The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-08-04
LIQUOR LICENSES.

The publication of the lists of Signers tC
those petitions has called public attention
anew to this subject and many different
whole subject Of the regulation of the sale
of intoxicating liquors has been a knotty
problem to our law. makers for many years,
and there has not yet appeared the master
mind among those who propose to abate
the evils growing out of the sale of liquors
by regulating and licensing IL that has
brought forward a law that in any elfectnal
manner accomplishes the end sought.
Two objects are attempted in all plans
for restrictive license which are directly
and squarely Incompatible with each other.
The first is question Of revenue merely.
but it directly affects the second, as we
shall show in few words as possible to make
the subject clear in mere newspaper arti-
Gle, and if there arc points needing further
explanation, the article may be continued.
The second object of restrictive license is
to lessen, as the term implies, the amount
sold, by lessening the number of those en-
gagged in the retail trade which will curtail
the wholesale business also.
We will dispose of the first question in
few words by simple reference to our
court records, which show that the whole
sum received from this source does not paw
the cost of the criminal cases growing out
of tights and murders perpetrated by men
who would never be subjects of Indictment
if always in their sober senses. With the
slightest excitement our drinking popula
ton fly to the stimulus of rum to make
themselves ready tools for any sort Of the
DEVILS work. Witness the wholesale riot,
arson, plumber and murder now Or recently
going ON, and then soc the motive power
that has converted our large pauper and
foreign population into demons. That hum
dreds of honest men of all nationaliteS are
in sympathy with the strikers there can be
no doubt, and that some violence has been
done by those that have been in the en-
ploy of the railroads is admitted, but such
deeds of devastation would never have been
perpetrated by them. They disown any in
tention of injury to life or private property
with scorn, and were ready to listen to rea-
son and only asked a fair adjustment of
their grievances. They are mostly men of
Intelligence and have always done their
duty faithfully, with very few accidents to
life or property, of the vast interests that
have been entrusted to their care. The
men whose constant vigilance runs these
immense freight lines with the regularity
of clock work and pilot our loaded passen-
ger trains by day and by night with safety
and dispatch, often periling their own lives,
are entitled to our gratitude.
This strike of'the railroad employees has
been the pretext for the worst elements of
society to rise in defiance to all law. The
result is known to all. The part that ''kng
alcohol y has enacted in the disorder it is
not necessary to exactly define, but the
daily papers all tell us they never saw
drunkenness SO prevalent; even on Sunday
the sale in Baltimore was unreStrained.
Any one, not wilfully blind, can see that
on the score of revenue the liquor business
is "a tremendous loss to the State. We have
been sleeping, as it were, on a powder maya
zine, under our present law and chance
spark now threatens to demolish the ship
of State.
The Government cannot license a bust
ness and not give its judicial support to it.
judicial also gives mordl support. Every
legitimate business is protected by law and
should be. The tax paid for Licenses is for
maintenance Of government, and in return
the State guarantees security in all things
essential to secure "life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness" There is not the
slightest hinderance thrown in the way of
any business, or to prevent any man from
engaging in it, Chat is now recognized as
lawful be he rich Or poor, after paying a
mere nominal revenue tax, except this
single traffic in Intoxicating drinks. This
is now SO hampered up with restrictions of
bond and twelve freehold signcrs as to
imply preSUmptiyo evidence Of fraud on
the part of every man who will engage i'll
it. Can any Christian engage in a business
that is branded, and must brand every man