The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-01-09
For Home Protection Against Rum & Ruin.

Our State Legislature met on Wednes-
day last. What it does for or against
the drink-curse will stand for two wears
1t is all-lmportant, then, that the friends
of home protection against the devasta
lions of the drink traffic should confer
together and present an unbroken front
against the enemy. Five years ago the
voters OF this county, irrespective of
party, declared for prohibition as against
license by majority of nearly 100.
Since the law went into operation in
May, 1881, everything has been done bv
its opponents to hinder its enforcement, to
evade it's provisions and to counterfeit its
beniticent effects. Not only has the
cider exception clause been perverted to
cover the sale of intoxicants. and up-
principled parties been found base
enough to smuggle liquors into their
loafing haunts and to drug little boys
and young lads with the vile stuff, but
the most unblushing Misrepresentation.
of the facts of prohibition here and else
where have been so industriously circu-
lated as to make any one not thoroughly
grounded in the truth almost ready to
admit the false claim-that prohibition
does not prohibit. Yet, Notwithstanding
all this, the experience of these past five
years attestS the wisdom aud policy of
Withholding the solemn sanction of stat
ute law from business that only thrives
as health, happiness and virtue are sac
rltied to crafty an insane thirst for
drink. The criminal records and indus
trial statistics of the county show how
much we have gained in these respects
since prohibition displaced license
1t is no small matter for congratulation
that no where in our county can any one
buy or sell intoz icants without risk Of
arrest, fine and imprisonment. If liquors
are occasionally in demijohns smuggle d
in. it is not so bad as having it carried in
publicly in barrels and hogsheads. If
some "lewd fellows of the baser sort"
succeed in entrapping some of our boys
in their nets, even this is not so bad as
having bars open day and night to incite
and TO encourage young aud old to de-
grade themselves and squander their
hard earned wages as the lazy drink.
seller. If men will make beasts of them
selves, there is still some comfort in
knowing that we do what we can to pre-
vent them, and by our laws forbid the
nefarious traffic. AS against license,
high or low, waving the question of
fundamentally the wrong principle of
sanctioning any evil by law, we only call
attention to two points: first, drink
sellers, without exception favor license
as against prohibition; and second, every
opportunity for drunkenness found un-
der even poorly enforced prohibition,
will be increased under license. Com
pare any city in any prohibition State
with Philadelphia under license, with its
more than 5000 saloons, more than half
| of which are not licensed The only
difference is, under prohibition they are
all forbidden, while under license part
are sanctioned by law. What we want
is more complete Irohibitory law and
more faithful enforcement. Let the
100 majority vote of Cecil appeal for
this to our legislators in Annapolis, and
let every friend of virtue, intelligence,
happiness and prosperity of our people
join in a united demand for such protec-
ton for the home against the saloon, and
we may confidently anticipate the most
satisfactory results. We cordially Sec
ond the suggestion in the Comfy Ne1r$
for convention of all friends of tenn
perance in the county as soon as practi-
cable to deliberate upon and formulate
the legislative action we desire. 4 dele
CATION from each election district, con-
Sisting of the ministers of the Gospel of
the several districts, and at least double
the number of laymep, friends of the
cause of the different political parties,
we submit would make good working
convention.
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