Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-03-04
Consistency in Journalism.

seeming 10 take nOtlCe OF our nuhDle
Views on the question of tobacco inspec.
Knot content with so effectually van
Us with his powerful logic, even
ppromises his dignity by &C.
pconsistency upon that ques-
does as follows: I'VE had
thought that in this view
Kate inspsctions) the present
Be TINES and ourself were in
I'VE have not the files Of that pa
hand just now, but we we'll recol-
that when, year sgs, Gov. Hamilton
Cent his omnibus message to the Legis-
lature in which he earnestly advocated,
among other numerous reforms, the aboli-
tion of the State inspection Of tobacco, our
: neighbor heartily applauded and sus-
tanned him in every measure urged, e1-
cept that which related to the taking from
the press the publication of the laws. = =
We may be permitted to express
our surprise at his complet if not sudden,
conversion" &c.
As we have the files of eur paper at
hand we will assist our contemporary
recollection. Instead Of heartily endors-
ing every measure proposed, with the one
exception mentioned, we find in our CON-
ments Oh the message in our issue OF Feb
ruary 20, 1880, the following restrictive
sentences: Some of the recommendation It
(the me.sage) contain, are improbable, and
are founded upon misconception Of their
subject matter BY the Gorernor." And again
"We are not sufficiently familiar 1ith the
practical seorkings of some Of the branches Of
the public service commented on By the Co..
ernor to speak adrisedly ~ith regard to the"."
The tobacco inspection system was one Of
the measures which we had chiefly in view
when we made the qualification above
ouoted. for We should have deemed it q
most culpable violation of the duties Of
journalism to have pretended to either
condemn or advocate a pubic service
which has such direct bearing upon the
material interests Of our people, without
first endeavoring to acquaint ourselves
with its merits. Deeming it duty in
cumbent on us as an editor Of . county
paper in one Of the most extensive tsbsc-
CO growing counties in tho State to in
form ourself upon this inspection question
we have since endeavored, by honest in
vcstisation, to ascertain the real office and
utility of this service, and the result is
the convictions We have recently in our
simple way, been endeavoring to express
The only allusion We then made
Ito the tobacco inspection system was
% express our opinion that ITO abolish
the compulsory feature of tobacco and
other inspections and to make these de-
partments selfsustaining" would meet
with general concurrence. We have never
since written one wsrd inconsistent with
this opinion, and do not propose to do 20.
Although the opinion We then expressed
was merely casually given under the quail
ifications above quoted, and We should
have felt entirely at liberty, ii our subse
quent Investigations had prompted us to
do so, to express different view, without
mourning the censure Of any fair minded
man yet We still think that the comPul-
sorry feature Of the tobacco inspection law
may be dispensed with.
If it be not entirely too prssumptuous
in US, We would like to advert briefly to
our neighbor's comments on the message
in question as we have its files at hand and
run no risk of doing its present editor any
Injustice. The only allusisn which We
find in its editorial on the message 10 in
the following sentence: "He (the Cover
nor) advocates in vigorous language the
abolition OF the State inspection of tobac
CO and the repeal Of the laws for weigh
ing grain and cattle" After summing up
the recommendation of the message j,
went on to say:
s1Hese are sweeping reforms, and if adopted
in some instances would doubtless promote pub
lie economy, whilst in other respects Il may Be
Questionable rhether the economy +" not Of that
sort .chieh saves at the spigot ond vdstes at The
6uns hele'' But Gov. Hamilton, il
the Recommendation of his message are adopt
ed, would strip himselfentirely ofall patronage
Whatever, and leave the Executive Of the State
a mere appendage to the State government more
ornamental than useful, But still
Vhi. of advantage to the people that these re-
Communications should b enacted into IsWs, We
hope that the Legislature will 20 enact. .
1t is to be presumed without gainsaying that
the members Of that body coming from all Sec
tions of the State sent BY people among WHOM
they have lived and with whom are bound up
their ow interests, are more competent in their
aggregate wisdom to legislate for the general
good than any one man however eminent bis
abilities, pure his private life or patriotic his
purposes"
1t may seem little strange to some
simple people that (if our eminent neigh
patriotic soul was then chatting un.
he odisusaess Of this great oppres-
which is "abhorrent to those who
Psughly imbued with the princi-
epublican liberty he should have
49, such An excellent opportunity to
r the Legislature in behalf Of per-
people to pass unavailed; aud
&c should have spoken in such luke
and doubtful terms of the whole
|sss Recommendation which contained
his pet measure. It will certainly Be sur
prising to many people that one of eur
neighbours ability and vigi aace should
have concluded his editorial witbot drop.
ping even the slightest intimation tina.
the abolition Of the State tobacco inspec-
ton. which the Governor asked, was not
one of those measures which, in his opin-
ion, s'savs at the spigot and waste at the
bung." How easy it would have been for
L. - h.v> ~ l.sa Uhse yt;1v apnls ud>dD |