Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-02-24
UBLISHED DAILY & TRI-WEEKLY B,
EDGAR SNOWDEN.
FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY "a.
10 our issue Of yesterday we stated grave,

10 our issue Of yesterday we stated grave,
and, We think, decisive objection to The priL-
cip!e Of local optior; We propose cow to show
that it is eminenty unTise and impol!ic.
The first, though by no means The strongest,
objection is based upon the dimirution of tho
revenue which would result fromi IL State
80 deeply 10 debt end so heavily burdened with
taxation as ours. every source OF revenue is ln.-
pcriant. and this the ltcAl optionists freely
admit, bu! inset the difficulty By ASSERTING thss
tho abolition of the liquor traffic would So
decrease the judicial and criminal expenses sid
those necessary for III, support Of the poor.
whose poverty is caused by intenperanca,a and that
the value OF property would 60 increase with
the labors of drurkards reformed through their
inability to get drunk. that er,ater sssesss-
msnt would render 40 iIc:aase of the rate OF
taxation wholly unnecessary. Credate Ju3Dus
Appella; there srs. doubtless, many good,
but thoughtless people, who are sincere 10 sucb
belief, but that tho advocates of local option IL
the General Assembly are not, is sufficiently
Lsovsd ty their having voted dow, an smerd-
ment providing thai any deficiency 10 ths regs-
nue 10 local option district which has voted
mo ic.Dse." shall b made up by 40 iscfaeeed
tax u oon property.
But WAR, prepared to admit that if tho
proposed measure would entir,|y prevent
drunkenness. tie loss Of revonu, from licsBse
might csase 20 be an obi :con; the question il.
Would it prevent drunkenness?' We do rct
think 80. Here. in Alexandria. as we'll az 10
other places. tbs experiment hes been tiied
under circumstances moro favorable than e.n
rgain oc;ur. A determined military governor,
armed with sll tho powers of martial law; in
other words desp>. whose will vas Law, d.
tsrmined to stop the salo-or giving awsy-of
Equ'T. He had no legal bubbles to cmblIrass
hin, 20 lawyers with their appeals to jrries aEd
higher courts; armed men. q. bis solo VOID. 10
eoter sby house, search any person, iDprisop
any accused man without hopo Of bill. If c,s
voted. the slave pen, The 81, W,r b.th, coo6sca-
ton OF bis ensir5 s.tGk, batisbmont. awaited
the offender. Was tho liquor traffic stopped !?
90 the contrary nevor WIS moro money made
By the sale of liquor aud never. parhspa, has il!
done moro harm. What hope can there be,
therefore. that i! will be stopped by simple
Az! of Assembly, requiring popular approval
and all the machinery tf tho law to mako it
effective? Mary Of the dealers new llcsostd
would ccse theic doors; perhaps oil Of them
might retire from business. Sc. liquor5 would
still be sold, for demand vii always create o
supply. A young man from a neighboriog
county 10 which local option prevails AID where
Eqaor is not publicly sold. said. recently, that
the difference between tho old arrangement scd
the new is. simply, this-lhat formerly be had
to go to the b,rroon for drink. but COW the
barroom comes to him. Ho explained that
there ara negroes who carry tbou. with them
the elements of compound dirk and mix
them uo in soms convenient corner. That
might not happen il city. but it rtq 1ires liNls
foresight to predict that il ,ead Of being sold by
reputable men. who will not let boys and other
improper persons have it. liquor would DO
vsuded 10 btck alleys and other out of the way
PLACES. by irresponsible people, who beiog
under the ban of tho law any how, would tbir k
and iustly-that they rsn very li!tls more li,k
By selling 10 minors of any age.
Finally, if the s,s of Interfering drinks is to
be prohibited. local option is the wcrss possible
method tf prohibition. for wbilo one county CT
district may prohibit, another vii! allow; so
tho diuokard will bat HAYS to travel luls
farther, tho moderate drinker to cs, little
more tins from his w,lk.
For Alexsndris, su,h law would be diga.-
trous. Situated upon the border of the SLATE,
competing for business with other Giles out
aide OF 1t, an liability to sell liquors would place
our merchants at such disadvan!sgs that their
trade would BIO ruined.