EFFECT OF THE MAINE LAW.
By Neal Dow
As AN illustration of the general effect of the law in Maine, I repeat a story told me by an eminent Presbyterian clergyman, of Newark, N. J., when I was his guest, some time ago. He said he spent six weeks of the preceding summer at Kennebunkport, in Maine, at a large hotel there. In the old rum time that town was a very drunken place, as all great shipbuilding towns in Maine were. My informant said, when he was there, there were several great ships on the stocks, in process of construction. He took especial and constant pains to observe; but he saw no indication of strong drink anywhere. He took especial pains to inquire; but could not learn that intoxicating liquors were sold in the town, and he did not believe there was a grog shop there, either secret or open. That town, in this respect, is not exceptional. The same story would be true of the smaller towns in the State generally. The friends of the licensed traffic point exultingly to Bangor, and exclaim: "Ah! bah! The law is a failure." No; it has only failed of execution there temporarily, I think, as all the indications there point in that direction. Young men from other States come here as to an asylum for shelter from the temptations to drink by which they are surrounded at home; and they remain here many months, until weaned from their dreadful appetite. One of them, whom I know, has been here two years, from Boston. There is one young man here now from England, sent to my care, to be sheltered from temptation. He was an abject slave of drink. The drink bill of Maine, in proportion to its population, would be now about thirteen million dollars; and we used to drink our full share of the vast national aggregate. But now I am confident that half a million will cover the cost of all that is smuggled into the State for illegal sale. Ex-Gov. Dingley, in a speech in Portland city hall, some time ago, said we could afford to set the amount down at a million dollars, and the difference would overwhelmingly vindicate the policy of prohibition and the wisdom of the law. No man of character has ever ventured to take issue on that point with the Governor.—Hon. Neal Dow.