Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-02-15
THE JEFFERSON INDUSTRIAL So
CIETY ON TEMPERANCE.

The following is taken from the last
Free Press.
Mr.. EDITOR In your notice of the
debate before the industrial Society
of Jefferson County" on the Liquor Ii
cense your point touching ''materiai
interest" seems to be well taken.
We suppose of course that whoever
gave the subject to go by under 1.-The
specious plea" 10 which you refer used
the term material interest in distinc-
ton from ''moral interests" or religious
interests. Very well, let us take it in
that sense.
The Industrial Society of Jefferson
County is to enquire how best the Cit
zens of the county can make money and
save money Of course i'll an honest way
"a very proper object. But does this
trclude the question of turning corn in
to whiskey and authorizing its sale as a
beverage by special license?
| observe that the question succeeds
and apparently supercedes the Liquor
License Question is this-"Would not
the raising of greater variety Of agri-
cultural products at this time inure to
the benefit Of this county ?" Learned
counsel are employed on both sides. |
can imagine that debate on this ques-
ton by lawyers might be both editying
and useful, as, for example, whether i'll
stead OF so much corn it would not be
well to cultivate a certain portion Of
black-eyed peas, or other articles which
might occur to the minds Of the dispu-
tants
/ But relative as toward the respective
! claims OF turnips, beans and the like,
/ how would the Society observe the 'ma-
terial interest Of Jefferson County" by
collecting statistics upon the points
named by such debates and action III the
premises as the material interests OF the
people should seem to demand
l. How are the material interests OF
the county effected by the use OF spirit
uous liquors
2. (o) How many places were licens-
ed by the Supervisors for selling liquor
( during the past year
(5) Were any of these licenses grant
ed in violation of law and if any how
many
(c) What amount Of money has been
received by the county forthese licenses!
(D Have any licenses been granted
without payment being made for then,
and if so on whom does the responsible
ity rest
3. What proportion Of the arrests
and criminal prosecutions have been
produced by liquor while the county
was under the government Of the Su-
peryisors what has been the absolute
! number of such arrests and what has
been the cost to the county Of such az
rests and prosecutions
f. What amount of Spirituous Ii
quors have been sold in the county du-
ring the past year, and at what expense
/ in money as near as may be
! ). How does the sale OF whlskey
effect the material interest Of the county
in the way of disabling men in support
ING their families and paying their hon
est debts?
g. If disposed to 90 further into the
general question as one of political e
conomy,let these points be raised touch
inc the culture Of corn for the manu-
facture of whiskey-
Q) If the parties raising the corn
should convert it into whiskey themsel-
YES and drink it themselves, i'll the &C
count of profit and loss on which side
would the entry have to be made ?
(2) Whether, taking the community
as unit, the solution of this question
| be not also Il solution Of the entire ques
ton of raising the material, manufacture,
sale and use Of whiSkey as a question Of
/ profit and loss
Now, Mr.. Editor, while would not
slacken ought from the pace OF the In
| dustrial Society in the pursuit of knowl-
edge about corn, sorgum, millet and the
| like, | would suggest that since it has
been shown that the amount squandered
upon Intoxicating liquors in two years
would pay the National Debt, and since
il has been demonstrated over and over
again that the trade in said liquor in
tl;cts greater calamities uponthe country
than war, pestilence and famine, thereto,
the Industrial Society might promote
the material interests Of Jefferson coun-
ty" by the inquiries suggested above
with such debates and action as might
reasonably be expected to ensue. And
such YOU may be sure is the conviction
of more than enough to justify the old
signature OF MANY CITIZENS