The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-06-27

atCenQ the OXIOrO L ar TO see the answer Ill
regards our neighboring county of Chester
We are extremely sorry that our news
paper press of New York, Philadelphia
and Baltimore, have always been more free
to criticise and abuse the law in Massachu
sets and elsewhere, than to give the plair
statements of facts, and hence we cannot
wonder at the ignorance of some of yeul
correspondents whose information is de-
rived wholly or mainly from these sources
These blind guides assert that the law is a
failure, when the people of Massachusetts,.
after repeated trials, having had prohibi
ton in 1867, license in 1868, prohibition in
1862 excepting malt liquors, in 1S70-1-2,
and prohibition in 1878 and 1874, now fully
endorse the latter. If the law is failure
as these papers would make us believe, why
are the people so slow to repeal it? and
why did they re-elect the Governor who
favors it, and now have elected him to the
United States Senatee Or if he we're not
sustained by the people, how dare the pres
ent Governor veto an act that was intended
to cripple the law? Why has Rhode Island
enacted a prohibitory law?
Governor Claf1n, under date of January,
1869, writes: I" The effect of the change in
the law in regard to the sale of spirituous
and Intoxicating liquors, made by the last
Legislature, has hardly been fully devel-
oped; but from such information as has
reached me, it would seem to be unsatis-
factory to the people generally, in every
respect. For quarter of century the
State had been free from the legal sale of
Intoxicating liquors, with slight exceptions
in one or two counties. The
increase of drunkenness and crime during
the last six months as compared with the
same period of 1867, is very marked and
decisive as to the operations of the law.
The State prison, jails and houses of cor
rection are being rapidly filled, and will
soon require increased accommodations, if
the commitments continue as they have
since the present law went into force. 1t
seems, then, essential that the present sys-
tenn should be abandoned.
Under date of January, 1870, he writes:
"The act concerning the manufacture and
sale of intoxicating liquors, has now been
in force six months. Within this short
period much has been done to stop the gen.
eral sale of liquors. The people of the
State will not submit patiently to the res
toration of the open bar, that relic of a
less enlightened period. There is indeed a
wonderful change in the ideas and habits
of the community, resulting from the gen.
eral diffusion of intelligence the discussion
of the use of intoxicating beverages, and
the restraining influences Of lap."
The Legislature of 1870 submitted the
question. to direct vote of the people, and
out of 140 towns voting, 119 decided to
prohibit the sale, as appears by the Gov
ernors message.
Governor Washburn, in January, 1872,
writes: cit has been truly said that what
it is wrong to use as beverage, it is wrong
to sell as such. What the highest good of
the community requires us to repel, no
member of the community has the right to
supply. There is an opinion some
what prevalent that the Executive, if so
disposed, has full power to enforce the law
now on our statute books. Would to God
that his arm were long enough and strong
enough to close up forever every liquor
shop in the entire Commonwealth so effec-
tually that it would be necessary, for those
who patronize such places to go beyond
our bounds to get their supply of intoxi-
eating drinks by whatever name desig-
mated"
Hear what he says of the agency for
enforcing this law, the State constabulary:
"The force is too small for the proper
performance of the duty required of it.
No reasonable mind ought to expect that
seventy men can promptly reach every vio-
lation of the law among population Of
nearly one and ahalf millions, scattered
over such an area as that of our State. If
it is desired that the force shall really be
effective, it ought at least to be increased
to it's former strength of 140 persons. If
the liquor nuisances of the State are to be
thoroughly broken up, steps must be taken
to make the business Improbable as well
as dishonorable. To this end the mere
handful of men in the constabulary is
wholly inadequate.
The aggregate receipts last year by the
State and counties from this branch of the
public service, over and above e1pendi-
lures, was upwards of 100000, showing
that in pecuniary point of view, there is
no reason why the force should not be
placed on an efficient basis"
From Governor WashbuIn's message for
1873, we quote: elf, under licenses to sell
ale and beer, the sales could be confined to
those articles Though in most cases a thirst
for stronger drinks would be created) the
evil resulting from such license would be
paratively small. But the chief con
stable of the Commonwealth expresses the
opinion that at least nine-tenths of our
beer Stops use their licenses as cover for
the sale of distilled spirits. A beer-shop,
so-called, has cause to mean generally a
place where all klnQS Oh intoxicating liquors
are furnished.
If the law in reference to the liquor traf-
fic is not enforced, the general impression
seems to prevail that the fault must be
either in the Executive Or the police officer.
1t is easy to lay sins of omission in this
regard at their doors.
But at recent term of the court in one
of our counties, through the efforts Of an
officer, a common seller, one who had been
found guilty three or four times, was again
brought to trial and conviction, and SEN
fenced to fine of ten dollars ard costs,
which sum his clerk easily made in profits
on sales during the trial. In another case
a party found guilty of the same olfense,
was sentenced to a fine of 5000 and costs
and Imprisonment in the house of correc-
ton for six months. This sentence made
the violation of the law not only unprofita-
BILE but decidedly disagreeable."
Again in January, 1874, he writes: " So
long as nine-tenths of the crimes COM
mittel in our State are traceable to the use