The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-04-26
Friday. April 26, 1850.
High Incense the Battle Cry Of the
Saloon.

court by denying its name. 1t is no longer
saloon we hear in the mouth of this arch
criminal s counsel but high license, repent
ance and reform. The coarse, repulsive
creature, familiar TO every one in its filth
and beastly habits is now playing the role
of the we'll dressed and courtly gentleman:
even professor Of religion''-walking in
fellowship with the church! It's mouth is
full of scripture texts, and its evil ways have
been Abandoned! Great things are promised
in future. The high license creature prom
Uses to help the community by paying the
largest part of the school and other taxes.
In short The saloon as high license re-
former promises in future 10 keep open only
genteel establishments, that it will be the
f,shion of the best society to frequent. The
much execra!ed saloon is denounced and
high license is urging its claims 10 consid-
Grafton and favor by the public in place Of
temperance. Prohibition is so common yoL
know, and rose from among the vulgar PEG
Pile! High license is genteel in every re-
soect, and is member of the elite, one OF
s'our SET" wears kid gloves and dwells III
gilded halls. This is the latest scheme Of
the arch enemy of mankind. In those
States where the contest RACES between pro-
hibition and the whiskey traffic we hear
only on the side Of whiskey pleadings for
high license. No one dares 10 say he is in
favor of the saloon. He is ''as much oppos-
ed to liquor and the saloon as you are
But high license is the grand remedy he
lvocates. In Pennsylvania where the con-
fict is fast and furious, and the liquor traf-
fic is on trial for its life, no word is urged
directly in its favor, but high license is to
advance the Temperance reform" and pre-
pare the way for final prohibition. The two
old political parties are nearer together on
this question than on any other. Ministers
of the gospel and church members are in
vesting largely in high license stock, and
turning credulous ear to the lying prom,
ises which the saloon in its new role is pre-
fnse with.
The gullabilitv and credulity Of men are
astonishing. If the question was placed be-
fore the people of Pennsy lyania on its single
merit, and they were asked to decide be-
tween tie saloon and its abolition, the yer
; dict against the saloon would be overwhelm.
ing, but with the sophisty of high license
as blind, it Is extremely doubtful whether
the decision will not be on the side of rum
If the criminal will only promise TO do bet
ter and profess TO have entered on a life Of
reform, the pious and philanthropic souls
which assume to have in keeping the morals
of the human race are ready to jump at the
merest promise and trust the guilty wretch
who is only planning to escape the hand
cuffs with which it is about 10 be manacled.
Although clouds of evidence are rolling
up to prove beyond peradyenture that high
license is one of the greatest frauds and big
gest lies ever invented by the whiskey
party, yet the goody goody and those who
like nip" in quiet way and those who
fear that some how or other their political
party will be injured if whiskey is entirely
eliminated from it, are strong allies of the
rum interest. They have--many of them
been denouncing the liquor traffic all their
lives and spending valuable time in organ
izing and keeping up temperance associa.
tions, yet when the day of trial comes they
vote with the saloon, and rely on coaxinq the
monster into forsaking its mate evil nature.
All these incongruous natures are on the
side Of whiskey, and the marvel is how the
saloon can muster such mass of seemingly
opposing elements on its side, but the facts
prove that 1t does succeed in doing this
thing.
The heresy of high license will doubtless
haye to run its course in every State and
the public be convinced against its will that
it is nothing more than the saloon with all
its most disgusting and alarming features,
before that public will close in and crush
it. The high license and hon-party plan Of
prohibiting the saloon will doubtless invade
Maryland in the near future, with all the
political party machinery in the hands of
the saloon, with the church influence large
ly on its side and the sympathy of poorly
informed tax payers all giving passive or
active support to the saloon interest. And
by this powerful and well organized aid the
saloon will be able 10 successfully keep the
field against the undiciplined, non party
militia that is fighting it in those state con.
stitutional amendments which are now hav-
ing run.
The cry is persistently kept up in face of
facts more convincing than proofs from holy
writ, to the contrary, that prohibition
doesn't prohibit" started by the rum inter
est and echoed by their allies of every CON-
plexion. When the people are driven to
place party behind prohibatory laws with
authority in its hand. not saloon will be
left 10 tell the tale even in our largest cities.
Massachusetts, as we had predicted, de-
cided on Monday last, against placing
prohibatory article in her constitute IN by
an Overwhelming majority. 1t was high
license, high license 10 the front. The sa
loon was never mentioned. Another nom
partisan fight against party organization on
the side of the saloon and ended as it will
ever end.