Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-20
SEES ITS DOOM,
LIQUOR EVILS
FRANK WORDS
Handwriting on the
Wal' Interpreted
AS the American
Conscience
New Jersey Friend Quotes Nation
al Liquor Dealers Journal
Editor Kennebec Journal.

Editor kennebec Journal:
If / had seen the article which l am
going to copy into this communication
in most any other publication than
the one in which 1t originally appeared,
/ should have laid it to you. or to some
one who had been inspired by read
Ing YOUR editorials on the subject. 1t
is an admission which clinches the ar
gument which you have so persistent
~ and so consistently upheld; and L
want the $4,000 readers of the kenne-
bee Journal to know that the truth of
your contentious has been admitted in
the headquarters of the great enemy
and destroyer. To every right-minded
person this admission should be the
final word in support of your cause,
and destroys the foundation of sand
upon which the cause of the enemy is
builded. Here is the article:
THE HANDWRITING ON THE
WALL"
The prohibition fight henceforth will
be Nationwide. and contemplateS
writing into the National Constitution
a prohibition of the manufacture and
sole of all alcoholic beverages. To ac-
complish this result will require the
ratification of So states of the Union.
OF these, nine are already in line
through State Prohibition. The last
five have been added within period
of six years. In addition to these there
are IS states in which a major part of
the people live in territory made dry
b. local option, and in which We may
be assured prohibition sentiment pre-
dominates. e The most influential
argument against prohibition is that
ID is not effective. that prohibition
does not prohibit.
Now commend what follows to the
so-called rum trust" editors of Maine,
so they may see how completely their
pet argument is repudiated by the
men higher up" The article con-
tinues: This is not basic or moral
the fact of failure to enforce Is no
argument against even the expediency,
much less against the moral issue in
volved. The liquor traffic cannot be
saved by declaring that Government is
incapable of coping with the problem
it presents; when the people decide
that it must go, it viii be banished."
Now, Mr.. Editor. what follows could
not have better expressed your own
sentiments if your own hand had
guided the pen. Listen: For this the
liquor business is to blame; it seems
incapable of learning any lesson of
advancement or any motive but profit.
To perpetrate itself it has formed al
liances with the slums that repel all
conscientious and patriotic citizens. 1t
deliberately aids the most corrupt po-
litical powers and backs with all of its
resources the most unworthy men, the
most corrupt and recreant officials
The article concludes: TT does not
aid the publication of municipal, state,
or national administration. Why? Be-
cause it has to ask immunity for it's
own lawlessness. The case of the
liquor traffic is called for adjudication
by the American people and must be
ready for trial. There are billions of
property involved but when the people
decide that the truth is being told
about the LIQUOR trade the money value
will not count, for conscience aroused
puts the value of a man above all
other things. To us, there is the hand
writing on the wall, and its interpre-
tation spells DOOM
Now that sentence about the value
of man, sounds much like the SEN
tinents of Abraham Lincoln. Now 1
presume our critics will say that the
above article was written by some
crank minister like Berry, or some w.
c. T. u. ramrodder like Mrs. Stevens.
oh, no! The writer of that article is
none other than the editor of the ma
tionai Liquor Dealers Journal" And
it looks very much as If he was thor
oughly convinced that he is trying to
support a business that Is working up
to its impending doom, just in time
to attend its own funeral. | could
quote extracts from previous numbers
of the game source that admits the
truth of every charge made against
the rum traffic. When the devil repu-
dates his own, where, among the sons
of men, can be found one SO low as to
father the founding? Will he come
from up river or down?
C. e. SMITH,