Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-03-18

On the Temperance Issue Now Pend
ing. by DR.. Leech. at First NJ E.
Church on Sabbath Even
ing March fAth.


every good citizen There is pecu-
liar state Of things here now. A
few years sgo SO saloons were open.
They absorbed tens of thousands of
the money Of the people each year -
1t was worse than q waste Of money.
They Destroyed the bodies and souls
Of men, they broke the hearts Of par
ents, they degraded families. They
we're . great moral and physical can
Ger on tho county. But one opinion
should be held by any true Ameri-
can citizen as to the saloon and its
hell work. That should be in the
words-Let them perish When
closed, let them never re-appear
They did one admitted thing; they
paid about $4,000 revenue to the coun-
| ty treasury. We hear this often told
now. So they did. But remember:
1t was the price OF blood and death.
The Chief Priests said that Judas
80 pieces of silver should not go into
the treasury "becanse it was the
price of blood.n This money went
into our Treasury. Those who tell
of this revenue now, ad nauseam, are
careful never to mention that the sa-
loon was at the same time suck
Ing the life blood oil the State They
do not estimate the cost of its paup-
ers made; Of the poor-houses; the
courts and the officers and juries aud
jails and penitehtiaries which are o
burden because of the crime and dis
order under the old system, resulting
directly or indirectly from the drink
traffic.
At last men determined to get rid
Ct the curse 1t will ever be to
the credit Of Annapolis and A A
county that they rolled up a vast
majority against the monster curse
All good meh rejoiced. For while
the law worked wonders To-day it
is working well 10 the county A
gentleman said at the Town Hall
meeting some Eightsago thathis bust
ness il creased $4,000, in o single
year after the Local Option law took
effect. Two magistrates 10 1884 told
me it bad suppressed disorder so that
it had nearly ruined their business -
Tie court records showed an inn
mense falling IF of crime. The Dis
trict Attorney testified to the same.
At last change came Somebody
discovered that by the Incorporation
Act it could be eyaded. But arrests
were made and yet crime was check.
ed until the decision of the Court OF
Appeals, which virtually put the clubs
out Of the reach Of justice for while,
| have no reflections to bring
against our judges. Probably the
main point OF their decision was ac-
cording to the recognized principles
of Law But this is true. 1t opened
food gate Of evil. Now, 81 clubs,
as the official records show, not
$50 as enormously said = nearly all
of them in our city, are in full blast.
Yet, | assert, the case is largely
better than under the reign of the sc
saloons with open doors But sup
pose the case We're worse Shall not
American freemen stand for their
rights (? We should demand aud see
that the law has yet fair chance =
No good citizen should he willing TO
see q good law debased debased too
by the degraaation Of a second law.
Strange to FAY the remedy propos-
ed is to reopen the foodgates of the
vicious traffic under sanction of law.
am sorry that some excellent per-
sons have been duped by the cry Of
| High License. Under certain out
cry and Industrious manipulation
this has come to pass They will re-
greet it If they yet succeed. The SEN
siblc way would be to rally and see
that the law is properly executed.
If muFderers or burglars bad vio-
lated law, who would thi1k of licens.
ing the same by Law 1t is only
where the whiskey interest controls
votes that we fail. I warn my friends
ofthe Legislature that they shall not
be misled. There will be sure reck-
oning
This thing of High License is a de
fusion. It is essential monopoly. II
The ualic is right then the poor man
should have a right to engage in il as
well as the rich. tentrenches the curse
behind the palace aspect Of the ele-
CANT saloon. Ii ruins our more re-
spectacle young men. 1t encourages
gaming which must help pay the
heavy fees. Besides. in this case you
would have q double curse. You can't
reach The clubs. A legislator said TO