii had made an acknowledged evil
pay for its existence everywhere, long
enough, and was ready to retire from
completely? Suppose the U. S. gov
ernment should pick up by the scruf
of the neck any poor little heather
who might desire to continue in the
manufacture of booze, and put him
where he belongs2 Suppose the Y. S.
government should say to those
Stockholders in the booze business:
1T is time for you tc so to work and
dig an honest living out Of the soil or
somewhere else?''
Suppose the U. S. government
should simply put stop to the manu-
fa,ture and shipment Of booze-what
would your almighty cities do about it,
please?
And what would your rum sellers,
and your rum peddieis, and your rum
grafters, and your vote buying rum
politicians. and your organs of the
rum traffic do about il
.Ye poor simp," II Uncle Sam
should go out of the rum business
himself, the entire traffic would fiat
ten out and be wiped out of the ma
tion as the lottery business went out
first, because such supporters of evil
as you. would be compelled to shut up
your persistent and eternal encour-
agement of an evil which you are
prohibited from openly advertising.
Education and temperance work
could save the drunkards, but only the
law and a club can cure such para
sites as you and others like you, who
daily build up the traffic by advcrtis-
ing il, by denupciation Of law, and
misleading the poor simpleton who
WANTS AN EXCUSE TO DRINK, to
have his own way-his personal lib,
erty." you say, and he believes it, be,
cause he wants to, and you and the
rum makers know it.
When Uncle Sam goes out of the
rum business, and such fellows az
you are forced to defend the law in.
stead of always devotlng yourselves tt
teaching treason and hatred of law
the drunkard problem can be easily
handled by moral suasion.
But just now in conjunction with
education for, and care Of, the dis
eased, must come hammer and tong'
for those who spread the disease-th'
moral towards like Gov. Baldwin, ant
those interested financially, direct.
or indirectly, like many others WI
could point out.