Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1884-02-07

are used, it is only enough to stimu-
late, nothing to improve. Many of
them have too much land and strive
to cultivate too many acres of it.
Not enough grass seed is sog-n, and
tobacco is grown in many cases upon
land wholly unfit for its cultivation.
And last, but not least, theyF do not
pay sufficient attention to stcck-rais-
ing and growing. Our lands are
certainly we'll adapted to both. In
fact, they the farmers do not work
upon sound business principles. They
are continually using, not only the
income, but drawing heavily every
year from their capital, instead of
keeping it intact or, what is better,
adding to it. 1t needs no inspired
prophet to foretell the end.
And, now, Messrs, Editors, although
l have trespassed so much " on your
valuable space, | must ask for further
indulgence, in order to make some re-
ply to "CNexer." This bnllSa al wytter
and profo,oad thinker rushes INTO the
contest unheralded, and with IN air Of
conscious superiorityHr the reins of
(as be intimates) the hitherto driver
less steed, rum. With style odor-
Gus of that exhilarating fluid he so
delights to laud, he makes short work
of Local Optionists, by asserting that
they are fanatics, endeavoring to rob
the iae2"pg man Of his dcare,trights.
Save the term ,Ts.have carefully
examined this wonderful production,
and cannot find single argument
other than the old hackneyed ones
that have long since been met and re-
futed.
The questions involved in this Lo-
cal Option controversy are, first, is it
morally and legally right for com
munity to decide for Itself whether
intoxicating liquors shall be sold us a
beverage or not? Second, will pro
hibition be practical and bl1efe;al -?
A negative decision in tie first of
course precludes consideration Of
the second, But how any tlldHn can
claim a negative | cannot sse. The
form Of our government makes the
people the rulers. They have, by
laws passed by their representa-
tiyes from time to time, regulated
the liquor trade. They have set
bounds to those selling it, in order to
protect the community 1t is a vio-
lation of the law to sell,to minors, and
| believe to habitual drunkards. Is
not this an Infringement Of certain
rights Has not the minor oyster
man the same right to his glass Of grog
as his senior? &c Nexer," to be con-
sistent you should agitate against
these discriminating laws. These
boys will soon be voters and may not
forget the writer who, initiating the
demagogue so perfectly, prated flu
emily of the rights of the voters and
ignored them. Now, if the people
have the right to regulate this traffic,
in the manner they have heretofore
done, they have the same right to pro-
hibit. This view Of the matter has
been Endorsed by our Courts Ifthis
view be correct, can any intelligent
man see the improperly Of submit
ting this question to the qualified vo-
ter Of any section when asked to do
so by respectable number of the cit
liens? Prohbitionists and anti-pro-
hibitionists can both with equal pro-
priety join in such a request. This is
Local Option-the first step towards
prohibition. The next question, is
prohibition practicable and beneficial?
is not properly up for discussion at
present, as we have no authority to
vote upon the matter yet, l. e., no Lo-
cal Option law. But as some writer's
mix the two, and when they assail
Local Option, talk all the time against
prohibition, we will not shirk the duty
Of discussing both.
The immense amount Of money ex-
pended without any return whatever,
and which is necessarily diverted from
other and useful purposes; the great
number of crimes committed by those
who use intoxicating drinks to an ex-
cess, and the heavy public expense
necessitated thereby, and the great |
demoralizing tendencies Of the trade
show that something should be done
Nor should we lose sig ~ Of the fact that |
so many licensed shops are bnt traps
To allure our Young men to destruc-
ton. Our schools should be examined |
to see how many children are forced |
to grow upiu iguoranceo on this account.
Our pauper lists should be carefully
scrutinized to find how far rum gooa
towards pauperizing many of our ~
habitants, and in connection with this
we shouId note the fact that eiyerv Ia.