Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-03


best State to live in lin spite Of pro-
hibition, we presume) and that it can
hold its own with the best of them
If Maine now would let the rum trust
presumably, soon be a whopper.
BY the way, it seems that states that
have led in the production and con-
sumption of booze, and completely I'M
der the domination of the LIQUOR in
terests, tire of the traffic. Below We
are giving some of the comments Of
Lieutenant Governor Wallace of CAL
ifornia. He declares that the liquor
business is not business but para
site. He aims his opposition to the
traffic instead of its victims:
want the liquor business Of Cali
fornia entirely overthrown, because 1T
is an economic waste. 1t is para
site.
/ want the manufacture and sale of
liquor prohibited because the traffic is
a hindrance in the making of men.
l want the state to put its veto on
the liquor business because the traffic
is contrary to those principles that
underlie the organization Of state.
Business may be intricate, but its
first principles are simple. 1t is an ex-
change of commodities. 1t is buying
and selling, and there must be an ad-
vantage or gain in the barter. For con-
tinued commerce the gain must ex-
tend to both parties to the transac-
ton. If the resultant advantage OF a
business deal, inures to the benefit
of one party only, there is an economic
defect The buyer must benefit by his
purchase as truly as the seller by his
sale. In large matters the importing
country is a gamer as truly as the
exporting country. 1t is so with small
matters The buyer gets from the
grocer flour, from the hardware man
nails, from the lumber man lumber.
and in each case buyer and seller are
benefited. The same buyer goes to the
saloon TO get wine or teer or whisky.
The dealer makes prefit on the goods
sold But here is a break in our BUSH
ness principles. The buyer makes no
gain. He parts with his share of the
barter, and gets nothing valuable in
return. At every other counter there
was gain on both sides; here the gain
is on one side only. The transaction
limps: it is false to business princi-
pies It represents economic waste. 1t
must cease.
It remains eternally true that bust
ness to be legitimate must produce
gain to both parties dealing.
The economic waste becomes null
tiplied factor when the argument Is
extended to liquors. effect on the pur-
chaser who consumes it.
The liquor traffic is parasite. Any
business blood that it has is sucked
from the vigorous body of healthful
business. 1t contributes nothing, but
draws heavily. If traffic in lumber.
groceries, dry goods and other legiti-
mate business gave no more value
than liquor gives. and yet received as
these lines of business do. and as
LIQUOR does, all business would col
lapse. The quid pro quo would be
lacking. If a town or city prospers
where traffic in liquor is allowed, its
prosperity is less than it should be by
lust so much as liquor takes. 1t gives
nothing. and what it takes is so much
subtracted from the general gain. 1t
is a parasite, a Ieeeh. Prosperity may
continue, but it carries needless
burden. ten-mule team may haul
a heavy load up hill, even though
there may be one span on the rear end
pulling back Unhitch the pull-back
team and the load will move forward
easily. JJnhitch the liquor drag and
Won accelerate the movement or le-
gitimate business.
Sometimes it binders physically,
sometimes financially. Often 1t re-
tards mentally, and always 1t dulis'
and often destroys. morally More is
not needed All admit that where II
has sway it spoils the boys as they
are being made into men. The boys
belong to the state. They are It's
greatest asset and they are endang-
cred. Whatever mars man In the max
ing can't stand the light of the voters
booth where conscience marks the
ballot.
state is brought into governmental
being to protect and help its people.
When a state authorizes the doing OF
those things that injure its people, 1t
is traitorous Because the liquor traHlc
hampers business and burdens COM
merce: it must be eliminated; because
IL invades the home harmfully, II
must be eradicated; because 1t Injuries
men in the making. 1t Is menace to
citizenship and it's disloyalty condemns
IT: and. because 1t is hideously bad
and in no wise good, the state that
exists to serve it's citizens must,
through its awakened voters, utterly
prohibit it.