Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-11

Liquor he's no longer any place in the
social or Industrial economy of the
human race. 1t is everywhere looked
upon as the enemy of society. And you
cannot shield yourself behind local OPP
ton as a Democratic principle. A ty-
70 in politics can tell you that local
option is step outward in the cur
tailment of the liquor traffic. That
stage is long past. Where State pro-
hibition is a part of the constitution
of the State 1t is a manifestly ret
rograde step to go back to local OPP
ton. Your own platform says that
the Democratic party believes abso-
lutely in temperance law and order
and enforcement of law. 1t believes in
prohibition wherever prohibition is
practicable. 1t is political sculduggery
to say that prohibition is Impractical
BILE in the State of Maine.
Challenge for Candidate Curtis
The reports of meetings held by you
and other speakers for the Democratic
party throughout the State tell me that
you ask for the suffrages of the voters
on the strength of the magnificent ad-
ministration of President Wilson and
Secretary Of State Bryan. Now, Your
Honor. challenge you to submit to the
President of the United States, Woodrow
Wilson, this question, and to publish the
answer IL you can get one: Would you.
Mr.. President, as the leader of the Demo-
cratic party, If you could spare the time.
come to Maine and advocate the election
to the Office of Governor. any given man,
knowing that his election would mean the
opening up of saloons in this Staten
Furthermore, challenge you to submit
to Secretary of State William Jennings
Bryan, the other great leader of Democ-
raey in the United States. this question
and to publish the answer II you can get
one: Would you, Mr.. Bryan, if you
could spare the time come into Maine
and advocate the election of a given per-
son to be Governor of the State, knowing
that his election would mean open and
licensed saloons in the State of Maine
knowing also that the whole liquor traffic
in the country is behind every effort to
nullify that law where 1t is in force, and
to overthrow it where that can be done %
Neither Would Advocate Saloon
Until direct and authentic an
swer from these two men tells me
otherwise, I shall take the liberty to
assert that neither you nor anyone
else could get either President Will
son or Secretary of State Bryan to
advocate the repeal of a prohibitory
law where it is already in force.
believe 1t is self evident PROPOSE
ton that if the constitution of a state
contain a prohibitory amendment rel
ative to the liquor traffic. those who
are in favor of resubmission are in
favor of the saloon. 1t Is also a self.
evident proposition that those who
are in favor of licensed saloons have
the support of the liquor interests. It
is impossible to get away from these
two conclusions. And the premises
are. themselves, incontrovertible; the
State of Maine has a prohibitory law
relative to the liquor traffic. Your
Honor is in favor of resubmission and
the national liquor interests. the
breweries and distilleries are in fav-
or of the licensed saloon. It Is my
honest and firm conviction that moth
ing more harmful to the best inter-
ests of the State could happen than
the bringing in of the saloon with
its concomitant evile. You can reg
ulate the saloon, but you cannot reg
ulate the evils of drunkenness. pow
erty. vice and crime flowing from it..
We are against the saloon because
we are against the evils owing from
1t. AS Democrat deplore the fact
that a party with which I have afffl-
lated for almost a generation. shall.
by such a mistaken policy, make 1t
impossible for me to give 1t my
support.
Yours,
WILLIAM PETERSEN.