Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-01-20
A ConstitutionaIly Dry United States.

With the 10th of January the eight
eenth amendment to the constitution OF
the United States went into effect, by
which the manufacture and sale of slco-
holic liquor for beverage purposes in the
United States is entirely prohibited.
Laws to provide for the enforcement OF
this amendment have already been
passed.
In the last few years Of surprising and
sometimes almost Incredible happenings,
there have been two amazing things in
this country. One was the passage and
acceptance by all but q small fraction of
the people of the CONSUMPTION act in the
war, and the other was the speed and
almost unanimity with which the prohib-
itory amendment was adopted. Among
the great nations of the earth, the United
States of America now stands unique rs
the only one In which alcoholic liquor is
absolutely outlawed.
There will be sttempts-there are now
in progress attempts-to have the courts
declare the amendment invalid for one
reason and another, such as legal bubble
or ingenuity can suggest. Until these
questions are finally ruled upon by the
competent authority, there is OF course a
possible question, but TO the ordinary lay
mind the doubt Is so slight as 70 be neg
ligible. The movements toward obstruc-
ton Of the amendment are the last for
lorn hope of John Bsrleycorn.
Many well-meaning men have been op-
posed to prohibitory laws, either from a
nice-but OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Of per
sonsl liberty" or because Of disbelief in
its efficiency, or both; but there are few
dissenters from the opinion, backed mp
by the moral sense of the people from
one angle, and the cold facts of scientific
investigation from another angle, that
the moral and material welfare and eff
cheney of the country will be greatly ad |
vanced by the outlawing of booze. The
change of sentiment in this respect in
the past few years has been something
remarkable.
1t Is true that the tax on liquors has
been adding about five hundred million |
dollars a year to the revenue of the
national government, which has now
ceased, and on this revenue is based one
of the arguments against prohibition. A |
more fallacious argument never was ad- |
vsnced. The economic gain In eliminst-
ing the waste and all the attendant OK
pense of the consumption of liquor sew
ersl times offsets the loss of the tax.
So the country may well rejoice, and
those who have long been working to &C.
complish this result may make Jan. 10,
1920, the brightest red letter day ever
marked on their calendar.
Having thus congratulated ourselves,
it Is time for the "but"-and there is a
but, and it is,
Bat, the fight against liquor is not yet
ended. By no means.
Not in the rest of the world. Not
even In this country.
Alcohol has for too many centuries
played part in the affairs of men to be
eliminated at one stroke, even from
America. It has figured in high life and
low life. The pages of literature are sat
urated with It. Whoever is deceived
thereby is not wise, but Ii has been mis-
takenly tolerated by thousands, and by
others regarded as a boon, even as the
gift of God. There are thousands even
now who consider that to deprive them
Of the privilege of procuring it as they
wish is an unwsrrantable interference
with their personal liberty"
There will be evssions Of the law, II
evasion is possible. There will be viola
tons of the law. In some localities
here may be open and fragrant viola
ion of the law, with the connivance and
support of the people. Maine had the
irst prohibitory law in the country, and
has had II for two generations. Sur
sounded by license territory, Maine Ia
bored under difficulties in the enforce
nent of the law, bat after making all al
owances, the history of the Maine law
md its enforcement and qualification is
rot an entirely pleasant record TO open
md read. II
There will be difficulties 10 enforce
nent. But there Is one good feature of 8
be situation. Federal agents in charge
II enforcement will be little affected by |
ocsl conditions or sentiment, as local
officers might be, and are in
,eneral more likely to apply the law i'm
,artially and vigorously. n
That q certain amount OF education Z
3 still necessary Is appreciated by the
ederal authorities. Deputy Commits
Toner of Internal Revenue Gaylord says
o q recent address that We "sre going to Z
chieve prohibition" which 10 neat and
ignificant way of putting Ii. he names
Il years az the term for this achieve e
nsnt, and says that sin that time the \
ointment of every lsw-abiding, self-re-
pecting citizen will be solidly behind Z
rohibitiop."
Whether IL takes six years or sixteen n
D achieve prohibition, the honest, thor
ugh and impartial enforcement Of the =
Nv will receive the approval of the peo-
le generally. Through all the vicissi-
AIDES of endorsements In Maine 1t has q
cen so; IL will be so In al the country. a
.-- CT