Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-04

mise and conclusion. ! say, and have
said, in public and in the articles which
| have written for the press. that with
the instruments of prosecution jim the
and 5th amendment provide, and with
the additional power which the Webb
law offers, any sheriff, who 10 true TO
his oath OF office, can procure enforce
ment.
1t may be true that no law has ever
eradicated the crime or the vice against
which II was aimed. but l am not aware
that any officer, excepting in his efforts
to enforce the prohibitory law, has ever
been satisfied to reduce any particular
crime to a minimum. The satisfactory
minimum of enforcement for Republican
and Democratic officials has apparently
been to allow saloons to exist in every
city In this county when the records at
Portsmouth have given notice to our Of
ficials that they did exist, when the pa
irons who freqsented those places were
men who were locally known TO use in
toxicating liquors, when the records OF
the freight offices and express officts
showed that these same saloon keepers
receive intoxicating Representations,
which In a less degree perhaps. existed
with references to certain drug stores.
Now I claim that the sheriff, II in
spired by a desire to enforce the pro-
hibitory law had surrounded himself
with deputies VIII owere trustworthy and
interested in his purpose, could close the
doors of every one of these saloons or
drug stores, or prevent them doing TINS
Illegal business. This is what | under
stand Ferd Stevens, Sheriff oliver and
Sheriff Graham in larger cities than ex-
list in kennebec county have accom-
plished and this is what l am enthus-
iastic enough to think l can do In Ken
nebec county if elected as sheriff.
If such an effort should be made by
every sheriff in every county in this
State, Is there any question but what we
would have as successful enforcement
lNf 10 roll a w those
circumstances, couldn't we claim that en-
forcement was successful in the State of
Maine, and wouldn't we. through our
representatives in Congress, go there and
demand the submission of an amendment
asking for national prohibition with far
better grace than We now could, when,
as we all admit, in one count ythere is
enforcement and in another county null
LITIGATION or regulation?
May ! add to this a brief reply TO the
letter of Wilbert S. Wilson in the s8me
issue, which is entitled, either ed1tor.aliy
or personally. Put Up or Shut up!" He
says at the last term of court there were
held in kennebec county just % United
States liquor licenses. The tax year of
these special taxes is from July ! to June
so following. Last April Mr.. Getchell had
| all of the taxes then in force for his in
spection. at which time there We're more
than $50. OF course I realize that the
grand Jury finds the indictments, but did
Mr. Getchell present this full list to int int
| through his deputies, find who the pa
! irons of these places were and summons
them before the grand jury? II not, why
Did ne or his deputtts &C 10 the express
Offices and freight stations, where every
package containing intoxicating liquors
must be so marked. and discover wheth-
er those people who held these taxes re-
| ceived any contraband goods? II not.
why not?
I'haye list of all the persons in Ken
nebec county who held an r. L. D. or an
R. NJ. L. D. tax. l have examined 1t
carefully. and l do not find any grocery
mans name from Gardiner in that list.
/ am not acquainted with the business
| of the tax holders in othtr places. | as
sumo that our grocerymen in Gardner
deal in the same goods that other groeers
deal in. l realize that if they sell San
| ford's Ginger or Beef, Iron & Wine, or
malt extract, for beverage or for TIP
as the drug stores are Obliged, to take
out an R. L. D. or an r. NJ. L. d. tax:
| I realize also that these articles are sold
| for medicinal purposes at Beane's drug
| store and Jackson's drug store in Gar