The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-02-23
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Some Views on the Temperance Question
Help for the Ohio Sufferers-Na-
tional Democratic Convention, &c.

WASHINGTON, D. u, feD lotn, 1904.
Editors Union Il wrote but briefly last week both
from lack of time and knowing the space required
in your columns for other interesting correspond
ence, especially the very entertaining letters of
Chilly Barlow" from Annapolis. However, l
would not be understood from this as endorsing or
agreeing with what either he or "Nestor" say on
the subject of temperance, for do not. And to
my mind it is to be greatly deplored that such
able correspondents should raise their pens to
depreciate the efforts and laws that are made to
decrease the greatest evil of this any other land
rather than deprecate the evil ITSELF True it may
be that the local option laws in parts of Maryland
may be defective and ineficiently administered,
but what laws are not !? Both "Nestor" and "Billy
Barlow" admit the great evil of intemperance, and
the degradation, poverty, misery and crime caused
by it. How much better it would be if they, de-
poring the evil as they profess to, would use their
pens in endeavoring to support the temperance
cause and make local option effectual, instead of
decrying it and on every occasion seeking to show
where it has been failure? If everyone who es-
says to raise his voice use his pen on this sub
ject would dc it on the side of local option, then
temperance would be a success. Local option has
proven, is possible to become, great engine to
lessen intemperance and suppress liquor selling,
your correspondents and the apparent failures of
the law in sections to the contrary notwithstand-
ing, for otherwise why would the rum-seers so
combat it? Why do not the liquor dealers oppose
with the same energy and use their money in the
same free manner to thwart the mild "moral-sua-
sion, Scripture inspired ~ arguments of "Nestor"
that they do to prevent the adoption of local OPP
ton On the contrary, the liquor sellers are very
glad to use just such arguments themselves, know
ing that while they-and not more stringent pro-
hibitory measures such as local option, etc.-pre-
vail, they perfectly safe in their business.
They feel as secure as the mother bird in the
fable, in whose nest and young were in the midst
of ripe grain field, and every morning when the
mother bird would go to get food for her young,
S-4e;, 81 se.srsss che would question them as to
had said. If they replied that he and his sons
had only come and looked at the grain, or said
that the next day they would ask the neighbors to
come and help cut it down, she would feel SAFE
But after several disappointments from the neigh
bors, when the young heard the farmer say to his
sons that they themselves would the next day
commence to cut the grain, then the old bird said
it was time to move. So with the liquor dealers.
When local option is mentioned they think it is
time to move, and do move towards the Maryland
Legislature with their money and influence, for
they know it means "business." They care not
for the mere morazing of mild, persuasive argu-
ments to the drinker not to "buy or drink liquor
to excess" for they know such arguments are per-
fectly harmless. L have been induced to write
thus much on this subject by the many illusions
to local option and temperance in the letters of
"Nestor," and again by the reference to it in
L
feel is deprecatory and to be deplored by all the
friends of temperance and all who wish to see the
great evil of intemperanee decreased everywhere
throughout our broad land, I am not particular
ly Temperance advocate" but I sympathize
greatly with any cause that is presumed to lessen
the great evils of intemperanee and whisky selling
The continued and urgent needs of the sufferers
by the Ohio river flood have still received the at
tention of both Congress and the Executive branch
of the Government the past week. Congress ap-
propriated an additional 5000 900 for their relief
while Secretary Lincoln, of the War Department,
has sent all the relief boats at his command laden
with rations and with tents snd clothing for their
protection, down the river to all points affected by
the food, besides authorizing the several mayors
of the towns and villages along the banks to draw
on the Government for needed amounts of money,
ranging from $500 to $4,000 in each case. He
also ordered officers of the army to proceed to the
distressed sections to distribute the supplies fur
nished by the Government.
The great Massachusetts, Democratic "pow-wow"
took place on the sth day of last January, the
niversary of Jackson's glory at New Orleans. The
Democratic National Committee will hold its meet
ing in this city, the 22d inst, Washington's |
birthday, to appoint the time and place for hold
ing the next Democratic National Convention, to |
nominate candidates for President and Vice-Pres
ident. They should appoint the 4th of July for |
holding said convention, except that it comes too
late, and Bob Toombs, prominent upholder OF |
the partys principles, says there is "not much of |
that day left" But relying on great patriotic |
Deeds such as holding their conventions, commit |
tee meetings, &c., and Saving the country" the |
Democratic party ought to succeed, but it never !
does and never will.
There has been a sensation created here by re- |
puted snub administered by Bismarck, the German |
Prince, to our Congress, rather to the Hon. Tom
Ochiltree, vino presented and pushed through the
House of Representatives resolutions relating to |
the death of the German Liberal, Herr Lasker,
= - = n. - allow to |
pc preserves. -.---- relatives, but ordered to be
sent back here 1t is not certainly known that |
there is any ground for the sensation or rumor.
1t is said that possibly the appropriation bills
will be reported in the House this week. If so, it
will be good for the eyes of the country, for if not
shortly reported that patriotic body may be stew
ing and sweating over them all summer.
ANON.