The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-02-03
High License Meeting.

A meeting was held IN the Court House,
on Tuesday afternoon, tn consider the pres
ent local option law The court room was
well filled. The INT eting was callt d 10 order
by Mr.. Jas w. GLADDEN., Of the fouTth dis
trict, who said the object of the meeting WIS
TO devise some method for the relief of tax
payers from the expenses created by local OPP
ton.
Col. Herman Stump, ofthc 81 district was
called to the chair, and Mr.. b. +. IIanway, Of
the LIST district, appointed Secretary.
Major A. NJ. Hancock WAS the only speaker
He said that the local option law was adopt
ed during an exciting political campaign,
without any discussion except upon one side,
both political parties being afraid To touch
it. 1t has, after five years trial. failed to
correct the evils it was intended to correct,
these being, if possible, worse, and it has
added bUrdensome taxation upon the people.
The decentralization is greater under this law
than the oldest nhabtant ever knew i, To be
before. TITS law having been trit d and fail
ed it Is now time for the people to meet aud
propose law that will cure more Of the evils
under which we suffer than this law does,
and relieve taxpayers from most grievous
burden.
Because the law has failed it has suited the
purpose of some to drag the highest judicial
authority of this county in his rones into the
mud.
Every officer ofthe court has been traduCed
and villfed because of the failure of this law.
He would say of his Honor on the bench that
no Judge in the State has had fewer of his
decisions reversed, and the speaker, as II cili.
zen of the county, is proud Of it. If men are
put in the witness box because they have said
they would swear to a lie for S., are the court
and jury TO be traduced because the liquor
seller is not found guilty upon such evidencey
The Grand Jury book shows that 1852 wit
nesses were examined at the last term of court
on local option cases, and they were paid for
five, six, eight or nine days attendance. Since
the adoption of the law POS indictments for
its violation have been found and 90 cunvic-
tions. These convictions cost the county
$4,000, or $4,000 for each person convicted.
Are you willing that these burdens shall con-
tinue to be piled upon taxpayers? The books
show that the three leading men in this pro-
hibition movement do not pay into the coun
ty treasury $40 a year all told. Yet for the
purpose of gratifying them we are to go on
pilng up taxes upon taxes and paying So, 800
for each conviction. Has one drunkard been
reclaimed by this law H IS one gallon less
of whisky been sold and consumed in the
county,
We are asked to let these people amend
the law and make it more stringent. II has
been failure and they confess it, Are we
to be led like cattle by the halter and be told,
Stand there while we correct our mis,akess
An entire term of court, from nearly the
beginning of November to nearly the end of
January, has been taken up with the trial of
local lon nd ha nj Nil h,etp Co. la
layed, thereby obstructing the business the
county.
At meeting held last week to amend this
law q resolution was adopted calling upon
clergymen to procure signatures to petitions
in favor of the amended law. Why, if Car
dinal Gibbons were to instruct the clergymcn
under him TO procure signatures to petitions
in favor of high license there would bea howl
Just and proper too-from one end of the
county to the other.
Another resolution was adopted endorsing
two Bel Air newspapers for their structures
upon the court. Two gentlemen, at the
meetings who understand the force of Ian
guage, boldly refused to give their sanction
to this.
We only ask what is right. They have
failed with their law and we ask that another
mode to restrict the sale of liquor be adopted
He proposed that high license bill be pre-
pared and submitted, along with the amended
Prohibition bill, to the voters of the county,
TO say whether they will have high license or
prohibition.
Major Hancock then read statistics from
various States, going to show that where
Prohibition has prevailed, saloons and drum
kards have increased in number, and that
where High License is the law marked de.
crease in both is observed.
The experience has been, he said, that where
prohibition has been tried it has failed and
where high license has been enacted il has
succeeded in restricting the sales of liquor.
AS citizens and taxpayers all we ask the
prohibition people is to submit 10 the freemen
of this county high license law along with
their amended local option law and let the
people soy which they will have
The following resolutions, offered by Mr..
w. 5. FOrwood, Jr., were adopted:
RESOLVED, That Committee of six active and
energetic citizens be appointed to act as an Exc
cutive Committee for the county, and be cloth
ed with all necessary power for carrying out
the purpose, of this meeting.
RcSolved, That a Committee Of three com
petent persons be appointed to frame such an
act as their wisdom may suggest, to take the
place OF the present oppressive Local Option
Law, and urge upon our members Of the Legis-
lature TO secure Its passage and lite submission
to the voters of Hartford county.
ReSolUed, That all citizens Of the county, ir-
respective of party utilization, be invited to co.
operate with us in securing such relief from
present taxation burdens as wisdom, prudence
and judicious regard for the welfare of the
entire community may suggest.
The chairman appointed the following as
the Executive Committee:
VIM. T. Sawyer, George Harris, s. A. Will
lioF nr 7 Tn,,
Col. ]. Thompson Frieze.
He also appointed Hon. Henry D. Farnan-
dis, George Y. Maynadier and s. w. Brad
ford to draft high license law.
The meeting then adjourned.