SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1894. THE STATE OF MAINE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4694, 13 April 1894, Page 2

SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1894. THE STATE OF MAINE.

The Wellington Evening Post has published statistics to show that there are fewer paupers in the State of Maine than in other non-probibition States, fewer young personam Reform Schools,'and a low prison population, and then proceeds to say: " The above data strongly suggests that any lasting I'rohibition, other than the dictates of a man's own conscience and sense of self-respect, may do more harm than good, for when not a fashion, excessive drinking can only be looked upon as a symptom of a debilitated or depraved nature, which, without access to drink, will show itself, in other ways, and, if artificially kept sober, will tend to perpetuate and widen the circle of, its depravity," It is rather funny to find the evidence cited against 1 prohibition to be directly in its favor, but then wemust account for this by complimenting tho ingenuity of our contemporary, who is able to twist the faot-B round so ..dexterously. Figures can be made to prove anything,' and apparently the Editor of the Post has' availed himself of this well-known license. We think the common sense of people generally can settle these little matters for themselves with-r out the aid of the statistician. If we held a brief for brewers and publicans we should admire the article published by the Post and reprinted as a leader by our local contemporary; not for its tiutli, but for its cleverness. Our own aim is rather to represent the sentiments of fathers and mothers throughout the community! These know thattheiv children have a tendency to grow up in accordance with their surroundings, and that if the latter are vicious thore is danger for their offspring. Therefore they require and demand that tho community in which they live should besdberand law-nbiding, To secure this some of them ask for prohibition and others reqviiro that uny trade which has a tendency to foster vice or immorality should bo kept under strict surveillance. If any father or mother in the community had to choose botweon placing say a son in a town like Wellington which has rather a name for 'i loose liviug," or a town like one of those in the State of Maine, where it requires a detective, to discover the haunts of vice and whore public opinion is emphatically oil the Bido of morality, an undoubted preference would bo given to the centre where prohibition was law. One half of the community, at least, demands prohibition, and a portion of the remaining moiety aeka for reduction, Both in Wellington and Masterton there are abuses of ll)e trade in Liquor which are favourable to vice and immorality, Such abuses require to be repressed, and it is far better to set about putting things right which are glaringly wiong, than by special pleading to show that an unwholesome atmosphere is preferable for the progress of the race to one that is wholesome, Prohibitionists and Reductionists, we class ourselves among the latter, will not. be - Btttisfied without a radical change in the conduct of the liquor traffic