The Cecil Whig., 1886-10-23
FRESH EVIDENCE.

Commenting upon the noticeable
good order that prevailed at Elkton.
during the fair, one of our Delaware
exchanges is constrained to say, that
"perfect order was preserved, which
was most remarkable when taking into
consideration the number and different
classes OF people brought into contact
with each other"
Why is 1t remarkable that such per
feet order was preserved by SO large a
crowd, made up as it was Ct all sorts
and conditions of men?
Simply because there were but few if
any drunken men to be found in or
about the town during the fair.
Why was this the case?
Because the liquor traffic is not
licensed in the county, and those who
drank rum at all, did so quietly, and
took apparently good care not to DIS
close the places where they got 1t. They
did not get drunk, because they knew
that they would be more liable to dis.
close the offending places where they
drank their liquor. They knew that
the men in Elkton who sold the rum
they drank were violating the law, and
did not wish to incur the penalties of
such violations. They refrained from
getting drunk, not from self-respect, or
out of difference to public opinion in a
community where rum is outlawed, but
because there was a sort of mutual un-
derstanding between the men who sold
the illicit whiskey ard those who bought
and drank it, that they would behave
orderly and decently.
Now of the hundreds of drinking
men who were in Elkton during the fair
week, how many availed themselves of
the opportunity to drink illicit Rum?
We say but small proportion.
Yet every drinking man knew just
where to go and get it in Elkton. The
Cecil Democrat and every other license
newspaper in Cecil takes delight in as
serting every week that it can be got
e0c,yzyhe,e. That more liquor is con-
sumed now than under the old license
system. Tney know every place where
it is sold surreptitiously, and can point
out to the thirsty dram drinker just
where he can get his grog if he has the
money to pay for it. They know all
about it. Out of their abundant store
of knowledge of the exact whereabouts
of Rum in every locality in Cecil county,
and their precise information of the
exact quantity consumed, they diffuse
any amount of needed information to
the fellow in search of drink.
And yet with all this free masonry
which we know exists among drinking
men, this tipping of signs among the
thirsty disciples Of John Barley Corn,
we had upon the streets of Elkton very
few drunken men. Now the drinking
of Rum necessarily precedes the drunk
en- condition. They either didn't drink
enough to get drunk, or didn't drink at
all. There was evidently some restraint
felt in and about Elkton which pre-
vented those that drank from getting
drunk and in preventing others from
drinking at all.
What was it?
If it was mt Prohibitory law, what
was it?
And yet with all the evidence in this
community, that some restraint did pre-
vent men from becoming disorderly and
riotous on Cur streets during the fair,
the advocates of the Rum Traffic tell
US that Prohibition does mt prohibit.
Every intelligent man in this com
munity knows better.
Every intelligent and truthful man
knows, that had the old license system
prevailed in Elkton week before last,
that instead of seeing ladies and chill
dren walking upon our streets unmo-
Tested during the evening, not a self
respecting woman ir the town would
have dared to show her face outside her
door after nightfall.
Every intelligent and truthful man
knows, that had the Rum Traffic been
licensed in Elkton the week before last,
instead of peaceful and orderly streets
after nlghttall, every curbstone in the
center of town would at midnight have
marked the resting place of some be-
lated Bruiser.
And yet Prohibition doesn't prohibit
No locality in the state showed bet
ter evidence to the contrary than did
Elkton during the fair week, notwith-
standing the boasts of local violators Of
law, that 'trade was brisk with them.
DOES PROHIBITION PROHIBIT?