Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-10
Some Things from Which Maine i,
Free,

Free.
Editor Kennebee Journal
Climate Is not the only change we
notice in the differences between this
section of the country and Maine.
From Portsmouth. N. H., onward we
were confronted by billboards display
ing advertisements Of the different
brands of whiskey and gin and beer, or
in other words, posting our boys on the
merits Of the different brands by which
they can make drunkards Of them
selves and ruin their lives, homes and
characters. BY the way, how we'll that
word brands hits the case, doesn't
it2 And when one gets into the cities
and villages he will find lots Of attract
lively fitted up saloons or rum shops
where he can get all Of these brands
that are warranted to burn and purge
every good thing out of his life and
character. and leave only the dregs
and ashes of despair.
How happy the men must be who
are carrying on the business that Is so
successfully bringing about the results
intended! How proud the drunkards
children must be to think and know
that they have been allowed to go
hungry and cold and abused in order
that the great rum trust might pros
per, and 1t may be that the poor
drunkard who lies In his delirium
imagines that his sacrifice to the god
Of booze, places him alongside of the
soldier who gives his life for the good
of his countryi How long, Oh Lord,
how long?
We have to be careful also what
papers we subscribe for. We wanted
Philadelphia daily. We examined
the Philadelphia Examiner and the
Record, and we found whiskey ads in
both. One might find religious, charit-
able or philanthropic matter alongside
the display of a new brand Of whiskey.
The Philadelphia Press is good clean
paper, so we subscribed for that. We
take the Boston Transcript. and con-
slider it one OF the best papers pub
lished. The last time we renewed the
subscription we wrote them that we
admired the paper but dislfked very
much to support a publication that
had to resort to whiskey advertising
to make a living and advised them to
try and succeed without the rum
trusts help, for staff Of editors capa-
BILE of issuing paper of standing such
as the Transcript has attained. must
be aware that there Is a Book of very
good standing that says Cursed be
he that putteth the bottle to his neigh
boris lips"
Every Maine citizen should be proud
of the advanced and decided stand
that the Kennebec Journal has taken On
this great moral and economic Ques-
ton. There Is such a contrast between
Maine and the license and local option
states!
know of a little village Of about 25
houses which has its saloon. Lately
widow begged her son not to go
there that evening. He went. and be-
fore midnight he was brought home
dead One man addicted to drink
Joined the church, and reformed, and
lived a sober and useful life for years.
When the saloon came ii caught him.
Crazed by the thought that he had cru
cited his Saviour afresh he cut his
throat to escape from his shame. An
other drunken husband threw his in
FAINT across the room, and for years had
to watch the dwarfed growth of his de-
formed daughter until death merci-
fully removed her from his presence.
Is it any wonder that remorse of con-
science FASTENED him to his grave
leaving the widow childless and alone?
l could rehearse to you conversations
with an ex-saloon keeper mot a re-
formed one either) but will confirm
everything that has been said against
the accursed traffic. And to think that
there are men, or voters rather, in
Maine, that would introduce into its
borders a system that would cast just
such blight over its people!
Surely nothing but ignorance. polit-
ical bias, or degraded personal in
terest can be responsible for this desire.
1t cannot be that such are animated by
a desire for the best interests Of the
| people, for it Is the universal verdict
that such conditions degrade and tear
down and never advance moral or
civic righteousness.
c. E. SMITH,
| I