MAINE'S EMANCIPATION.

NZ Truth, Issue 327, 30 September 1911, Page 7

MAINE'S EMANCIPATION.

FREED FROM PURITANIC THRALDOM. The Tratii of the Prohibition Set-Back.

Democrats Pledged to its Repeal.

This is the year of Maine's emancipation. Having had over a century of Wowseristic "domination the State of Maine has now declared for liberty an d has cast oil the shackles of a Puritanical Prohibition, thus endorsing her decision of September, 1010, when, for the first time m over 30 years, she elected a democrat to office.

Governor Plaisted was elected on a platform the strongest factor and deciding- issue of which was the Prohibition Issue. The Democratic Party asserted that Prohibition was a failure and a fraud, and was produ.-.Uve of corruption and hypocrisy, and tended to produce pauperism and prevented prosperity .and progress,, and that m the event of.', the election of ; . their. (De"itiocrai)" candidates they pledged themselves to re-submit the' whole Prohibition question, to the people, and thus to register their wish as to' ' whether the obnoxious laws which prevailed m Maine should be repealed. . . Governor Plaisted declared m his inaugural address, delivered- on Jan.ymry,s,.l9ti, "The majority of voters :of this State have registered a dej sire- for this to be done, and- that ! although thi^S; question is difficult |to approach . without, encountering | prejudice and blind fanaticism, it is your duty to consider it fairly,; having m view the present conditions and welfare of the State. The issue presented and given a prominent place for years was whether a Constitutional amendment prohibiting the manufacture and sale'of intoxicating liquors should be submitted to . Popular vote and "a resolution of the Legislature, and it has now been made possible for the first time m the history of Prohibition m Maine to ascertain the will of the people of the State of Maine at election when no party contests for the control of Government or. the political claims of rival candidates could detract from the consideration of this important question." ♦' «■ W 1' Governor Plaisted further stat?d m his address that the people of Maine had unmistakably set the seal of condemnation upon this law, and by the most potent means at their disposal, that is the ballot, have, repudiated the law and that the time had arrived when plain words should be spoken. For more than half a century the State had upon its Statute Book and for over a quarter of a century m the constitution of the State legislation prohibiting- the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, and he stated, "In looking back over • these . years no fair-minded man •could refrain from feelings of disgust."- The results of this referendum m Maine when it is considered with the history of Prohibition m those States, which originally adopted Prohibition. conclusively proves the failure of Prohibition, and the fact that eig-ht of the States which originally adopted this system during- the past half century have all now abandoned it and gone j back to a policy of License and Regulation, shows m unmistakable terms that Prohibition is least liked where ; it is best known. * * * The eight States which have-turn-,. Ed down the No-license nonsense are^i as follows :— Maine, the home of Neil Dow: ! (the father of Prohibition). It has just wiped otit the law which. was enacted m 1858, and later forced into the constitution of the State. New Hampshire adopted Prohibition m 1855 ; repealed it m 1903. Vermont adopted Prohibition inr--1850.; repealed it mi n ..1903. Massacheusetts adopted Prohibi'tio n m 1852 ; repealed it m 1868. Re-adopted Prohibition m 1869 ;a.nd.repealed it m 3 875. Rhode Island adopted Prohibition m _18f>2 ; repealed it m 1868. Readopted Prohibition m ISB6, a.nd repealed it m 1875. Connecticut adopted Prohibition m 1554 ; repealed it m 1872.. Michigan adopted Prohibition m 1885 ;. repealed it m IROS. Illinois adopted Prohibition. m" 1851 : repealed it m 1853. New York adopted Prohibition m 1855, but declared it unconstittitiorml. and has always since maintained a system of License and Regulation. ,