PROHIBITION REPEALED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14806, 9 October 1911, Page 7

PROHIBITION REPEALED.

MAINE ISSUE SETTLED,

:* A SMALL MAJORITY.

£j Telegraph.— AMonlation.—Copyrlehl New York, , October 6. The State of Maine has repealed prohibition by a small majority. • - The issue was for a long time in doubt. 1

THE TRADE VIEW.

THE FAILURE OF PROHIBITION.

41 The news which was received by the Auckland Provincial Council, and subsequently published, regarding the repeal of prohibition in Maine has now been otlicially confirmed," remarked Mr. Leo M. Myers, when the cable was referred to him last night. '"The official news, however, makes it seem quite incomprehensible how the leaders of the No-license party have been so misled as to claim a victory for prohibition, in view of the published information. I can sympathise with them in their desire to lessen somewhat the weight'of the blow which has fallen upon their cause. As is well known, at the last referendum taken in Maine on this subject 23 years ago the prohibition party had a majority of 44,000 votes, which majority has now been turned into a minority of 20. This conclusively proves that after a most exhaustive trial the people of Maine are satisfied as to the utter failure of prohibition. Visitors from Maine for years, past, including many ardent temperance reformers, recognised that as soon as the people had an opportunity of voting -upon it the overthrow « of prohibition was a foregone conclusion. The action of the people of Maine confirms that taken by the people of the other seven. original States that tried prohibition,- viz., New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Connecticutt, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, : i and Michigan, all of which have repealed the prohibition laws. In view of the fact that the No-license parity in New Zealand have for 20 years been holding up Maine from platform and newspaper column as a bright example for this Dominion to follow it will be interesting to watch how local,prohibition leaders will now regard the action of the people of Maine. In the inaugural address of the Democratic Governor of Maine, elected last September, he stated most emphatically that the illicit trading and corruption existing in Maine - was a standing disgrace to its people." 1

A PROHIBITIONIST VIEW.

"NO LOCAL SIGNIFICANCE.'.'

When the cable was referred to Mr. H. E. Pacey, of the local No-license party, he stated:—"The cable which was published some days since stating that the Maine vote was a prohibition victory was , from Dr. Berry, president of the Civic Reform League, and confirms a former message which came through the Press Association. Apparently a recount has changed the re- | suit, which I regret, because of the confu- | sion of the issue which it will. cause here. : Of course it is something of a victory for : the liquor traders, who have fought a particularly keen fight, backed, by money ; and help from their fellows,' practically all over 1 the United States. It, . however, does not mean a return to license. Latterly item-; perance reform in America has been by the direct vote of the people, as ;in New. Zea- ' land, rather than by. the vote of the Legislature, and the ground has- been' cleared for the application of this method in Maine. It ' seems that the position -is* the same as in Vermont, U.S.A. , Vermont repealed prohibition some years since, and reverted - to' option,. but: only 29 places reverted to license, about 240 still being nolicense. lam certain that the position in Maine will be the same, and I do not doubt that Maine will maintain its former traditions, and that, license, will . generally be excluded. There; has been » wave of democracy in Maine, as „ indicated by \the return 'of the Democratic party 'to power, and' one iof the principles of "democracy is to I leave such •. issues ' in * the - hands :of - the people. , I do not doubt , that many, of .the electors who voted in favour of . the; repeal of prohibition, in pursuance of-the democratic method of deciding the matter," will vote no-license when that issue is ' put before; them. The Maine-incident 1 -has no local significance. American conditions are different to those in New Zealand, and our most cogent argument - in favour . of v nolicense for several years past has been its success where tried in New Zealand."