Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-01
MIR. Gardner Writes Again

MIR. Gardner Writes Again
Hon Halbert P. Gardner. Progress
sive candidate for governor. has sent
the following letter to the Kennebec
Journal:
To the Editor of the Kennebec Jour-
nal:
in reading your editorial Of April 20,
entitled, Mr. Gardeners Questions" ]
note two points which seems to call
for consideration and reply. One Is
your insistence that il is up to me-
as you phrase it, to furnish evidence
in detail. The other is your state
ment that Governor Haines is not re-
sponsible for the action or lack of ac-
ton of the present sheriff of Penob-
scot county.
l wish to commend you for your 10y
alty-whether mistaken or not-in
supporting the present State admins
tration on this matter Of uniform law
enforcement. So far as / have been
able to observe the Kennebec Journal
is the only Republican newspaper OF
the State that has come to the defense
of the Governor lin his relation to the
Bangor plan" He has been under fire
for month on this specific question.
"A candidate for the Office which he
holds has made public and definite
charges of insincerity in the one is
sue on which he is seeking reelection.
And yet with this single exception not
a word of comment. not a line of de-
tense in all the newspapers of his par
ty in Maine. One of them, the Port
land Evening Express, sharing with
you the Republican burden in this
campaign, not only declined to COM
nient but refused outright to publish
my letters. OF course that Is entirely
the affair of the Express but it is
interesting to note that on the same
day it published very strong editori-
al on the good results of the enforce
ment of the liquor law in Dallas. Tex
as.
Now, Mr.. Editor. / cannot afford to
spend any more time in an effort to
convince you that the prohibitory law
is not enforced in Penobscot county.
am very busy just now in studying
the marked increase in Maine railroad
rates and their relation to Republican
administration, and incidentally the
question of mileage books.
Furthermore, it is quite superfuous
to try to convince you. You know the
situation in Penobscot, otherwise why
did you consult the Governor about
it? AS a taxpayer of that county
have tried to point the way. If the
Governor reads your newspaper he
fyx, h. oh - t.1y4 60
knows the farce
But just as a final earnest of good
faith I will supplement my list of open
saloons. sent to you the other day,
with the following letters received by
me yesterday, which / will ask you
to kindly publish.
This from Arthur L. Thayer, ESQ.,,
of Bangor:
Every place / know of where they
were selling liquor before the investiga-
ton that resulted in the removal Of the
former sheriff, is now selling liquor with
Bangor that was open at the time of the
investigation, that l know about, is open
and doing business today call to mind
at least htfeen saloon that were closed.
the doors locked and curtains drawn
soon after the investigation last year.
When O'Connell first came into Office
they we're gradually, one by one. re-
opened, until at the present time the
entire group are doing business All
this is fact and any Individual or as
ISOLATION that attempts to. deny 1t will
nave hard job We can get you from
one to one hundred men in the city of
Bangor who would be perfectly willing
TO express their opinion in writing, if
necessary about the present conditions
here
And this from A. E. Rogers. Esq, of
Brunswick:
Il read your reply today to the Kenne-
bee Journal, in regard to enforcement
conditions in Penobscot county. with a
great deal of interest and herewith de-
| sire to add my testimony in support of
! your contentious.
las there seems to eb a concerted
movement on the part of Republican
leaders and their allies, the stand-pat
| press, to win back the sincere prohibit
| tionists of the Progressive party on ac-
count of what they call Haines enforce
| ment, 1t seems proper that l state what
| know of conditions In ii least one city.
There were men at the Progressive
| who insisted that Governor Hainese had
| seen to 1t that the liquor law was en-
| forced in all parts of the State, and on
| that account should receive the support
of prohibitionists in the Progressive par
| ty was Just listening to some of this
kind of talk when a gentleman from
York county, overhearing IT., said:
Come along with me and I will show
| you wide-open town. ] will show you
half dozen saloons where liquor is
openly sold, within five minutes walk OF
the Bangor House.
"In order to see for ourselves friend
and took a little walk with our York
| county guide. Within block of the
! Bangor House we went into places where
liquor was openly sold, and keeping on
! did not have to have such niaces point