The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-03-25
For the 1Egis and lntek2i0eRctr
The Temperance Reform Movement.

Temperance" and Local Optionist' have pro-
posed two distinct plans to the consideration of
the citizens of Hartford county, for securing the
benefits of Local Option. Both plans are formed
with the view Of keeping the question out OF pol
itics. This is a contradiction of terms. Politics
is the science of public policy, and to have an OPP
position to any question of policy there must ne
cessarily be an advocacy of the same cause
Hence If there be a party advocating Local OPP
tion there will also be party opposing it; other
parties need not necessarily be identical with any
existing political organization. Although per-
sonay believe such will be the case TOT great ex-
tent. On the whole like the plan proposed by
Local Optionist better than that of Temper
ance" Out would DC much better pleased were
the question at issue Prohibition instead of Local
0ption,l yet there are some objections to the first
All the powers of government in this nation
rest in the hands of the people; All powers exer-
cised by others are derived from the people,
Hence no political question is determined until
It has been decided by the people, and no ques-
submitted to them for their verdict. Hence If
any political party places upon its ballots the
words Against submission" it virtually denies
the right of the people to exercise the rights re-
posed in Them and is therefore unconstitutional.
Now believe no political party now in existence,
stitution and then ask for the votes of the people
whom it practically DISTINGUISHES. And any one
Do sen f %
leges. He may ignore or misuse them, but may
not deny them with iimpunity. For example, a
man has right to life, but the moment he lifts
his own hand against that life, he is criminal
am sure there is no considerable portion of the
against the constitution of the land and their own
interest that have but little doubt Of the YER
dict being for submission. But this brings us to
another point.
The constitution declares that on any question
call of the yeas and nays shall be made at the
desire of one-hfth of the members present And
this principle applies to the people well as their
representatives. For all power possessed by these
representatives has been derived from the people,
and no man or body OF men can delegate to
Others power which they do not themselves
possess; consequently call Of the yeas and nays
may be made at the desire of one-fifth of those
of Temperance fails. | have been Informed
that our representatives from Hartford county
during the last session of the Legislature received
petitions containing in the aggregate between
1900 and lSO0 signers, desiring that the question
of Local Option be submitted to the people. This
is about one-fourth of the number of registered
voters. II this be So they ignored the rights of
stitution, and when the Local Option Bill came
up they moved that no action be taken with re-
spect to Hartford county. They certainly must
right to the citizens of their own county, and at
the same time allowing the same right to the cit-
zens OF sister county The constitution declares
the privileges of citizens in the several States"
but its trainers never supposed for an instant
these rights might be allowed to the citizens of
one part and denied to those of another part of
the same State, yet so 1t is. But believe the cit
decide whether or not they shall have local option
as those of any other courtyard have no doubt
&c and forever. Twenty-Five years ago 1885, the
first prohibtory liquor law went into effect in the
wrought Nine States, viz, Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Vermont, Iowa. Kansas, California Oregon
Mississippi, Georgia, and Arkansas have prohibi-
tory laws. The first four and the last prohibiting
II entirely. Kansas allows it to be sold if a ma
1ority of the citizens of legal age both male and
female, Of any city or ward, agree thereto. Mis-
ssspp differs from Kansas only in requiring the
entire number OF persons Of legal age; while in
both Oregon and Georgia the law requires the
If hn nnntx
any county before liquor may be sold Five
States have Local Option throughout, viz. Com
nectlcut, North Carolina, Texas and Minnesota
IN Minnesota licenses to sci are issued at the OPP
tion of the aldermen seectmen of any city or
town. In addition to these five States are in the
anomalous condition of Maryland, allowing the
right to part of their citizens and denying 1t to
others, viz; New Jersey Maryland, Illinois, Ala
Datna and west virginia.
In view of these things we doubt not that be-
foreanoher quartercentury rolls away the LIQUOR
trailic in these United States will be a thing of
the past. PRoHIBITIONIsT
A New RAILROAD PRoJEcr-We learn that
a railroad is to be built from Reading, passing
through Lancaster and Chester counties reach.
ing the Maryland line, and thence it is proposed
to continue the same to Perryville, Md. This
railroad will carry its traffic almost directly and
south from Reading to Perryville, and will open
up part OF the country which is not accessible
at present for cheap and convenient transporta-
ton. The charter for this company has already
been obtained by responsible parties in this city
and county. We understand that parties resid.
ing in New York have interested themselves
in pushing this railroad through under its char.
ter. The railroad will be known as the Reading
and Chesapeake Coal and Railroad Company
An organization will be effected i'll few DAYS,
with its principal office in this city - Lancaster
(Id) Examiner.
"A narrowgauge railroad 200Omil long is
about to be commenced from the Denver and
Rio Grande railroad to the city of Mexico, and
thence to the Pacific ocean. The Mexican gov.
eminent have granted large subsidies to the
projectors of the enterprise.
Hon. D. c. II. Emory, ex,judge of the cir
cult court for Baltimore county, died at Tow
sontown, last Saturday morning, in the 74th
year Of his age.
Mr.. VIM T. Walters, of Baltimore county,
received from France, last week. 20 Percheron
horses-l3 mares and stations