The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-03-13
The Temperance Question.

Inc temperance vuestiohs
Whether the Local Option Bill for this
county, now pending in the Legislature,
shall become a law or not, cannot affect
certain prceedcnts. The right Of the peo-
pie TO govern themselves through the pow
or Of the nlejoIity cannot be called in
question. Mr. Jefferson said that the
power Of the majority was the life of q
republic, and the majority can only be as
ccrtained BY the ballot. But, whether a
majority has the right TO rule 10 matters
affecting the private habits and tastes of a
community, is an open question to many;
50, also, is theright Of legislature to refer
to the people any law for adoption or rejsc-
ton BY ballot. The latter is the practice Of
ademocmcy, and has 20 place in republic
However, the precedent was long ago es-
tablishod. Il has been followed time and
again without opposition and complaint,
aud Il has become recognized right of
Legislators to refer for decision to the peo-
Die to be affected any bill where doubts Of
the propriety Of its passage are entertained.
The practice Of the people voting upon
the question whether or not spurious IL
quors shall DO sold in specified localities has
been 50 often sanctioned by precedent that
It is now viewed as right BY the people
generally, aud is so claimed. Custom
makes law, and law must be respected
Petitions, nnmerously signed by voters
rboth political parties, have been sent to
the legislature, praying the passage of a
local option law for this county, and none
ia opposition have been presented. The
legislature can only know the wants Of a
county by the voice of its people. If the
opponents Of local option refuse or neglect
to make their views known by petition,
they thus admit their acquiesenec in such
a measure, aud The legislature can do no
less than to grant such a law.
The bill now before the Legislature seeks
only to take the sense Of the people as to
whether the sale Of spurious liquors shall
becoutinued in this county-nothiBg more,
nothing less. When the judgment OF the
people is passed upon the measure, through
the iustrumeutality Of the majority, that
judgment, adverse or otherwise, must be
respected.
The local option question is one which
has long been agitated, and no doubt will
continue to be agi,ated until settled BY
ballot. II would seem to be the part Of
wisdom, therefore, to settle it without I'M
NECESSARY delay. The effect of the policy
aimed to be carried into force in this way,
is another consideration. Men differ wide
" US to the measure Of good or III which
such legislation viii accomplish. Those
differences will never be harmonized until
tue question is submitted to the practi al
test ofexperience, aud even then people will
view the matter from opposing standpoints
Man has 10 moral right TO be in
temperate, yet there are those who do not
beIive that people can be made temperate
by law any more than people can be made
religious by Law. The Foundcr of Christ
ianiiy did not resort IL legal process to es-
tabIish its great truths. He commended
them to acceptance by appeals to the hearts
and conscienees Of men, and many hold
that this is the most eaectnal method OF
promoting temperance, which is one OF the
christian graces. This method, however,
does not eomport with the prevailing oPin-
ION Of the temperance reforiners Of the
present day, who prefer TO invoke the aid
Of the Law, and viii not let the subject rest
until their theory is accepted or rejected,
Thatintemperance isan evil none deny
the ieetotaler, the occasional tippIer and the
druakzrd all admit IT, But how 10 correct
It is a matter Of honest difference among
men The local option law advocates,
without opposition, have asked that their
theory be Submitted to the people for ac-
ceptance or rejection, and until that is
done there viii be no cessation Of agitation
upon the temperance question. Would il
NOT be better, therefore, toilet the people set
tie ia once? Their viii is sovereign, aud
from their decision there is no appeal.