Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-10-29
A Few Words on the Other Side.

Mr.. Editor The Local Option contro-
versy now agitating your county has inter
ested me somewhat-one Of the parties en-
gagged in the duel of words in your paper
being known by me. While holding habitual
drinking in detestation, and knowing full
well the evils of intemperance, still fail to
see the propriety of inconveniencing even
small portion ola community for the unneces-
sary faults of still smaller portion, espe-
cially when the possibility Of faithfully car
rying out a prohibltOry law is a matter of
doubt; the idea Of an entire community deny
ing themselves even the smallest amount of
wine or liquor for the most innocent pur-
poses simply because some of their neigh
bors are disposed to make brutes of them
selves whenever they can obtain it, is a sam
pie of christian self-dcnial, unfortunately
not carried out in other matters. Why not
forbid the selling of liquor to inebriates or
their families. Some rcfOrmers have gone
so far as to propose the forbidding of the
manufacture of alcohol or alcoholic bever-
ages, forgetting, ifthey ever gave il a thought,
that if such a law could be carried out, not
only would all business receive severe
check, but that the arts, industries, sciences,
and even the profession of medicine itself,
WOuIl Dt utlIlNiAl VI LlltlT CIlltI duNllll1lcS,
even mythitated spirits would fail to answer
for many purposes. Such reformers might
as well forbid the sinking of oil wells on
the grounds that much property and many
lives are annually destroyed by the careless
ness Of those who use it improperly, or the
dishonesty OF others who adulterate it, Bet
ter far to forbid tie use of the oil can to
Dinah as means for starting the kitchen
fire, and furnish the parties who sell liquor
to a known drunkard.
have always noticed that the most yio-
lent prohibticnsts are those who were once
themselves addicted 10 the immoderate use
of liquor, of course, they have seen the folly
of the practice and understand the danger
of falling into it, still, they too often fail 10
discriminate or understand the use of any
thing without abuse following it, The mo-
ment their apostleship commences they as
sail respectable neighbors (whose only nc
quaintance with the liquor bottle may be
through the medium Of mince pie and pud-
ding sauce,) warning them TO abstain from
the flowing bowl and have no dealings in
any manner with the accursed stuff. Like
some card players | wot Of in your county
and elsewhere, who cannot understand how
game Of chance can be played without
money changing hands, these enthusiasts
pllll ihNi VI IL llltll IL -
TO be drunk AZ soon as possible.
Sad rs it is, the world has ever had and
will continue 30 have, drunkards Were the
art Of making intoxicating beverages lost,
there would still be drunkards. Opium, To-
dian Hemp and Chloral are already formi-
dable rivals Of alcohol, indeed Il love for
these stimulants il more difficult to cure
other intoxicants would doubtless be dis
covered and new laws would be required to
discountenance the use of the new poisons.
| To put the whole matter in anut shell, it
is impossible TO teach morality by the strong
hand; force encourages opposition, II pro-
vOkes deception in the community, and when
the law is evaded the opportunity is made the
most Of Were the money now used in fos-
tering the prohibtory movement applied in
encouraging the use of pure homemade
wines and Furnishing the adulterators Of
them our people might DO educated 10 be.
come, in time, as temperate as Spaniards.
/ Let us grow more grapes, content our palates
with light stOmachics, instead Of powerful
stimuants, and although the liquor-loving
/ Saxon blood is still luppermost in our natures,
/ we may In time by climatic and other reasons
wean ourselves from the gross appetites Of
our iorefathers. Certainly legislation will
I never do H. ST. PUAL