Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-08-20

cense. Are public morals better IN
der license? At Connellsville, Pa,
| saw about 100 men in a saloon. where
| four bar police" were hired to keep
| order: In Laurel, Md, saw about 1000
men gambling at 81 book makers
| stands: at Alexandria, Va, girls stooo
on the street by the brothels, enticins
| men to enter; at Niagara FAILS l
| caught the mayor in gambling place
| at a game, where $40 per minute
changed hands. Why did 1 not nave
| him prosecuted? The municipal
| Judge was there too.
Obi how wicked Maine is!
Three of the 16 sheriffs and several
Of the 20 mayors tolerate gross VIOLA
| tons of the liquor law within their
| jurisdictions. Bangor and Rockland
are wet" and reports of liquor ana
gambling come from OLD Orchard. 1t
| is difficult to select 16 or 20 men, who
possess both ability and fidelity.
Two thousand years ago a discreet
moral leader chose IL men for ma
tionai work. One turned out traitor
and a special election was necessary to
fill Judas place.
Habitual violations of law ought not
to be tolerated in one county or city
in Maine. It becomes good citizens to
combine with their neighbors to pre-
vent such transgressions Of the law
and to bring to account the officials
which permit them. However, with
out condoning official neglect, we ought
to appreciate more the services of
hundreds of good officials, who do their
work we'll.
1t has been widely proclaimed In
Maine that prohibition" induces men
to violations, whereas a license sys-
tenn secures compliance with the law.
It has also been argued that under
local option" the towns, which vote
out the saloons, will have the mo
license" policy enforced, because the
local sentiment in that direction con-
trolls the vote. That is only theory
and 1t Is untrue, as the following fac,
prove:
Maiden. Mass habitually votes
dry" by a majority of about two to
one. This summer citizens there
asked me to help them enforce the
liquor law. My investigation dis
closed liquor selling at many places,
and resulted in the conviction of IL
druggists, six expressmen and three
club managers. Other defendants fled
before the warrants could be served.
one druggist sailing for Europe on
few hours notice. We estimated that
liquor was sold in Maiden unlawfully
at rs places.
Notification of liquor laws is more
common in states under license (ac-
cording to my observatory than in
Maine. One year ago 1 was asked to
assist in the enforcement of the liquor
law in the ''nolicense" village of
Rockland. Mass. found that many
fully equipped bars. and that they
were protected by the town and county
officials, except that the two sets of
officials squabbled over patronage and
each side made some spite raids
In a neighboring town I assembled
three chiefs Of police, two deputy
sheriffs and two automobiles. We took
warrants for as many places as we
could effectively cover. At every place
we made large seizures of beer and
whiskey and the six defendants were
all convicted, three being fined $50 for
first offense and three being sentenced
$3.50 and three months for second Of
Tense. There is less liquor and law
lessness under state-w wide prohibition
OF the saloon, than under local option
or any form of regulation, SO far as
have observed.
Where travel in states under the
license system, find the temperance
forces engaged in such local cam
paigns as these: to reduce the saloons
from rs to %: to close them at mid
night; to stop sales to minors and
drunkards; to get the Sunday closing
law enforced; to have immoral wo-
men excluded from the rear rooms; to
stop gambling in the saloons; to pre-
vent their location near some church
or school; or to abolish the use of ad-
joining rooms for elections. Under
the license system much time and
money is spent to secure trivial re-
strictions