Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-22

organization that is spreading
the guise Of a licensed business
There is proof in car load lots thai
the brewers of the United States have
corrupted elections to an extent which
would astonish the people if theil
crimes were recited in detail.
There is now in operation an under
ground system of boycott and bullying
in the interest of beer which has
reached an extent undreamed of by the
general public.
There is a close connection between
pro German activity and propaganda
upon the one hand and the associa-
lions Of so-called american" brewers
on the other which would justify the
sternest measures on the part of loya
citizens.
One Of the country's leading bust.
ness men was bounded out of grea'
industry, because he contributed to the
Anti-Saloon League.
Another, together with his son, was
forced to go to New York and formal.
~ sign away his liberty, because ne
had secured the closing of six saloons
which were debauching his workmen.
Thousands Of business men. prohi-
bitionists at heart, are forced to con-
tribute sums formally assessed upor
them by the brewers, under penalty o.
boycott. These contributions are uset
to fight prohibition.
In Maryland, only nine per cent o.
the saloon keepers are Americans BY
birth. The majority of them are Ger
man, as-are the brewers. And 1t is 6
singular fact that whereas the vas
majority of our Germantown citizen!
are loyal to the heart these men arr
almost uniformly pro German In theil
attitude toward the present war.
Anti-Amercan Propaganda Financed
by Brewers
There is definite proof that the Ger
man brewers paid for the floods o
kilograms which at various crises have
assailed Congress in the German inter
est.
The official head Of the best-knowr
pro-Germar organization in America
has been on the salary list of thu
brewers chief defensive organization
and devoted his time partlyS to pro
German activity and partly to anti
prohibition work.
These beer agents have boasted. IL
words which are on record. that the!
have. at times past, held the whip Owe
Congress, defeating all Temperance
legislation. EXCEPT one law which W.
allowed to pass"
They have met in saloons. made uI
list of candidates and secured theil
nomination and election.
Their political agents get vast sal
aries. One is paid $4,000 year.
These were the men who prevented
the prohibition of beer and wine for thu
period of the war: and they did this by
threatening to provoke industrial
draft and race riots. if their bushes!
was molested, to say nothing Of thei1
threat to put veto upon all war leg
islation and thus hamstring the nation
in the presence of it's foe.
What the Evidence Is
In Texas, the brewers submitted to {
vast fine for corruption of elections
! In Pittsburg, they accepted a fine o
nearly $4,000 rather than allow testi
mony to be produced in court which
would have made the greatest scAnda
in the history of the republic.
The evidence used in the Texa!
trials was summarized in the Congress
sional Record of July 6, 1917. 1t tell!
black story of election rottennes!
and boycott. The same things ar,
known to exist in other states. II
Pennsylvania, black as the facts mad,
public are, the tenth part has not beer
told. This article merely skirts tn,
fringes of what is definitely known.
We cite the following from TIT
! Texas testimony:
Vol l. p. $40, Mr.. Leeds an agent O.
the S. A. and A. P. r. R. was assisting
in prohibition work. One brewery agen
writes to another suggesting that thu
instead. The loss of four or five carload!
of freight per month might cause in
Quiry and Mr.. L. will have to come across
and let others do the fighting. Paget
one Of these political agents Of the brew
ers. says Of this: The railroad manage
such conduct and if notification come
. from such a high source as the Cit.
Brewery or the Lone Star Brewery, Mr.
Leeds will be brought up with a rount
turn
Again on p. ISL. Some official Of the In
ternational and Great Northern Railroad
having taken part in Anderson count.
prohibition elections, the American Brew
ing Co. writes that each and ever,
brewery should withhold all the patron
age that they possibly car from that road
We request that you have no shipments
made to US over the International anc
Great Northern Railroad"
P. 973. Aubrey telegraphs to Koehier
Mr.. Eads. local agent of the San Antonio
and Pacific Railroad at Alice, is vic'
president of the Anti-Saloon League anC
a prohibition worker. / think this often
sive conduct should be brought to the no
tice Of his superior officials"
A Great Boycott System
P. 1891. When Mr. Ball was running
for governor of Texas. Prince. a Texa:
brewer. writes to A. A. Busch Of An
heuser-Busch: Il understand that Mr.
Balls firm are attorneys for the Frisco
Railroad in which your father is a very
large stakeholder and as there are many
better lawyers in the state than Mr.. Ball
If his pocket could be reached by max
Ing change Of attorneys 1t might have
Quieting effect on his bombastic style
| Of warfare"
In order to boycott firms which arr
out Of sympathy with the politica