The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1885-10-16
temperance
The Grand Jury's Opinion of the
Local Option Law.

The Grand Jury's Opinion of the
Local Option Law.
"The Grand Jury have carefully ex-
amined great number of with s'es
in reference to the violation Of the
Local Option Law, in all instances
with very unsatisfactory results and
with great expense to the county and,
feeling that the sale of Intoxicating
liquors is increasing have concluded
that the enforcement Of the law, as it
now stands, is impossible"
The above is portion Of the late
Grand Jury's report to the Court.
They plead so piteously helpless as
to move our sympathies. They know
the law is being violated, but the wit
nesses lie so that they are unable to
find bill against any of the violat-
ors. They know them we'll enough,
but the witnesses lie so. you know,
that we can't catch 'em. This is
about the sum and substance Of their
report. They make no reccommendat-
ion. Don't advise amending the law.
Have found out its weak points, but
not a word in reference to pertecting
it, or advising that fellow who con-
fesses he has bought something that
made him drunk. should be made to
bear the punishment of the man he
perjures himselfto shield and pro-
tect. He that will steal will lie. The
man who violates the law will deny
it of course. The man who buys
whiskey at a place where it is Illegally
sold will also lie about it. The case
is plain one. The erin lies be-
tween two, the man who sells and the
man who buys and gets drunk. The
drunk fellow is easilycaugh. Ifhewont
tell or pretends not to know where
he got the whiskey let hlra bear the
punishment The man who runs hunt
ing whiskey to get drunk on, is an
accomplice, and as much ola violaL.
II OF law as the person who sells it.
II there are no buyers there would
be no sellers. And when the buyer
is brought up as witness, prerar-
icates. and answers falsely he ought
to he punished severely. One needed
amendment to the l.. o. law is to
make those lying witnesses stand the
penalty imposed on the illegal seller.
This would strengthen their memor-
les. Another provision, or clause,
should be added, making il primafa
cia evidence of guilt on the part of
the dealer if he sold anything which
made his customer drunk. The
Grand Jury, however, in place Of
preserving the dignity Of u Grand
Inquest" goes to :he court with it's
finger in its mouth and pleads the
"othy act" A Grand Inquest -
A Grant humhug! Not grand"
but granny Jury. The mass of the
people are evaSive on the rum trade,
their law makers are evasve, and the
courts which construe the law are
evasive. We are a set OF shamS and
half hearted in this business. There
is money in the whskey business and
all hands are in hopes they will get
some of it. The Iand lord thinks he
may get higher rent for mis- pre- ,nIses
if he can somehow rant them for II
rum mill Of s,me sort. The aoA9stD
farmer hopes to have COOL crop Of
apples and he wants ample provision
for selling his cider at the highest
figures. Tie apothecary is given the
VIII 'le legal tralicintp his hands, and
he can make good thing out Of the
privilege the physician wants to
please ispatients by prescribing the
kind of medicine they like best The
professional politician finds the grog
shop the best political machine on
earth if he knows how to handle it,
and he thinks he does. And 50 we
go. Every man hiding it under his
coat, and crying ''watch that fellow
over there" Who then is to blame
for not carrying out the prohibition
laws ? and the prophet answ ers every
one Thou art the man !"