The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-03-08
Correspondence baltimore County O"'om.
r,ETTER FROM HARTFORD COUNTY.
affects of Local Option in Harford-Ihe
Marriage License Question.
p,,,,p Mn. March Sd, 1884.

BELAIR, Nd, March Sd, 1854.
Editors Union Il see that your correspondents
like the learned doctors of both law anu me9ic,ne,
differ in their views upon certain matters "he.o.
thew write. Upon the question OF loca' oP.roni
there appears to be diversity OF OPINION. ieei
inclined to join the list in TINS bout havins w
benefit of the experience of nearly year leSi
dance in n county where this law prevails, tnilk
T con give n fair statement of its operations. vi
course Won understand that I refer to my own
county of Hartford This law Went INTO eneTS on
the first of last May, having been -rat'e$eriner
popular vote was 1,1S6. And this was an honest
expression of the public WILL for the canvass upon
this very issue was one of the most earnest upon
both sides, and brought out very full vote. 1t
is law that stands upon statutes to be obeyed
and observed as every other statute. It positive
ly forbids the manufacture and sale of every
species OF intoxicating liquors, malt or distilled
Its adoption by the voice of the people and the
acceptance of its provisions upon the part of those
who particularly affected by its operations
were at once made apparent by the closing Of
every public place where such liquors were Sold
This act upon the part of the liquor dealers is a
proof conclusive that they at least recognized it
as binding law to be by them and all others
obeyed, in the spirit at least if not in the letter.
This has been very generally lived up to for ten
months, the time intervening since its adoption
Now for the results. There is less drunkenness
in every quarter Of the county than was known
During the last summer and fall mechanics of the
different kinds had plenty of work and were reg
ular and attentive at the same, who heretofore
never pretended to work half the time the most
of their time and all their money being spent in
the mills, while their families suffered for the
necessaries of ife This very class of men-our
most useful citizens-have been greatly benefited
by the law and their families made exceedingly
moro comfortable and happy. The employer of
these Same mechanics has also heen GREATLY hene-
fitted By this law il this that Ehe3 be sgga ,s
their doing his work in an honest mechanical
way and in reasonable time. There is no en-
ployer in want of help of any kind who does not
prefer sober, reliable man to one who drinks and
is consequently unreliable. These are facts that
can be attested by many mechanics who
ceiving, together with their wives and little ones,
the benefits of this salutary law, and who have
never once regretted the vote they gave for its
adoption. The ladies of our county-God bless
them-our mothers, wives and daughters, are the
greatest beneficiaries of this law. The nightly
return of drunken husband, son or brother is a
relic of the past and will be forgotten in the
increase of happiness and comfort around their
domestic hearths.
Is the law strictly obeyed? l am loath to say
it is not. And what law is? Not one, either
sacred or profane, common or statutory. The
records of our courts show this to be fact. Yes,
the law has been violated several occasions,
but l am glad to say that this is as yet confined
to one locality. At least there has been no case
of violation of the law brought to the attention
of our court but those that have occurred in the
town of Havre de- Grace. And am further happy
to say that both the vioator who sells and he who
buys are of that class of very little standing in
society. To their credit be it said, every decent,
respectable man, proprietor of public house, has
lived thus far strictly up to the requirements Of
the law. Further than this l will say that the
good results of the law apparent that
leading public citizen and politician of consd-
cradle fame remarked to friend of mine few
days since, "that although he was opposed to the
measure when it was before the people and voted
against it, yet he was free to admit he wrong,
and that in his Judgment it was five hundred votes
stronger to-day than when voted upon"
Our Legislature has put its foot down upon
cheap marriage licenses. 1t don't hurt me much,
but have brotherly feeling for every young
man who wants wife, and really think it is
making man pay too dear for his phistle. l
suppose the most of young men never give the
subject thought before they make the venture,
but after the honeymoon begins to wane and the
sad realities of the bands begin to worry and fret
him, then it is that he thinks the folies of the
past the cash it has cost him for wedding presents,
marriage license and ne,o rig to solemnize the
occasion, and he is made to excaim as he dives
into an empty pocket for stray nickel to buy
cigar, "0h that had those four dollars that I
had to pay extra for that marriage license, be-
cause the Legislature wouldn't let me have it for
fifty cents" Now these Legislators must not think
because they married men and had to pay four
dollars and a-half for that privilege, that all the
single men contemplating such a step must do
likewise to make it the more binding. These
young men want to get married economically
as possible, and the four dollars extra that they
have to pay for license they want to hold in re-
serve for a future day and for future use, to buy
rrobo hlv useful o~tiola sc frrr;+,,-e that ,;lt
men to vote for them at some future election, but
no they won't, you bet. They'll vote against high
license every time. RAMBLER.