Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-17
Makes EN- See Red.

The only thing necessary to bring
down an avalanche of abuse from the
rum press is to point out the folly Of
a prominent man who allows himself
to repeat that million times refuted
idiocy that prohibition can never be
enforced" Today intelligent people
everywhere know the inspiration and
the animus of the pretense. The
liquor interests constantly assert and
teach their henefmen, big and little,
to stick to the lie. If some of those in
high places who pretend to know all
about tin a way to be quoted day
after day by liquor interest pubiiea-
tions-would only declare, at the same
time. that regulation" can never be
enforced; that regulation" never has
and never will regulate as pretended
by the promoters of the law, they
would give more oredence and less
single and selfish purpose to their ut
terances.
The rum trust and those working
for it, hate prohibition because it
CAN be enforced and thus reduce
their sales.
The rum trust and its allies fight
constantly for regulation because
that is the law prepared by the liquor
interests. doing away with bothersome
i,.tr cd
sales. and unlimited STIMULATION"
OF NEW BUSINESS.
The Portland Argus raves in mania
cal frenzy at the Kennebec Journal for
daring to call the bluff of that silly,
oyerworked rum trust declaration that
prohibition can never be enforced.
Every little while the rum subsidized
press grabs the utterance of some
prominent man as proof for all time,
for use in the liquor interest business
against human happiness, that the
peoples laws against an evil traffic
can never be enforced. That these
laws have not been rigidly enforced
everywhere is due to public tolerance
of the constant Interference with, and
studied, scheming, malicious violation
of, the peoples laws by great selfish
commercial evil.
Every man of intelligence in this
country knows the truth of that state
ment He also knows that, with the
scientific and economic education of
the masses in the last generation the
natural demand for intoxicants would
almost have died out, BUT FOR THE
lNSATiATE DEMAND FOR DRINK
ERS on the part Of gigantic COM
merciai evil, in partnership with
eommerciaIized vice, and accepted and
participated in by the federal govern
ment.
This commercial evil that every
hour is in conflict with the laws of the
people, spends millions every year. in
buying votes, bribing law makers. hir-
ing hypocritical editorial support,
cunningly entrapping prominent men
into expressions of approval, in sub
sidizing ward heelers, and buying hun
veritsing.
ALL THIS is NOT IN ANSWER
TO THE "DEMAND FOR iNToM-
| CANTS," BUT TO "STlMulATE"
NEW TRADE.
| A national prohibition law would
| instantly halt this insistent fight for
new drinkers. THE ONE PURPOSE
of the Liquor interests is to SPREAD
THE DISEASE OF DRUNKENNESS,
in every manner and as rapidly as
possible.
That is why they hate prohibition
and continuously denounce 1t and lie
about it.
That is why our federal government
is confronted by the economic problem
of suppressing this promotion of dis
ease.
That is why the federal government
is this very moment facing an indig-
nant people.
That is why the silly claims of men
who, like Cardinal Gibbons are quoted
for the liquor traffic, and organs like
the Portland Argus are discredite6
and left uselessly tanning the air and
shouting their nonsensicai repetitions
of rum trust dictation.