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

Legislature 10 aCCcue 10 tue popular
demand for Local Option law, 9TH
erwlse the Democratic party was
likely to be rent asunder.
The law was carried, yet to day
the temperance cause IN the State
would doubtless be stronger and far
more efficient had tie law been de-
feated. Then the State was q unit
and working for common end. and
in hearty cooperation. Since May
1885, no State Temperance Conyen-
ton has assembled and no State
work has been 4inaugurated. The
thunder peal has died away in low
Eutterings, ever and anon from a
county here or there over the State
Had the Legislature of 1885 re.
fused the law. the next Legislature
would have been mast pronounced
temperance body, and measures
more stringent than Local Option
law would have been adopted. But
The combined strength necessary for
State work was divided. To each
county was. served out mess of
Local Option pottage, the smallest
possible ration which could still or
silence the hungry cry for legal Pro.
hibit!on. Temperance was turned
away to the counties, and ceased
knocking at the do ors of the statute
making power. Thus, with more OF
temperance sentiment than could be
found in almost any other State,
Georgia was left with the weakest
bond of all among her temperance
workers,and to day it is one of the
hardest of States to organize for
effective work in the temperance
cause. FILE
Local Option has left Georgia
without q temperance organization,
and with 70 plan OF concerted State
action The forces which ought to
be united for the reduction of GER
tain liquor strongLolds lack q head
and common objective aim
Local Option is OF all forms Of
temperance legislation the most least
able to resist those temporary revul-
sions which come in the course Of
every great neral or popular NOV
ement. Such ebbings OF the tide
leave the option ship standed high
and dry-stern seaward. At such
times of low sentiment the vigilant
enemy is always ready; the abolition
of the law is but short work and the
labor of years is overthrow. Such
is the ultimate fact of all such tenn
porary measures Adopted as all
experiment. The law continues to be
regarded as on trial, and change is
always anticipated Hercules grew
weary of a battle perpetually renew
ed. and the hydra would eventually
have conquered had the contest con-
tinued one of simple endurance
So temperance men, not having the
money and selfish incentives of their
foes at last tire out and give over
the conflict, usually with the promise
of High License, ample restrictions,
regulations, ETC., etc, which
promises liqaordom never yet has
redeemed. ss...s
The wisest Local option temperance
men expected to use the measure as u
stepping-stone to general Prohibition
Let us work on, redeeming county
after county, until not more than
dozen liquor stroDgholds be left, then
with one grand coup Resas, we will
sweep the State" Such was the pop-
uiar delusion. On the other hand, the
rum power sagaciously copjectured that
Local Option might be used as break
water against the temperance tide
about to food the State. To gain time
and scatter their opponents forces, was
their shrewd policy. Local Option
might staye off the final doom; so it
became the la of the land A halt
was called, and temperance enthusiasm
was allowed to expend itself in crushing
the hydra's heads in the counties, only
to and the task perpetually renewed.
The Prohibition line was broken, and
rum still had its hand upon the legis-
lating power.
Local Option left citadels here and
there in the hands Of the Jebusites,
though in the midst of Israel. and from
those hilltops the fires to Molooh still
burned as brightly as ever, and the
people continued to be seduced and de-
lled by the profaning presence. Liquor
,ounty A becomes q perpetual snare to
couuties B, q, D, and the rest and
very soon the sagacions liquor econo-
mis's and .philanthroplsts e. begin to
whisper something about revenue
..Oniy see what Gums A gets from
license to use upon her schools, her |
roads, her almshouses. etc., etc., while
zoe have the illicit trade and get no re.
turns from it. Lord, might not all this
liquor have been legally sold for
thousand dollars aud the money given
to the poor?" st
Such 10 the plea which one may hear
every day and read 10 nearly every sec
ular paper. Drunk Tor revenue only"