The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-10-27
Correspondence baltimore County Union.
REPLY TO "oCCAsIoNAL's REPLY To
Liberal OPTION"

hEFLA AZ OSOASAONALS' REPLY TO
Liberal OPTION"
Hessrs. Editors III have read with t,leasinv a,
tention the quite temperate and respectful com.
munieation Of "0ccasional," which appeared In
TnE USIoS Of goth instant, replying to mine on
"Temperance, local option and intcmpcrance -
published In your Journal Of October 9th.
"Occasionai assumes n very gratuitous mistake
when be suPposes / am "unacquainted with the
great subject Of temperance as II has appeared be.
fore the public In the past twenty years" have
resided In Baltimore during almost) the past hall
century-or nearly all my lfe-and therefore may
be presumed TO have had abundant opportunity
20 aequaint myself theoretically, practically and
otherwise with the absorbing question In all u.
phases; therefore 90 say my arguments are "stalc"
IL simply empty words without proof, not mcriiing
n reply.
did net, in my former communication, exaeDy
say that the State Legislature had no power 10
legisla,e on the subject Of prohibition. but ques
TONED It's ability 10 pass an effective Law su6ver-
sve Of soiidiy rested rights, and that therefore 1,
must prove uncon stitutional.
did not say 90 foolish thing as that man
could TT up property at heavy cos, and follow
what business he pleased anywhere. In his Ia.
stance Of Opening n laughter-ho near Wash.
ingion's Monument" I tell Occasional" he dare
not do 60, because Il would be n nuisance and an
.fensc against an existing law. II isprccisely rs
l said hitherto, vested right, aud cannot be dis
]
stroy II In the manner suggested by local option
lists would not only be cruel and unjust but uncon.
siitutional and against our Bill Of Rights as 70.
CARDS the State. but also-in all probability-iha,
Of the United States.
agree with "0ccasional" that "smcAt," rs he
says, sis more necessary than whisky or rum
| So. too, are "soap and candles" in their place ;
but they cannot be made offensive 20 our olfactories
when manufactured within legal limits. They
serve their purpose, but soap cannot give light
nor candles take dirt and grease out Of ciothe.
any more than meat would be unpaIatable 10 a
sick man, II, by the doctors prescription, he were
ordered quinine. blue mass pills even some good
old brandy, whisky or wine "for the stonaeh's
sake" as 81. Paul advised. so that he could cat
meat after being restored 20 health. All things
In season ana everything in its place. II a pa.
/ tient wants bread would you give him stone. or
vice versa' Why say aishehoi 10 OF no use whsn
IL often prolongs or saves life, when bread and
meat will not but the other hand, when aiiiict.
ell with certain diseases. proves dangerous a.
sirichninc OF any other deadly poison? You ad.
init powder Is useful as an engine of war aud u
defense, though destructive and dangerous. I
say. therefore. II ia it, proper place with due
care and judgment. as you would intoxicating
liquors. and both serve their good purpose. The
law will not permit you 90 build powder. mills 10
pspulous city, hut necessity requires they should
be built in proper places the same n powder.
magazines have TO be placed in vessels Of war at
or in land fortifcations though by acciden, or
eareiessne's they Sometimes are blown up.
Speaking Of washington's Monuncnt-tha, no
bic shaft. 80 commanding and imposing, in honor
ol the Father Of his CountTy-yOu seem o. select
an entirely unsni;ed place to locate yonr danger.
Gus and destructive engincry. I recoilcct, how
ever. some thirty Eve or forty years ago, when
good, honest. industrious old lady kept an humble
cake shop near its base and made living for her
self and family by selling cakes, candies, small
beer. cider and some other harmless bevcragcs.-
M ilaH he uts.hf
be broken up in her occupation aud forced upon
the worlds cold charity. all on account Of local
option cruelty intcrdiciing her means Of making
n livelihood. q shame where l. thy blush
The argument about rum having filed jail..
pcniientiaries, oic.. with thieves, nurdcTers and
all sorts of criminals. aud aims. houses with pau
pcTs. Is old a the hills. Adam and Eve CON.
mcnced iransgrcssing in the garden Of Eden, and
Cain soon afterwards killed his brother Abel,
when, 80 far as VIC are aware, there was no intox-
icaiing liquors in the world, and evil has been ex.
istinR ever since. Noah, unfortunately, took a
little too much wine after the food, when his
children were rebukcd and punished fer exposing
his indiscTetion. tell "Occasional' that IL self.
control. resuiiing from q cultivated. moral, mate
Of duty docs not control men as 10 respect
themselves, respect others and keep from becom.
ing drunkards, thieves, mGrietcrs and robbers.
nothing else ever will. There Is no intelligent,
intellectual argument appealing directly 20 the
heart and COINCIDENCE in the mere phy sical act Of
spasmodicay joining n temperance society, or
local option league. soon, perhaps. to break their
pledge rs many do. when acting without inteilcc.
tual and moral control. Those 30 convinced
ngains; their will apt 10 be Of the same opinion
STILL. Let them be temperate In all things, be.
cause they feel and know il good and right so 60
be. This doctrine never can become stale, old or
ineffective as n principle in itself Il would be
better to instruct people how control themscl
than spend So much time and money In cndeavor.
ing to make them suppose that all that Is necessa.
~ is TO advocate local option, which Ia. not it,
foundation in the heart and conscience or in lesis-
latiyc cnac,mcnts.
Local option. rs we see. does not, una,ely,
put liquor away from people. but hundreds nov
get u IN jugs. bottles, kcgs aud barrels IN counties
OF our State where local option has existed and
does now prevail. II men acted from principle
and scli.control they would not want H. especial.
~ In an illegal way. ! agree with Occasional
that II Is best for politicians well temperance
advocates to keep both local option and the ten.
perancc question out Of politics and still better,
for every TO be sensibly temperate in all things
because Il Is right, sef-respecting and profitable
TO be 50. The morals Of communities are enhanced
and guarded by sound moral COW lotions and dc.
pertinent which rise far above mere ephemeral
movements. II would be best, more enduring, 70
learn how 10 be temperate and adhere TO such
learning. upon the basis Of approved good sense.
than risk dependence uncertainties Of any kind.
We are told, if desiring true knowledge, seek and
you will find, knock and II shall be opened unto
you. The chief study of mankind il man, and
hence Il Is said "know thyscf!" This l. not done
by listening to salvation army brawiers, such rs
now seen proving through our country. nor even
In wcll-meanng temperance lectures, but realized
In tho quiet, secret determinations within ones
own breast. resolving Go go and sin no more. IL
is such as this that makes good, temperate pco-
pie and valuable, respected citizenship. lie IL
understood have no word against true peraRcc,
but all In its favor. Liberal ORION.