Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-03-10

and putting in place of it the hard"
poison they can't consume in license
headquarters.
In his anxiety to use the latest
quotations from the Year Book of
the United States Brewers Associa-
tion,' the Argus boy forgot the incon-
sistency of his claim. This increase
of beer has no part of it been made in
prohibition territory. Indeed, con-
sumption Of booze has notably de-
| creased in prohibition territory, thus
showing the awful growth OF the evil
where it is countenanced by law.
| We have been told in America that
| the enormous consumption Of beer in
/ Germany was harmless; that other
| intoxicants are not desired, ETC., yet
] figures for 1918 show that beer has led
to stronger drinks until the per capita
| consumption of hard STUFF is now
more than that of the u. Sand in
ADDITION to its beer.
! The Argus should read the report OF
| the Massa chusetts commission of ex-
perts, created by the legislature to in
vestigate drunkenness in that state
and report upon the best means of
correcting the evil. Under rum trust
| CIRCULATION" of the traffic in that
state, 1t has grown to truly alarming
proportions. While in Maine the per
capita consumption of intoxicants is
less this year than at any period in
history, in Massachusetts and some
other license states the evil is grow
ing to such proportions as to chal-
lenge serious thought in the most
reckless.
1t is there, where they make it and
ton of beer and all kinds of distilled
spirits as well, increases SO enormous
ly. The very arguments of the rum
trust and beer trust that manufacture
and consumption. of intoxicants is
enormously increasing, under the
present system of regulation should
convict the business and wipe it out of
existence, for IT is NOT INCREAS-
ING in PROHIBITION TERRITORY.
Here are some big facts to consider;
In Massachusetts, under regulation,
last year, were more than 100000 ar
rests for drunkenness, an increase of
SS per cent. in II years.
In Maine. under enforced prohibition.
the jail commitments for drunkenness
in Androscoggin county were reduced
62 per cent, and the total Jail COM
mitments (for all crimes) we're re-
duced 81 per cent, in the last eight
months, thus showing the meaning OF
intoxication to other crimes.
The Massachusetts, commission
found that e5 per cent. of ALL erini-
nails are incorporate by habit.
While license states are at last
awakening to the awful results of
regulation" we are learning that
prohibition enforced is the solution.
When the United States does not
violate our laws, Maine will have no
trouble with enforcement of the law.
The Massachusetts commission saw
only one objection to state wide pro-
hibition as their acknowledgements
because of interference with the per-
sonal liberty" of those 1t has infected
with the disease of drunkenness.
Engaged in the business of propa-
eating a loathsome disease" that is
what the commission calls iD this
commission of experts, for the legisla-
ture, seeks way to CURE instead OF
PREVENT, and go on reaping revenue
from continued creation of the dis
ease.
Does it handle small pox that way?
When one states personal liberty"
to violate the laws, debauch the cIti-
zens and propagate disease in another
state, is arrested by United States
law, then prohibition will have tri-
umphed and there will be few mil
lion less personal libertyites" making
life miserable for the rest of the Peo-
pie.
All, no. neighbor Argus, it is not re-
markable that consumption of all
kinds of intoxicants is aiarmingly on
,ba ;n.raasa for THAT is THE SOLE
PURPOSE OF "REGuLATiON"-and
it works.