The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-01-28
WHICH ARE THEY-BNEMIE5 OR FRIENDS
OF LOCAL OPTION?

IN view of the gravity of the assertion,
which no man of ordinary sense or intel
li:sence would have made, except upon
the most satisfactory and conclusive evil
dence of the truth of what he asserted.
we think the demand for the name of the
merchant. who sets up his opinion against
that of the aygre gate business community
in which he lives. was eminently proper.
and one which had he writer OF the arti-
Gle il question been acting in good faith,
would have readily recognized.
The result shows that We did not at the
time miSrepresent the motive of the he
pHblicnn reporterin Publishing thiscGaard,
which WIS the manufacture of false Mary
land testimony. to he used by the oppu-
nents of Local Option in Delaware in de
Tense of the License system now in jeop-
ardy in that State.
Cecil county. in the alleged disastrous
business results which have followed pro-
hiOition, in the prostratiOu of her local
trade, in the paralysis OF her industries,
and in the general stagnation CD that has
settled like a pail over her borders. is to
be held up as n frightiul example of a
country stricken by the blight of a whisky
famine. with the hope of finally deter
ring the people of Delaware from i'm
proving their morals, at the expense of
the pockets of the Viii ky dealers by
the passage of a similar prohibitory liquor
law.
But what of that other more startling
picture of Cecil county-dem0rali=ed CD
socially. financially, and generally by in
creased temperance. increased Sobriety.
and increased economy. by an apprecia-
ton of the pr. ductiveness of individual
labor. by an increase in tie aggregate OF
domestic and family comfort, all the re-
suit of a law which removes from the
masses Of our people the temptation TO
indulge in Intoxicating liquors. which
lessons alike the disposition and the abil-
ty for labor and industry, upon which
so largely depend the prosperity both of
| individuals and communities
This. we say, is the picture Of Elkton
acknowledgement and prospective,
consequent upon the prohibitory liquor
iaw,-upon which this sapient Inner of
our social and secular condition, as Il COM
munity, would have the blear-eyed bib
bers of New Castle county rum look with
condemnation and disfavor.
Bosh and nonsense. sir; do better lying
while you're about it.
! Little wonder is it that he begs the
question by qualifying language. while
his self-respect suggests the propriety of
withholding the source upon which he,
in his stupidity. ri>ked So damaging an
evidence of his ignorance.
lie declines TO make public the name
of this lSadtng CD merchant. this gen
tlaman of nndoubted IT speatabiity and
veracity. but who wishes his name with
held from the public for various and sun
dry reasons. This traditional gentleman
! so long known to the fraternity Of news
paper scribblers and penny liners. This
! convenient repprtoral dod ser. this Jack
| iu-the-box, whom row You see and now
| yea don't see. This frisl:y gentleman.
uraSqI:erahing for the nonce as 4 leading
| CO Elkton merchant, with the eye of all
| Delaware on him. actually tells the gap
ing world. througha Wilmington Reporter
| that Local Option has killed Elkton.
So lily practiced is the latter, however,
in the art of " ing, that in the very act
| of fatbeing IL lie bctra,s his incredulty
in his own blntling.
In his emergency he appeals to IAf
EsrU DemocrW for aid and succor. He
asks aad gets it.
Congeniai brother.
How hattered our cotemporary must
feel. in being called upon to su!,stantiate
the truth of an assertion based upon 80
equivocal an authority.
How opportune the appeal
In the very nick of time there falls
upon tie public ear a whisper. weak and
feeble It's true, but no less grateful to
the opponents of Local Option from the
lips of the Elkton sphinx. The silent
oracle OF the Democr"t, which for three
long years, midst all the local discussion
over measure fraught with SO much
Importance to the communities of the
county, has never let fall one word edi-
torially to shape or lead public sentiment
in the right direction. Which has sat,
owl-lile, brooding in digninei SILENCE
under the shadow OF its own doubts, as
to the expectancy OF prohibition. That
has weighed long and anxionsly political
contingencies against moral possibilities,
and never come near a decision till how
this oracle, thank Heaven, finally break
the monotouous silence to observe that
a member of the editorial staff of
he Wilmington Rcpabijcan has been Wis
IInE EIktun, and gives among his I'M
Irch>oiIS the opinion that Local Option
IS contributing ~ the business Stanna-
ton more than it is to the cause of tenn
perance. We fear the Eepabiicon is net
far wrong
How cautiously it treads upon ground
which it lnstinctlvely feels is dangerous
How prudently chosen. how carefully
selected its language.
1t does not care to risk an uHCquir0-
cal and ciear expression of opinion, but
Jeors that Local Option is Il failure.
rnat mon"syi liable he intends shall con
vey world of meaning. 1t implies APP
prehension, anxiety, dread, lest the fact
DE SO.
SO carefully chosen word could not
DE offensive To the most pronounced friend
Of Local Option in the county
1t is an exceedingly obliging term.
To the enemy of Local Option it is, as
its author intended, equally full of mean
ing.
To him it comes with Che fail authority
of positive opinion.
The RepUb'ican reporter sees in it the
confederation of his assertion. that Local
Option is failure, and parades it accord