The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-07-19
How the Present License Law Operates
and How 1t is Eyaded.

We have on several occasions carefully
perused the License Laws of the State of
Maryland and on them and the list of APP
plicants for hotel license, as recently pub
lished, we wish now to make few obser-
vationS.
The law requires that call applican ts
for hotel license shall be recommended by
two freeholders in their immediate uicinity
Now, we would like to know what is the
meaning of the words immediate vicin-
ity," or what it constitutss to make free
holder.
Now, if this law was ever made to be
enforced, we think it is high time that
we had a judicial decision that should de-
fine definitely what distance it requires to
place a man out of the immediate gacinity
of an applicant for s hotel license, for if
we are to judge by the locations of some
of those that have signed, anywhere in the
same District, will suffice under the law.
For instance, one now keeping house
in the middle Of Port Deposit gets broth
er dealer 81 miles up the river for one, and
another 4 miles off at Rowlandsville, for
the other signer on his recommendation
Another whose license was suppressed by
the Court few years ago, now gets his
license out in his wife's name, and to make
sure of it, gets liquor dealers in the place.
and others, or 10 in all to sign, including
the name of one of the Hon., the County,
Commissioners, unless there be some
mistake.
One clever fellow who is known to be
entirely unfit at present to be entrusted
with the trade of making topers, gets his
very obliging bar tender and another of
his best customers, that is not worth 81 in
unencumbered property, to certify that it is
needed that he should keep public house.
We find the name of one Constable at
tached to the bond of a man who is likely
to give him more business than all the 9TH
er voters in his District, especially during
Camp Meeting time. A few years ago the
name of the committing Magistrate was
also ON the list, and we would respectfully
suggest that he 60 on it again and then
the trio can Saving around the circle }" in
| fine style. One to make them drunk and
disorderly," one to arrest them, and a
Magistrate to fine them, and all can have a
share of the profits.
! Out of the So names that appear on the
list as sgners for Al licenses, at least 10 are,
or have been within a short time, in the
| al 10
81 did the business for the whole county,
some signing or times but this year
only two names appear twice. There must
be more men having an ambition to have
their names in print than there were, or
else few have become tired of carrying
so much responsibility and possible
notoriety.
How many of those whose names are in
| this list are members of Christian churches,
we do not suppose is known, but we are
aware of the fact that few who once
signed these petitions, being members of
och urch," have ceased to do it.
hurt the feelings of any one, we'll knowing
that it is the law that makes every voter
responsible for the present state of things,
but the law does not compel any man to
| become the eats paw in business he is
ashamed of.
Those who take out license. have to be
qualified that they have all the requisites
to meet the requirements of the law. but
their signers are not required to know any
thing about it, and SO the applicant can be
sworn through on the slightest pretense of
accommodations.
If there is any other law on eur books SO
clumsy in its construction, and so impossi-
BILE of enforcement, we would like to be
| informed of it. There is certainly no 9th
or that gives to two or three men the pow
er to rule a town in any particular, and
gives the people no chance of appeal OF
redress G.