The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-03-15
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.
BALTIMORE. March llth.

BALTIMORE. March 11th 1884.
Editors Union Next Monday will be st.
Patrick's day, somewhat of a holiday, especially
with the Catholics. In former times it used to be
quite an occasion, but not generally celebrated
now. There will probably be some parading in
different parts of the city. Coming SO near the
equinoctial-the 21st-it is quite possible we may
have bad weather for few days, and after that
spring in earnest At present the weather is
really pleasant and people are at work in most
parts of the city. If not interrupted by bad
weather, friends in the country will be pretty
busily at work preparing for the planting of grain,
etc. The time is almost at hand to begin and fix
up as heretofore.
Mayor Latrobe, Gen. Brown and Mr.. Keyser (all
Democrats) have gotten recently into quite quar-
REL It's wholly Democratic matter. Let it go
for what it's worth. 1t does Republicans no harm
one way the other.
notice that the Legislature at Annapolis is
drawing to close, and thus far have done very
little regarding local option. Some kind of a bill,
doubt not, may be brought up, but unless it is
the right kind the chances are ten to one it will
do nothing more than secure q tolerable fair VOTE
There are too many persons largely pecuniarily
nterested-particulary in Baltimore city and
county-to secure their support am perfectly
convinced that even the whisky men want some
thing new and good and temperate in the way Of
local option, but not such as will do them an alb
solute and permanent injury. Neither they nor
their friends will vote for support it. So fthe
opposition want something good and effectual it
must be at first moderate and tried. 1 see your
Hartford county correspondent is to a certain ex-
tent favoring local option. Who does not? The
only thing is to do it right. 1 have approved it
all along and shall do so, because-rightly done
lit will prove serviceable but otherwise harm.
We want first of all to see perfect and substan-
tial whisky tax, one that will tend to make pure
liquor and tax it properly for all persons con-
cerned. Absolute local option cannot be at first
obtained. There is no use to try it. We must
nave either something reasonable or nothing
something which all persons, liberal and just will
approve on both sides. 1t is perfectly out of the
question to expect to cut off SO large an income
from business men at once. They have to be
advocates, therefore, of local option if they want
to do anything to be of good, do it right. Be
fair, as well to local optionis:s as to whisky men,
and reasonable with both. If the Legislature has
time to vote at ALL let it be liberal step forward
and not one which will have to-eventually-be
taken back, making it really worse than ever be-
fore. l suppose this next week will settle the
affair for the Legislature, at least this year. 1t
will in time be partially adjusted. I believe it
will finally be settled down in proper license,
proper tax and something suitable to all. There
are very strong temperance men who cannot and
do not approve of local option, because they be-
lieve it is not the right way of doing things
They want something better.
The Belt question, taking in one mile east and
west and two miles north, is likely to come up be-
fore the people living in that section for vote in
due time. 1t looks now as if it may pass in both
Houses of the Legislature. see no reason why
it should not, as it will in the end do both city and
county good. It, at any rate, is only question
of time.
Mr.. Barton, who is the upper gate-keeper of
Greenmount Cemetery, near North avenue, has
been quite sick most of the winter, but is now
rather better. Mr.. Barton is IS years of age and
lived all but few years of his life in this city
He is carpenter by trade, has six or seven chill
dren and married widow. He still assists in
keeping the cemetery.
There is very little politics moving just now,
but there will before long. The Republicans are
in the very best of spirits and hope to elect their
next President. Whoever they nominate will be
permanently fixed upon by the whole party. 1t
will take four more years before Democrats can
think of coming near to winning.
There is very little new special in business.
No particular change in prices. In few weeks
there may be some activity. The Egyptian war
causes no particular market here. It's too far off
NESTOR.