Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-08-12


the two officers as lone OF the toughest
and most lawless gangs in the city
Waterville Sentinel
OF course it will be understood that
the purpose OF the above quoted eal-
torial is to convince that papers read
ers that Cumberland county officials
and the prohibitory law are to blame
for all the deviltry which Portlands
police force are paid TO restrain. These
anti-law organs forget that they are
but convicting Portland's mayor and
city officials under his control, OF
Withholding proper restraint for tha
purpose OF manufacturing political
material They these rum trust
tools) perhaps do not know that many
intelligent and far-seeing people are
convinced that some of Portland's city
officials are in league with such as the
Washington avenue thugs to discredit
the sheriff's endeavors by providing
incidents which such newspapers as
the Sentinel can exploit as failure" of
the prohibitory law.
In reality the above quoted from
our up-river exchange is but the
gloatings of a more or less successful
propaganda to violate and discredit
law and to encourage thuggery for
its effect against law that opposes
an immoral traffic,
The mayor OF Portland, who is the
Democratic candidate for governor
and supported by the Sentinel, has
lined himself up with the forces that
furnish the sinews of war for the
party in Maine. He has openly pro-
claimed against the law and declared
that "if Democracy wins, the voters
know what to expect" He has pro-
claimed that Maine must have rum
and, from such evidences as the Senti-
mel describes in the city of which he
is mayor it is judged that he intends
to prove that a reign of cussedness
already prevails. This course will
undoubtedly make votes for Candidate
Curtis-among such as the Sentinel
and the thugs 1t describes.
Every day for months the endeavers
of such as the Sentinel and Mayor
Curtis have bent toward convincing
the people that laws which interfere
with a money making traffic, how
ever deplorahle, cannot be enforced;
that the hosts of crime and ignorance
will not permit IL, and any restraint
but arouses their antagonism and
makes them worse; that the only
way to handle such forces Is to racog-
nize them by letting them pay to do as
they please, That is Mayor Curtis
avowed policy, and with this ''reve-
nue." he would run our schools. But
the people must be convinced that
their laws are a failure so, to that
end. it is necessary to promote and en-
courage such scenes as reported or
Sunday night.
But, thank heaven, people of sense
and fair minded grasp of affairs are
placing the blame where 1t belongs
not on the law or those officers who
are honestly endeavoring to enforce
the law, but upon the thugs and
booze sellers and upon those politi-
ria Nd Of l.
is endeavoring to kill the law for a
selfish purpose.
Only yesterday in front of the Au-
gusta post Office well known Demo.
crat voiced his indignation after read
ing an article in the Portland Argus
He said:
"Don't those blamed fools know tina
they are convicting Oak Curtis o.
working, hand in glove, with the run
and beer trust? And don't they know
that the people of Maine had enough
of that in 1902? Why, | had som,
hopes of Democratic ticket las
spring, but Curtis rum talk has buriee
him 10000 deep. And these paper
don't know any better than to try t,
earn their booze money by bolsterins
up his fool sayings. They make mi
sck-as If all Democrats wore rum
mics, law haters and rough neoks!
maine Democracy deserves anoth
err licking and she 10 going to get /
good and hard; and hope she viii
always get IL as long as she allows
lot of sharpers who are featherin
their own nests, to tie her chariot {
rum trust star"
1t is now too late for such as tn
Sentinel to switch off, They hav
already gone far enough to eopvinc
the people of Maine of the purpose c
Candidate Curtis and those who ar
supporting him. Such efforts a
quoted at the beginning of this edi
torial marks the daily output Of til
rum crowd. They encourage gangs I