Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-02-13

HERE is some legal force IN an
objection to DR.. Gaskill's minor bill
that it imposes upon traversers the
development of evidence eliminating
themselves.
This pretty fiction has ever been
more generous than wise as a quality
of law. Many dungeons have been
darker and many jails emptier for the
provision which abrogates the wit,
stand as confessional.
But whether society is better off for
the same humane consideration is
open to question
| To return to DR.. Gaskill's bill.
Not ii man who sells liquor to any
one, knowing him TO be minor, but
knows also that he is violating law.
, All minors know themselves us such,
and under this bill not II minor who
attempts to buy whisky but will also
know that he Is violating Il law. In
either case, or both, the purpose is
deliberate to commit IL lawless act,
yet Il cross examiner, licensed to lead
awltness into perjury where other pc :
pie are concerned, is not permitted
to seduGe him into telling the truth
about himself.
1t is vagary of this nature, stud
ded here and there throughout our
system Of law, that forces expedients
to evade them. In fact, Il writer in
the Cumberland NeWs impeaches the
principle far enough to suggest that
IN the case of seller and buyer of
whisky, where the latter is a minor,
that the first to testify against him.
self shall thus absolve himself from
prosecution for any admitted crlmin-
ality III the transaction. The sug-
gestion would make swift witnesses"
of both parties in anv given case, and
institute Il competition in unterritied
truth telling that would be refresh
ing in an age dark with falsehood.
Somewhat regretting the need for
such a proposal, the JOURNAL
seconds the motion.
IN Iowa, an acre planted in timber,
with trees not more than twelve feet
apart, eXempts 500 worth of property
from taxation. 1t is said that the in
creased valuation of property Oh ac-
count Of tree planting makes the
property of the State so much greater
as to decrease the the rate of taxation,
and thus all classes are gamers
Philadelphia Iron.
just so. Anything which lightens
taxation all round enhances property
values all round. Tax the mort
cages.
The distillers of the United States
have taken IL step toward temperance.
They have pooled upon an agreement
to limit the product for 1886 to
100000 gallons whisky, an allot.
ment of about a quart to each inhab-
liant. Should q famine result in
Homecoming and Cumberland the
people cannot say that this great
paper has not given out information
equivalent to an infalllble prophecy
of IL very dry season.
Two or five dukes in England en- i.
JOY each from eight to fourteen other
titles. Imagine Il monopoly of that
character III this country. Think of
general being also IL colonel, major,
captain, lieutenant, etc, with scores
OF equally talented and mertorious
gentlemen walking around him un.
titled! We shudder.
TALK Of extending the West Nir-
ginia Central railway system o Cum.
berland is going with II fair degree of
activity. What we really want.
however, is a scheme to bring the
Potomac river through Frostburg.
The historic old stream is not ap-
precia;ed where 1t is.
IF Mr.. McComas would make the
great speech Of his life in behalf of
unlimited distllation of whisky in
! stead Of limited coinage Of silver, he
would be able to make himself better
understood by the working forces In
politics.
If one half the noise made by the
financial purists of the world over
the further coinage of silver were di-
rccted against the continued dis
/ tillation of whisky thav wouId or;or