The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-04-06
Local option in Georgia.

Professor says:
II has been objected that some of the
counties were in favor Of the trafic, and
that it would not be right to force
Prohibition upon such unwilling dis
tricts. Yet in almost every county
there are communities--militia districts
or municipalities-opposed to Prohi.
bition. Why should the county be
permitted to exercise sovereignty
over such districts far greater than the
State, the Legislative centre, can exer-
else over the counties? Unwilling sub
jects will be found in districts, however
small, who must be coerced into obe-'
dience to prohibitory as we'll IS to oil
other laws.
Local Option is the creature of
cliques aud political rings. A county
has been carried for Prohibition but BY
hare majority The liquor men con.
stantIy look forward TO the opportunity
for re .uming Their business. Often the
rumseller moves his saloon just few
miles, barely beyond the county limits,
and brings wagon into requi>ition,
which delivers the liquor, Of course,
bought at the saloon ~ to the thirsty
customers. The Law. is too temporary
to deprive the saloonist Of the conf
dent expectation Of an early return TO
his former place, and SO he remains an
active factor ip opposing it, and all the
more as his money is still invested in
the traffic. Thus Local Option nurtures
a viper in its own bosom.
Local Option 10 Georgia has
enabled many counties. indepen,
IDENTIFY of State action. to rid
themselves Of liquor traffic, On its
face it Is the most democratic OF
measures, since it makes the sover
eign people the supreme and imme
date arbisers in the case. This
feature has done much to render this
law popular to the South.
would not abate one jot from the
real good which Local Option has
accomplished here, yet there are
grave defects in the law rs temper.
ance measure-defects apparent to
many of the clearest.hearted temper
ance men from the first, and becow-
ing more and more evident as the
test of experience has been applied
Local Option is constantly in
politics. Georgia furnishes innum-
beral examples Of this; e.g, OF the
III members Of the House who voted
for the Local Option bill in 1885,
only about twenty were returned to
the same branch of the next Legisla
ture. The champions of Prohibit
ion are steadily relegated to the
shades ofpriyate life by the political
bosses, who find that such men are
not available by some reason of
their temperance record. Why?
The liquor power is against them.
Local Option permits the liquor
power to remain organized in it's
interest in the State, and is always
ready to sieze upon the first oppor-
tunity to restore itself. Such eppor.
tunities are continually offered in
the political ring work around the
courthouse. In any close contest
between parties, cliques. or candi-
dates, liquor stands ready to help its
most obedient servant-the highest
bidder for its favors. Especially Is
that the case in legislative contests,
for the Assembly enacted the Local
Option law, and it may alse repeal it,
and liquor selects its candidates
with an eye to this. Even now very
competent authority assures us that
the liquor power outside the Safe
ard the ring politicians at home are
making up the Legislative slate for
next November: This Legislature
is to choose a successor to Gov. Coz
quit in the u. S. Senate.
Thus Lecal Option keeps the
political pot in perpetual termen..
Like the troubled sea, it can never
rest. Such a law can never remain.
upon the statue book 1t can never
acquire stability and recognition as
bondttde law. Change is always to
be anticipated for the power to
change-the Legislatures always
at command Laws to have pefma-
nence must be placed beyond the
power Of the Legislature TO abolish
or alter. This can never be while
liquor has the balance Empower be.
tween the parties and Legislature
has the enacting or abolishing pre-
rogative.
Moreover, Local Option is the
weakest of bonds for uniting the
people of q State to secure legisla-
tive action. Time and again has
the query been propounded to us ):
..If four-fifths of Georgia is under
Prohibition. why do you not sweep
the Slater" Kind friends, a great
writer has said Collect the thun.
der into a single peal. and it will
rend the heavens; divide it iAto q
thousand parts. and each becomes
but plaything for child So of
Local Option. In 1886 the demand