The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-10-30
Editorial.
HOW 1T WORKS IN MAINE.

The way Maine cities handle the
liquor problem is a sight for the gods,
to say nothing of the "pretense," as
indicated by Governor Haines, this Is
rife throughout the country sections,
where daily arrivals of booze" by eX-
press, finds its way directly into the
homes of the people thus making it
easy for every habitual drinker to have
his daily "toddy," without the trouble
of travelling to some saloon.
Bangor has been prominent feature
before the vision of prohibitionists
and anti-prohibitionists, for years. The
people believing in self-government,
have refused to yield obedience to the
sumptuary laws, that they consider an
interference with their personal rights
regarding what they shall eat or drink.
Bangor may have been dry on the
surface, but there never has been
time when there was not what wes-
terner would have called a "subter-
ranean river running near enough to
the surface, so that any reasonable
effort would tap the flowing stream,
wet the parched throat, and send
thrill of eXhilaration or damnation,
whichever you choose to call it, cours-
ing through his veins.
What was known as the Bangor
Plan" has been working intermittenly
for many years. That plan was to
make the vendors pay a fine, that was
equivalent to a license, and thus bring
revenue to the Golfers of the county,
and it worked successfully so far as
the county treasury was concerned
when it was kept in working order.
Few indeed are the rumsellers in
Bangor that have ever suffered incar-
ceration for any considerable length
of time, but they have suffered eXtor-
ton at the hands of certain sheriffs,
that is, if they are to be believed, and
if in the mouth of many witnesses a
fact may be established then this is
an established fact. For instance, be-
fore the last election campaign COM
menced, it was alleged that the ordi-
nary rumseller was required to hand
over $25 weekly for the use and behoof
of the sheriff Later this amount in
creased and when the campaign got
in full swing, the assessment was Sc
great that one dealer stated that "the
more rum l sell, the worse off am,
as the sheriff was taking practically
his entire receipts. He was therefore
not only losing the profit but the prin
cipal invested in his business.
1t is boldly asserted in Bangor, that
Sheriff O'Connell, appointed by Gov
ernor Haines for the purpose of more
rigidly enforcing the law, at least thai
is what was claimed, not only bid def
ance to the governor when he tried tC
call him off, but did defiance to the
wolves of pecuninary priyation that
might have been looking in at his
door previous to his elevation to office
by the ingathering of sheckels to such
an extent, that some Bangoreans have
no hesitation in saying that he has
waxed affluent, that he liveth in
clover, yea he enjoyeth prosperity to
such an extent that he is no longer a
pedestrian, but rideth about in his
chariot, with a chauffeur to obey his
behest.
1t is said that his righteousness de-
feated him. The rumsellers feeling
that his little finger had grown heavier
than the loins of his predecessors, like
the Israelites of old rebelled, and
straightway they proceeded to WELD
their political knives to such an extent
that they scalped him completely, they
literally smote him from heel to thigh,
and left him as they supposed, dere-
lict on the shores of political conten-
ton.
Now what is the result?
Governor" OConnell still reigns in
Bangor, and it would seem that he was
making friends from the mammon of
unrighteousness for the perpetuation
of his earthly habitation, after his sue
cessor assumes the office, for we read
in great scare headlines, the follow
ing:
LIQUOR is CHEAP NOW IN
BANGOR.