The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-10-06
Correspondence baltimore County Ia On.
neutrality-suspicious.
LOCAL OPTION, ETC.


ply steal problems In which every anc must, Of
necessity, be more les interested, because Of
their entering into those inhcfcn; right 81 fami
lies and individuals, A. well o. city nIHe, altiCs,
counties, commonwealth and nations. They IN.
deed rest with the whole people. bccausc general
principle afe therein involved and open 10 tree
discussion. The strongest side. therefore. will
ultimately win, ~ II should, n right, despite all
opposition.
The matter Of local option" in one sense, Is Of
more recent date origin. applied a. Il no~ l. TO
the cause Of temperance II undertakes o. define
and limit certain privileges e. whether spifilu.
Gus beverage shall or shall not be sold dealt
In under spc,iai citcunft anres, including certain
limits embracing cities. tuSRs d.trii,s. counties,
particular precincts. localities etc. within Mary.
land. or whether said privileges be withheld under
authority of legislative enactmenis.
The object ni lpcal oltioBis,s, a. define u, IL
10 have such law. passed or sanctioned by - vote
Of the people aud Of our General Assembly ~ will
prevent persons from selling giving away alec.
holic beverages, including brandy. wine. gin. rum.
whisky. ale. beer, porter ard all other kinds 81
malt ani spirituous drinks; or the issuing IL
license, NJ heretofore. o. hotel propiictorS. tes.
taurant keepers aud retail dealers. under heavy
penalties for violating the law " passed. In other
words. the rights held by these citizens where
In they may be said e. have vested rights aud IN
which their entire interests are at stake. even 90
that of hvclihouds for themselves anil families,
are 10 be suddenly wfcstcl from them aud they
turned adrit upon the community with no busi.
ncss, nothing 60 donor the many depending On
them for bFcad-mcrcly because those fayoring
local option-pcrchancc fanaticaily operated upon
whether right or wrong IN theory or practice,
want 10 carry point OF have their own way as an
experiment. II Is, | Imagine. rather n doubtful
and dangerous experiment and should be judi.
ciousiy weighed before receiving the sanetion Of
voters.
No one need fear advocating the great prinei.
pie of temperance In all things with or without
temperance societies local option associations,
but to make the moral power Of self or individual
control-ycs. independent, moral aeton-depend-
ent upon the too often cphemeral existence of
mushroom societies. l. in itself hazardous cxpcr.
imen;. calculated, I fcar, 10 do more harm than
good.
I have always been in favor of consistent ten.
pcrancc in NIL things, as well 10 the use Of alec.
holic beverages az In the drinking of water or
eating TO excess. Going beyond discre,c judg.
ment and temperance IN anything or in any way
Is an evil recoiling eventually upon Itself.
There u even what may be termed an iHi,mpcr.
ate temperance in both Temperance societies and
local op,iunists when carrying either 20 an cx-
trcmc, that too often bcgcts disgust, di.rust AMI
want Of confidence. injuring causcs that might
otherwise be fruitful Of good as with mountebank
Salvation Armies. such Ms too frequently appear
on the streets and public thoroughfarcs Of large
towns AMI cities. Nevertheless there can be no
danger In advising all then 10 be consistently,
for the mate virtue Of sobsiciy without the
sity of adopting total abstinaBcc regarding any
beverage or food, the use and not the abuse Of
which agrees with our ply steal. moral and mental
organizations. Hence ! most cordially unite IN
approving and pra'ticing true. sclf'constitG,cl
Temperance IN all things duty 20 ourselves
and others, but at the same time need not feel
obliged a. surrender my right II option. of liberty
and independence upon local option merely be.
cause others may choose to differ from
The question Of local option. now 50 pcrsis,entiy
urged by many enthusiastically inclined temper.
apostles in our State. and indeed all over the
country, l. far frcm being 81 mcEiiutious aud APP
probativc ~ that of r,ai ssif-app Temperance
which IL found in that sort of mor.i .iHruiuH and
individual control that. under proper culture. en-.
ablcs every person 10 regulate his or her actions
ani course nf life. Local option il. regret 20
say, as IL the cause Of temperance associations, be
coming too much mixed with politics and partizan
movements 20 secure full confidence either side.
Jeaiousics are excited and cngcn Tered under such
circumstances that must tend 10 retard the adj
vanccment of any cxirancous cause interviewer
Herewith. Better let such propositions stand
aoof. resting upon their own intrinsic virtues and
merits.
Then again IL aims a; the uproo;ins and lie.
struction Of certain vested II not Constitutional
rights. closely connected with meas business.
which, IL sanctioned by legislative enactmcnts,
would strike n very serious blow at important in
dus,ries which, IL sticken down. ~ they would be
b. local option. must sadly interrupt aud finally
ruin certain kinds Of private and public enter
prises TO the detTiment of entire communities.
In Baltimore city and county there are many
perhaps twenty millions Of dollars invested d.
rec,ly or Indirectly in the brewing and distiling
business. existing 10 plant or manufacturing es.
Establishments and other appliances. nearly all Of
which must become dead loss 10 the owners. be-
sides throwing hundreds of honest, frugal, indus.
frin eli nut Of Nurth ali hut
II would deiraef immensely from the tar Incomes
Of both city aud county. In your own county the
loss 20 the county's treasury would be immense
and seriously felt. operating against its enterprise
progress and financial stability. cutting oil iis
most valuable sources Of revenue which would
have to DO made up by advancing taxation on
other kinds Of property. real anil personal. This
IL too serious matter TO be carelcssly or hastily
considered.
The same arguments hold good in reference TO
property interests 10 other towns. cities, farms AMI
manufacture in other portions uf Maryland. To
use n homcly phrase, the adoption Of local option
would be like "cutting OF ones nose to spite the
face
I very much fear, also, that the adoption Of this
eoerciyc. prohibitoTy measure would encourage
hypocrisy, causing people 20 do as Pollock aptly
says Of the hypocrite one hand put pen
ny 10 the urn Of poverty and with the other take
q shilling out" Who can imagine anything more
hateful or de.picablc than hypocrisv! There are
those who would be driven 60 deceI tivcness in OBJ
'a'n'"s n"sy n,'' va" nv ~" -" .is
anu s. IN ,h,.h' - Ia. ~ ,a.I 80!
ne.s. "" " ."o.s.. =. ups 49, '"sa' -"
eA".ea y, n ',n... 'as. sI' '.o.. I.ur"
, ,'e I', ,',', =, nue'! ~ soea ~
lievc. harmless privileges. the more they are
,smp.ea W .,o;a'e mem nv. y - .". ',.
Nlhs ~ eoun''es "ue'e 'oea' opuoh pl..s a''
now seen carrying home jugs. kegs. bottles. ETC..
ia. al. a. rs q
doing such thing before. Owing, also, to the
more easy transportation, on account OF bulk they
procure ,ne more asnge,o9s sp; , ,ai h .nan
~ az a,s ,",,.r h.sr and I;,h, wins.