Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-09-11
"lewiston's Shame"


of public service. In Maine. today.
are many Of these worse than thieves.
worse than gamblers, worse than
ccunterfeiters. worse than house,
burners. worse than wife-beaters,
worse than children starving drunk
ards, worse than highway robbers
OFFICERS WE ELECT AND PAY
to protect our homes, our weaker citi-
zens. our afflicted and our legitimate
business.
Every day of late the morning and
evening papers Of Lewiston have been
peck marked with undoubtedly true
stories of such sad cases as broken
homes. deserted wives suffering chill
dren. drunken fathers, and Of evil
dences of open COLLISION between
county officials and police officers with
many kinds of outlawry. Thursday
evenings Lewiston Journal reelted
with solemn denunciation and recital
of disgracing facts. 1t was the hes.
that a loyal, educational and uplifting
factor. true to its conscience can do
for those who look to 1t for leader
ship. Both the Journal and the Sun
(both largely independent in politics)
have done their best to arouse the
public and to rout the agencies of
crime and lust that have been invited
to the city by rotten official regime.
The Journal cries out in despair:
Are our churches dumb and our
good people asIeep?"
The obvious answers are:
What CAN we do: What is the
use?'
The law-abiding citizens Of Lewis
ton and Androscoggin county, cannot
proceed against the gamblers, the
houses of il-fame, the robbery de-
robbers or the house breakers, be-
cause the publc's elected. appointed
and paid officers are in the way. A
warrant sworn out against a protect
ed rum and gambling shop. or house
of designation, would be useless, be-
cause some traitorous official would
notify his pal, the outlaw.
The law-abiding citizens of Lewis
ton and Androscoggin county cannot
proceed against the multiplying Of
ficials, because politics stand in the
way. What can they do?
Whats the use?"
When State. a county, and
municipality, with eyes wide open and
repeatedly warned Of the folly. de-
liberately go ahead and elect officials
that are brazenly and avowedly op-
posed to the States constitutional and
statutory law. can such State, county
and cities expect any better condi-
lions than Lewiston is suffering at
this time? Is Lewiston not reaping
as she has sowno Does she not de-
serve the disgrace, the cost to bust
ness, the broken homes, the unsafe
streets and the disgusting and de-
PRAYING street scenes?
Every church and every respectable
citizen knows that every one Of An
droscoggin county's officials who has
in any way lent himself to the present
regime of notification Of law and
promotion of crime, richly deserves a
long term in the States prison-but
what can they do about it?
Just so long as a great promoter Of
lust, crime and outlawry, with mil
lions Of dollars at its command, is al
lowed by the national government to
exist and to prosecute its infamous
degradation of humanity. just so long
will this evil business buy politicians.
overthrow the peoples laws and scott
at decency.
Lewiston saw. three years ago, the
meaning Of just such conditions as
she is undergoing today. But politics
prevailed, and good men were false to
their homes and their finer instincts
because Of party. II their homes are
wrecked. their sons depraved, their
daughters ruined, they knowingly and
wilfully gambled on the chances of it
to please party. Are they to be
pitied?
There are thousands Of others. how
ever. just as open to the menace and
consequences, who are to be pitied.
for they have exerted every energy to