Maine Law
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:01 amThere is a very interesting article dated 17 February 1909 from the Courier-Journal in a taylor Scrapbook. It discusses the Maine Prohibition laws and the fact that for the past four years they have had a governor that actually tried to enforce the laws.
Maine was one of the first states to go "dry" and for decades had a prohibition law on the books. The truth of the matter was that they enforced the law only for two reasons. The first was if the establishment selling the alcohol got out of hand and started creating other problems. The second was when they wanted extra money to build new court house or some other community project. They really had their own form own licensing in that they would raid a saloon, bring the owner to court and he would pay his fines. They would do this about twice a year and the fines were actually less than the licenses in other states. As long as the owner paid his fines, his establishment would be allowed to open up again. The counties prospered and the saloons prospered.
When Governor Cobb was elected he decided to enforce prohibition. He had the state legislature pass an enforcement act that actually gave him some police power to enforce the prohibition laws. This proved so unpopular that at the time of the writing of the article the state of Maine was looking at repealing the enforcement act. The Republican party was also trying to distance themselves from their unpopular Governor.
It is really interesting in the the fact that24 years down the road, the nation would mirro what was going on in Maine in 1909. National prohibition would also be repealed and the Republican President who tried to enforce it would be ousted by a Democrat.
Mike Veach
Maine was one of the first states to go "dry" and for decades had a prohibition law on the books. The truth of the matter was that they enforced the law only for two reasons. The first was if the establishment selling the alcohol got out of hand and started creating other problems. The second was when they wanted extra money to build new court house or some other community project. They really had their own form own licensing in that they would raid a saloon, bring the owner to court and he would pay his fines. They would do this about twice a year and the fines were actually less than the licenses in other states. As long as the owner paid his fines, his establishment would be allowed to open up again. The counties prospered and the saloons prospered.
When Governor Cobb was elected he decided to enforce prohibition. He had the state legislature pass an enforcement act that actually gave him some police power to enforce the prohibition laws. This proved so unpopular that at the time of the writing of the article the state of Maine was looking at repealing the enforcement act. The Republican party was also trying to distance themselves from their unpopular Governor.
It is really interesting in the the fact that24 years down the road, the nation would mirro what was going on in Maine in 1909. National prohibition would also be repealed and the Republican President who tried to enforce it would be ousted by a Democrat.
Mike Veach