The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-10-25
NUMBER 35

! where no Such prescription exists !?
Are we so prosperous in this county
That we can afford to destroy any
source Of profit in trade j.? Can we,
without inflicling upon our pnatpria
interests untold damage. deliberately
turn away from the industries and
pursuits of our people hundreds of
thousands Of dollars, to enrich those
'eyond our borders who care only
for the profits they may make from
us? Pause and think over this.
Ihen besides look at the thousands of
collars paid for the support of the
General Government by the liquor
trade for licenses. Are you prepared
to cut off that revenue and to make
1t up yourselves in some other way i?
Does not the economy of Local OPP
tion HHean an increase Of faxat5glR,
and general stagnation of businesse
Are you, thoughtful voter, in favor
of this ?
I'd. The law is an unjust one. The
man who is we'll enough off can and
Will buy out Of the county, and keep
at his home all he may want in spite
of Local Option. But the poor man
who can not afford to do this, must,
if he or his family I've taken sick, first
! go in search Ofa doctor, get from him
and pay for a prescription-scparate
prescriptions if more than one be
sick and then go to drug store and
get his liquor at drug store prices. If
the emergency is sudden, or if there
he no druggist near. the patient may
die before the remedy can be procur-
ed. Thus the poor man must pay for
a permit, and then nay a heavy price
at the drug store, for that which his
rich neighbcr has bought out of The
county, at less than half the price.
The physician is prohibited under a
heavy fine from giving a prescription
unless the patient he actually sick.
Consequently he must first go and
see the patient. If the rich neigh
b0r'a house is his place of business.
then, though the poor men We're to
go on his bended knees and beg for
enough liquor to save the life 0s some
mem ber of his family, the rich neigh
h0r with his cellar full, could not
under this law, give away a drop
without incurring a fine of not less
than $50 nor more than $500. No
man though not a dealer can under
this law, give away drink at his
place of business even to save a ha-
man life without being liable 10 q
heavy fine, one half of which goes to
the informer. Are you prepared to
cOuntenancp such a measure as that 4?
Are you willing 10 lend your vote in
aid of the passage of a law that in
VlleS men to be Sneaks and spies, by
prescribing heavy fines and dividing
them with those who are mean
enough to become infOrmers ? Are
you ready to surrender your right to
Judge for yourself whether you shall
take drink or not, and are you so
distrustful of your own strength Of
character that you will quietly let
Others provide by law that you shall
not take drop of liquor unless you
first pay physician for a permit"
3rd. The considerations just sug.
gested, will lead many men to pur-
chase and keep in their houses large
quantities Of liquor. The experience
of other places has shown that this
frequently resulted in making men
intemperate who before then were
not so. 1t brings them into constant
contract with liquor and thus pro-
duces in more dangerous form, the
very state of things that Local Option
is prOfessedly designed to prevent.
4th. 1t is not proper for the voters
of this county to decide whether you
shall or shall not take glass of beer;
I5 it not equally so that they should
also determine by their voters wheth-
er you shall take chew of tobacco
or smoke cigar? And to what
length may this not be carried; what
becomes of your personal freedom -
of your right to decide and act for
yourself upon matters of individual
taste-if others are to prescribe by
their votes what you are to drink
and to eat?
5th. If Local Option should be
adopted in this county, how many
men now earning for themselves and
families a comfortable living will be
thrown out Of employment How
will they live ? Is work and employ
ment so plenty that it can. be had ?
Hotel clerks, bar-roon keepers, res
turant and saloon propretOrs, port
ers, clerks and statesmen will be de-
prived of their occupation, not be-
cause these occupations are unlawful,
but because fanatical spirit of intOl.