The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-12
PROHIBITION IN MAINE.
Assault on the Alleged Sue.
cess of the Dow System.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sir: In
THE Sum of July Is n letter from III.
L." headed Prohibition In Maine" The
first paragraph of that letter runs: "E.
A. Packer says that Maine is a prohi-
billion State where prohibition is rigor-
ously enforced"
did not see Mr.. Packers remarks.
but he could not have been a very care
full reader of THE Sun II he was be-
gulled into making any such statement
as that
THE SUN lately printed long and
uncolored argument against the propo-
sitlon to put prohibition into the Con-
stitution of the United states In which
the writer. Appleton Morgan. a native
Of Maine, stated that In eighty years
the paramount effect of prohibition stat
utes in that State was to make even
children of tender years law evaders and
law breakers. I may add In passing that
as a native of Maine myself I would
call upon my fellow Manlacs to state
what other effect they have noticed from
the persistence of the State In keeping
| these prohibition laws on the statute
books.
question would say that the principal
effects have noticed were two First,
to keep the population of the State down
to where in fifty years It has stood al
most stationary. SO that to-day 1T Is
barely 10 per cent. bigger than 1t was
fifty years ago, while for twenty or
thirty years at a time 1t remained prac-
tically the same and secondly. to cause
the Maine rum shops to sell the vilest
and cheapest poisons on earth at the
highest prices. But let my own opinions
| pass.
Again. n correspondent wrote you that
Maine was to-day practically a local
| option State in that It's rigorous prohi-
| bitlon laws were totally disregarded or
| mildly resorted to in SO far as the LEGAL
| disposition happened to dictate.
Is thore any testimony to the opposite
effect? II so will THE Sun please fer
rot 1t out and print It?
I am afraid that thirty-six small
| States in this Union will be found to
| ratify this fatal constitutional amend
ment. Its advocates have got their
blood up and are going to jam its rati-
fication through regardless OF reason,
policy or the welfare Of posterity. Dr..
Morgan asks in his letter to THE Sun,
Have we a right to foreclose the lib
critics OF posterity" These people an
swer. "Posterity be id. We are not
going to be licked in this fight" What
| do the pushers-that Is a better word
than promoters" for this sort of dema-
gogue-what do these demagogues care
| 4 n
employment or a gift OF nature denied
to mankind go that they carry their
| point? Are they "prohibitionists" them
selves? Is there one OF them that does
| not touch, taste or handle" or who
| does not laugh in his sleeve at his dupes
who IL not a total abstainer for other
people, who believes and shouts his be-
lief that it is the eleventh command
! ment that the other fellow must not
look on the wine when it is red?
VIII not THE Sun please put us all
wise by printing the text OF this pro-
posed constitutional amendment 30 that
we who are about to go thirsty'-stiens
te salutamus-may study up q la the
Maine infanta. what words We are to
20 TO court over to obtain our Bill Of
Rights?
For once that amendment is part OF
our Constitution obviously to Eeep out
OF jail we will have to employ lawyers
to argue the meaning of medicine OF
beverage" That drink" does not In
clude Sip or "imbibe.' That pro-
lhibition Of SELLING is not a prohibition
OF giving" or "loaning" or borrowing
and the like. For clearly We who can
not drink rain water or tea or conet
must struggle for our lives as we'll as
our liberties. HENRY l.. BEAN
| NEW YORK. July II.