Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-05-08


alizing to have law not executed, and
SO much perjury. True-true-most
true, and as sad as it is true. But are
you going to look for remedy in going
back to license You have but 10 ask
how it was under license.
Reason No. We'll then grant Ii
cense only to men who will not abuse
it to promote loafing, drunkenness and
crime But this is feat which no
T, Legislature or court hasever yet accom-
plished. And then too you will en-
counter the cry Of mo monopoly-ali
or none"-"well then charge high for
a license $500 if you WILL" But this
brings up another cry, you deprive
the poor man of the privilege of selling
and give to the rich, and then another
objects, "if you put the license toe high
they'll sell without license" True aud
$500 man may do as much mischief
as a $50 man.
The liquor men in Pennsylvania avail
ing themselves of the confusion attend
ing the reorganization Of political parties
in that State got the local option law
repealed, and to soothe the people the
Legislature substituted aterrible license
law, with tax for selling ranging from
s1OO 10 $500, according to amount
sold, but it will face with the revenue
of PENNSYLVANIA under the oaths Of the
retailers as it faces with that OF the
| United States under the oaths Of the
distillers.
Reason No. s.-But the people are
rot in favor of no license. So the ad-
rocafes of license say. But those op-
posed to license say just the contrary,
and want nothing SO much as fair
test, and we can think of no fairer test
than this-let the magistrates go on
voting as they have voted, aud then at
the next election let those who want
license, raise this distinct issue and turn
these magistrates out if they can, and
put proiessedly liquor magistrates IN
their places, and see if it can be done.
Don't mix up anything with it which
shall obfuscate the point, and give an
opportunity to dodge, but keep this one
issue pure and simple before the people,
and surely it can be afforded for once.
The no-license men are willing to test
their sincerity upon this issue-let us see
if the license men are.
Not that we suppose all the people to
be right. Would to God it were so,
and lamentable to say, some OF the
drunkards are nearer right than some
of the temperate. Something like a
dozen Incorporate men thanked one
magistrate for his vote, when number
of men protesting temperance and mem
bers of Churches blamed him for it.
But who for the most part are those
who are crying out for license' An
old writer says, one cricket in a medow
will make more noise than hundred
grazing oxen.
But we do not despise our opponents
either their numbers or their persons or
anything about them except their logic.
We profess to be their truest friends la
boring more for their good than our
own, though the true interest OF the
whole community in this thing is one
and the same. But we cannot be blind
to the fact that elsewhere the liquor
men in other States have resorted to
every art to keep open an unobstructed
way to drinking.
They have tried bribery and threats
and false swearing and false statistics,
and intimidations, trying to scare Oft
witnesses, and scare editors, and scare
writers, and judges, and scare lawyers
from appearing against them. But these
have had but small success, while the
tide of truth is setting steadily against
them, and now especially we rejoice to
hear in the Southern States, North and
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mis-
sissippi, Tennessee, aid certainly IN
many Of the counties Of Old Virginia.
Should the court recede from the ground
it has taken the question must be re-
agitated throughout the county unit!
the people are fully informed and their
unbiased Judgment obtained. This
right of suffrage is at once our glory
and our peril. Certain classes arc sure
to vote and if others do not they can
blame none but themselves for the re-
suit. An active minority will govern
in its own interest supine majority to
the end Of time.
Should the court adhere to its present
policy and shut down upon beer, which
is made such a mask for selling whisky
(surely it has had no such evidence OF
Ieinc in minority as it had laid before
it in May last in the shape OF nearly
two thousand names of being in the
majority then the next business will be
for all preachers, lawyers, judges, edl-
tors and whosoeyer may have influence
in the realm of ethics, to educate the
people up to conviction of the sacred
ness of an cath, and the sin before God
and crime by human law OF violating it,
and this not for the cause now in band
only, but for all causes and in every
mans behalf who seeks for that justice
which the whole machinery of law, and
its officials was intended 10 secure.
1t is said that from the good habits
generally prevalent in the western coun-
ties any reasonable improvements OF
law may be had from the Legislature.
REMEDIES.
/. A local option law.
2. Such an amendment Of the jury
laws rs will allow the Commonwealth