Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-08-07
Local Option Defeated.

Elsewhere we publish the returns OF the
special election held in this county on last
Tuesday to decide the question as to whe-
ther the sac of intoxicating or fermen'ed
liquors should be prohibited in this county
after the month of April next. AS will be
seen, the majorities in all the districts are
decisive against prohibition.
The vote on the question, while by no
been expected; and the strength shown
by the friends of the measure in many of
the districts is much smaller than had been
supposed. The opinion prevailed that
the friends of the prohibition cause, when
they urged special election, with its at
tendant expenses, for the decision of this
question, had reasonable assurance thai
the measure would prevail by such a re-
spectacle vote as to put an end to fur
Their agitation of the question. As it is
the support of the measure has been light
one.
Many of the more advanced advocates
of temperance in the country entertain the
opinion that the most effective means OF
restraining intemperance is to make the
license higher and require those who OBJ
tain such license to be put under bonds
not to abuse the privilege and to be re-
sponsible therefor. This course, while not
materially interfering with the revenues
derived from this source, would diminish
the number of places at which liquors are
sold, improve the quality of the liquors
retailed and greatly restrain intemperance.
There are others, who, recognizing all the
evils of intemperance, believe that prohib-
itory laws are in the nature of stump uary
legislation, and on that account should be
oppos d. There are many other friends
of the cause, who, while they believe pro-
hibition to be Legitimate and effective,
think that it should be adopted by The
State Legisla' ure like other laws of general
application, and for the whole State rath-
er than any small local. les. There are
others yet, who, while concurring in the
theory of local and partial adop ion OF
the law by the "local OPP ion" method, still
think that citizen ought not, and cannot
properly be required to so 10 a special
election and record his vote upon this
question and, hat in order to adopt such
measure at a special election the affirm
atioe votes of a majority of TIE qualified
voters ought to be required. There are
others still who believe that the limits o
county are a small enough locality ii
which to enfo ce the local option iiea and
that prohibition ough. not to 60 into ope
ration in single isolated e'cct!on district
All of these theories no doub, have thei
honest advocates and believers as most o
them unquestionably have their force. snC
this no doubt accoun,s for The fact tha
many men who entertain npinions favor
able to the cause of temperance have re
corded their vote against the recently sub
mite! law. At the same time it canno
be fairly doubted that most of those wh'
originated and advocated the measure re
Gently defeated were actuate.l by honpra
BILE and benevolent motives and had al
honest expectation OF being able to carr.
it into operation. Their motives, tlate
-f~-s-----'-'t 90 W. rJo-seSerefy censured 10
the expense which they have entailed up
on the county in what proved to be fu
tile proceeding.