The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-03-01

TIKI LICENSE LAws.-CArsE OF
ALARM.-Mr. Anthony Kennedy has
reported to the House of Delegates an
infamous bill, entitled can Act to raise
additional Revenue to pay the debts of
the State by increasing the rates of
License to Ordinary Keepers and
Traders"
In provides that all persons who in
tend to keep a grog-sAop, who will
swear that their stock in trade will not
exceed $500, shall have license to do
so for sir dollars. 1t throws no re-
striction around the trade whatcvcr.-
No recommendation as to the necessity
for the house, or the character of the
applicant for license is required. Who
ever can raise key of whisky and few
[, plugs Of tobacco, by this bill are entitled
to open their dcns of death and hell and
! 10 questions are to be asked.
We raise the cry of alarm! Such an
act would be worse than pcsticnce and
fire to the people of the counties. 1t
would double the doggcrics that are
now prostituting our youth and poison
ing our grown men to death.
We call on the members of the Lcgis-
laturc to put their foot on this monster
Bill and crush it in the start. We call
Ell the members from Cecil to respect the
almost universal sentiment of our peo-
pie, and arise and kick it out of the
House.
What does Mr.. Anthony Kennedy
mean! Does he wish to raise revenue
off the bloated carcasscs of drunkdrds-
off the ruins of blasted homes-off the
rags and wrctchedness of the pauper
orphans of those destroyed by his multi
piled groggeries Docs he wish to
wiring revenue out of the tears and vail
ings Of the widows of rum-slan men =
In the scale of his conscience and Judge
mcnt does he weigh bestializcd men.
devastated homes, broken hearts, squalid
and starving families on the ORG hand
against rerenuc On the other? If that
be his measure, he is quite too small
man, not only for the L. s. Senate, but
for the Maryland House of Delegates.
His bill is a sliding scale. All whose
stock will not exceed $500 are to have
license for $6-that provides so benero-
tenfly, for all the little grog-shops; then
it goes up step by step till seller with
a stock of $4,000 is charged SID
There is also q sliding scale in the. bill
In regard to Ordinaries, Tavcrns, and
cook shops or oyster houses, where
liquors arc sold in quantities less than
piat-the amount of the license de-
pending on the annual rent, and varying
from $40 to $500. To this scale as
Regards these houses there can be no OBJ
lection; nor do we interpose any obiec-
ton to the scale as to storekeepcrs or
traders, if they are prohibited from sell
ing Intoxicating drinks.
We can readily suppose that this bill
of Mr.. Kenncdy's originates in the desire
in Baltimore City to make up for the loss
Of revenue by the repeal of the Stamp
tax, for Which its delegates are making
an effort; but it would be fatal bill to
the country, and SO every country menu
Der should regard it. The stamp tax
had better remain to the end of time than
to have the state saddled with such
destructive law as the one under COM
mcnt.
What the people want now is law to
prohibit all persons, except regular
Hotel Keepers from selling Intoxicating
liquors.
TO demand license of $3.50 to 5000
from every one allowed to sell.
To require every man who intends to
apply for Il license to obtain the certi6-
cate Of twenty respectable freeholders in
the immediate neighborhood that he is
Of good character, and that such house
is required by the wants of the COM
munity.
To require that the said certificate
shall be published three weeks before
the application for the license.
And to make Justices of the Peace
competent to impose fines for selling
liquor on Sunday or to minors.
We invoke the attention of our Cecil
Legislators to this subject.