Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-12-22

WEDNESDAY, DEC. %, 1925
The State grange has gone on
record as opposed to the proposed
scent gasoline tax. If the PROPOSE
tiOn was advanced, as suggested,
merely to get line on public senti-
ment," the proponents should be
we'll satisfied. We predict that the
legislature will hear nothing about
it next winter.
Ellsworth merchants, to date, re-
port the best Christmas trade ever.
And they deserve it, for never have
they shown more attractive goods or
made better offerings to Christmas
shoppers. OF course, the fine condi-
ton of the roads plays an important
part in this Christmas trade, but
even good roads would not bring the
shoppers if the merchants of Ellis
worth were not alive.
Last week, the Bangor chamber Of
commerce had the president of the
chamber of commerce OF Keene, NJ
H., come down here to tell it how
to put Bangor on the industrial map
of New England, as Keene had been.
And when he had finished telling
the Bangor men how Keene had
grown from city of 5000 to one
of $4,000, and a valuation of ST.
100000 to one of $18,OO0,0OO, all
within a few years, he summed it
all up in this: 1.-The first. and at all
times important factor, is co-opera-
ton" Seems as if we had heard
something like that in Ellsworth.
We have had something to say
lately about Ellsworth Knockers"
but our readers must not infer that
all residents of Ellsworth are in
that class. We have some, and then
some, we must admit, but we have
others. We ran across good
citizen" the other day. He was
asked to stand as a guarantor for
next years Chautauqua course. |
Now it so happens that, because of |
business reasons, the coming of |
Chautauqua means the loss of many |
dollars from his own pocket, but |
he recognizes the Chautauqua as
a good thing for the community. He
put community welfare above pri-
vate gain, and signed the Chautau
qua guarantee. We need a few
more citizens like that.
"You can't convict hundred mil
ion dollars" was the terse comment
If one United States senator on the
verdict. This was but
4 picturesque way of voicing an
ism that threatens the very foun-
1ation of our government, and is
rapidly being accepted by many as
l truism. 1t is fostered by our laws,
which create loopholes available for
he rich but closed to the poor man.
It is making our courts laughing
stock and our juries joke. But a
fact that is too often overlooked is
that our laws are fashioned with
he view, primarily, of safeguarding
The innocent, rather than for the
punishment of the guilty. Is it not
better that dozen guilty men
escape than that one innocent man
should be convicted?
In charging the grand jury at the
opening Of the United States dis ,
,rict court in Portland last week,
Judge John A. Peters took occasion /
10 criticize the action of a federal
grand jury in New York state that
recently recommended that the Vol
stead act be repealed. LAS individ-
uals, members of the grand jury or
any other jury, have a right to |
their personal opinions concerning
laws and legislation" he said, but
rs a part of court such an ex-
preston from any such official BODY
impresses me as being apart from
their duties" Judge Peters also
advised the jury that he believes
petty oences against the liquor
laws are more properly within the
scope of local police authorities, ana
urged it to strike blows at the
source of the traffic, smuggling con-
spiracies and the larger commercial
transactions, rather than present in
dictments in the "half-pint class.