Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-05-03

"a 1lle Recnrd 81 the M. I

FROM B8G &A&EEKN u TIC A&As
The election Of Wednesday shows there
are three hundred and ninety~two mon III
Annapolis who could MT be deceived ~
sophislry, deferred by threat, nor demean-
Ell by bribery 10 vote for legaiixing the sale
pf intoxicating liquors. Such d bana
men who publish 10 their Itllowcitizens
that ii is conscientious principle of their
lives 10 unalterably oppose the legaliza-
ton Of The Infamous tFslftic Is the nucleus
Of eventual victory They are there for
all time. Not 50 with our opponents.
They are made mp, tn great part, Of men
who haye desired to do right, but have
been deceived by the sophislical arguments
of onr enemies and 10 these are added. &C.
cording to open and transparent signs, a
large number of those despicable creatures
who can induced to vote for whichever
side offers the most money. With our foes
are the elements of disintegration. with lis
the foundations Of strength.
The contest, through which we have
passed, was disasl rous; but It is not win
out hope.
The cause Is too near human hearts ever
to be without its valiant advocates.
Tie prohibitionists entered the contest
handicapped. They had too long allowed
the law TO be openly evaded without seek
ing % have its provisions ef9rced. This
gave their enemies the hu ID cry that
the law was doing no 5 Its very
benefits were thus hidden under the dust
that its opponents raised; and many voters.
who would have been with them, were
deceived as TO the lesser / quantities of in
ioxicating liquors consumed in this city
and the very material decrease of crime
Our opponents played d shrewd game
all the while. They began with high
license and induced many 10 commit
themselves TO this glitiering specific.
Once committed, few men have the
courage 10 change opinion according to
change of facts. Then the contest was
shaped TO bring the traffic back to its old
status. This aroused The sympathy OF the
former liquor dealers, the present steal.
thy yIoIat0rs Of the law, anu the lovers OF
strong drink generally. These classes
were reinforced by the purchaseable vote
OF the city, and hence the success of 1.-THE
moral sentiment" as the one OF its adyo-
Gates SO charmingly styles it.
There was more disadvantage yet that
the prohibitionists had to encounter. Our
representatives in the Legislature put il
upon us. When we asked for an act TO
suppress clubs, which were made the clubs
To break our heads, q maiority ofGele
gates utterly refused to report Mr..
Ireland's bill prepared ON this subject, and
instead OF voting on a question to return
to low license, or to suppress clubs, the
city was made, against tile wishes oil the
local optionists, TO vote either for license,
or against.
Thus were we forced to the unjust and
UNEQUAL contest. IT gave our opponents
the hue and cry by which they won.
Now our opponents paraded themselves
as the especial guardians Of 1.-THE financial,
social, moral, and religious welfare OF the
community We do not believe that.
We hardly think they seriously believed ii.
II they do. they have singular views of
finance, society, morals and religion.
They were particularly severe upon, and
Mortified at The iniquity of clubs, but they
never lifted their hands to suppress them,
and whenever any measure was proposed
to wipe them out of existence, they have, to
man, as far as our experience goes, found
some convenient excuse te say that can
not or that ought not, 10 be done.
We carly learned, whilst there was d
great deal Of ignorant honesty, there was a
large amount Of arrant hypocrisy on the
other side.
The truth is--in spite OF all the pathetic
sentences for righteousness, temperance,
and judgment to come the election OF
We lnesday was made, by an adroit and
unscrupulous campaign, a great victory
for the advocates OF the free sale OF liquor
and the owners of cunstitutionally dry
throats
There were o great many who preached
temperance in this campaign whose only
object was to make the purchase of liquor
legal, respectable, and easy of access.
The decision Of Wednesday was
reached against the sentiment Of the ma
jorlsy OF tile church militant, against the
voice and vote OF every minister OF Christ's
gospel OF this city save one, against the pro-
test of lifelong abstainers OF intoxicating
drink. against every temperance orgaiza-
ton In the city and yet, 50 obtained in the
interest Of temperance, morals and reli-
gion!
But the contest will 90 ON. The courts
will be tried first, and So, In enc assault OF
another, the eternal warfare against the
worst evil that afilicts mankind will con-
tinue.
The victory Is only deferred.