580 



MAINE. 



private, better farms, better -ways of life, and increased 

 prosperity, mark very emphatically the result of pro- 

 hibition. No one who knows what Maine was before 

 the law, and what it has been since, and is now, can 

 fail to see the wonderful change for the better in all its 

 interests, public and private. 



On the other hand, a writer who has visited 

 Maine, and claims to have obtained some 

 knowledge of the operation of the law in the 

 State, says : 



It is so strictly enforced that you can not get a bot- 

 tle of sherry or brandy at a drug-store, except upon 

 the prescription of a physician, and then the quantity 

 sold is limited to a pint in every instance. No wine is 

 sold to be drunk at dinner in hotels. A person's pri- 

 vate supply must be replenished outside of the State. 

 The only authorized liquor-dealer is the State govern- 

 ment. A " State Liquor Agent" is appointed by the 

 Governor, who opens a warehouse. Twenty citizens 

 of any town may petition to have a town agency 

 opened, and the Governor makes an investigation of 

 the case. If he is favorably disposed, a town agent is 

 appointed, who rents a building and is supplied with 

 liquors from the State agency. When a person wants 

 a pint of brandy he applies to the local agent, but he 

 can not have it unless he is known to be a reputable 

 citizen, or can find some " reputable citizen" to iden- 

 tify him as such. The brandy is sold only for " medi- 

 cinal or mechanical " purposes, the mechanical large- 

 ly predominating. When the applicant receives nis 

 liquor, he registers his name in a oook that is open for 

 the inspection of the public. Great care is supposed 

 to be taken against allowing this transaction to be re- 

 peated too frequently. So much for the manner in 

 which the law is enforced. Now as to the manner in 

 which the law is not enforced. The city of Portland 

 has a population of 35,000, and one local agent suffices 

 to accommodate all the demands made m the legal 

 way ; but it is not to be supposed that nearly all of 

 tlfbse 35,000 people abstain from the use of intoxicat- 

 ing liquors. Five per cent, of them drink as much 

 as they would if there were a saloon on every corner. 

 A system of social clubs prevails, by means of which 

 the law is successfully evaded. An ordinary club is 

 organized, procures and furnishes rooms. A side- 

 board is one of the articles of furniture, and it is well 

 laden. A member of the club drops in, helps himself, 

 and extends the courtesy of the club to a friend. The 

 waiter in attendance registers the amount and quality 

 of the liquor drunk, and at the end of the month the 

 treasurer of the club " assesses" the individual " club 

 dues" to a corresponding amount. The popularity 

 of these clubs throughout the State is marvelous. 



A mass State Temperance Convention was 

 held at Augusta on January 22d. Governor 

 Garcelon presided. A series of resolutions 

 was adopted, which return sincere thanks to 

 .God for the progress made in the cause ; ex- 

 press a firm conviction of the righteousness of 

 the principle of prohibition ; declare that scien- 

 tific investigation has proved that alcohol is 

 not essential even as a medicine ; recognize the 

 evil of liquor agencies and call for a more strict 

 supervision ; assert that while many druggists 

 are honorable men, they should not have spe- 

 cial privileges in the sale of intoxicating liquors ; 

 express opposition to the wholesale transporta- 

 tion of liquors into the State by public carriers, 

 railroads, etc. ; call for legislative enactment on 

 the_ same; urge temperance organizations to 

 action; call for the education in temperance 

 principles of the children and youth, and ask 

 parents, guardians, and teachers to do their 

 duty in this respect ; demand the use of tem- 



perance text-books in our schools ; and request 

 Congress, by constitutional amendment, to for 

 ever prohibit the importation, manufacture, and 

 sale of alcoholic drinks. 



The National or Greenback -Labor Conven- 

 tion assembled at Portland on June 3d. There 

 were 910 delegates. William M. Rust was se- 

 lected for President of the Convention. Joseph 

 L. Smith was nominated for Governor, and the 

 following resolutions were adopted : 



This Convention reaffirms the cardinal principles 

 enunciated in the platform of the National Greenback 

 Convention of Maine, holden at Lewiston June 5, 

 1878, and looks with pride and satisfaction at the en- 

 dorsement of the same by the people at the September 

 election, and the rapid growth of the party in the 

 country at large, the vote at the latest elections show- 

 ing the unprecedented increase from 82,000 in 1876 to 

 130.000 in 1878. 



That the increase of coin bonded indebtedness of 

 the Government in a time of profound peace, from 

 $1,100,000,000 in 1865 to $2,000,000,000 in 1879, is a 

 fact so startling as to alarm every Mend of the coun- 

 try. 



That the reduction of the rate of coin interest, and 

 at the same time increasing the principal to such an 

 amount as to vastly increase the coin interest continu- 

 ally, under the pretext of economy by the reduction 

 of the rate of interest, is such a deception and fraud 

 upon the people as to merit the most severe condemna- 

 tion. 



1. Resolved, That we favor the unlimited coinage of 

 gold and silver, to be supplemented by full legal-ten- 

 der paper money, sufficient to transact the business of 

 the country. 



2. Resolved, That we favor the immediate use of the 

 coin in the Treasury for the reduction of the bonded 

 debt. 



3. Resolved, That we favor the substitution of 

 greenbacks for national-bank notes. 



4. Resolved, That the volume of our money should 

 not vary with the chance production of the precious 

 metals or the caprice of corporations. 



5. Resolved, That a graduated tax on incomes is im- 

 peratively demanded, to the end that the capital of the 

 country may equally bear its burdens. 



6. Resolved., That we oppose all subsidies or legal- 

 ized monopolies, and denounce as one of the highest 

 crimes corruption at the ballot-box. We favor few 

 and simple laws, and those vigorously enforced. 



7. Resolved, That we hereby denounce communism 

 in all its forms and phases. 



This Convention also congratulates the people of 

 Maine upon the reforms inaugurated by the Nationals 

 and carried forward by the last Legislature of Maine, 

 whereby the expenses of the State and counties have 

 been greatly reduced, while the efficiency of the pub- 

 lic service nas in no way been impaired ; and we de- 

 mand a continuance of the policy of retrenchment and 

 all true reform and the practice of the most rigid econ- 

 omy in all departments of the public service. 



The decay of American shipping is a subject that 

 justly causes anxiety and alarm, and its revival should 

 enlist the closest attention of our entire people ; and 

 we demand such legislation as shall cause its early 

 restoration. 



The Eepublican State Convention assembled 

 at Bangor on June 26th. The number of dele- 

 gates present was 1,238. F. A. Pike was select- 

 ed for temporary and permanent President. 

 On the third ballot Daniel F. Davis was nomi- 

 nated for Governor. The following resolutions 

 were then adopted : 



principL 



