The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-06-07
Friday. June z, 1889.
High License Vigorously En-
forced"

hustle the coming 1all between the
democrat and republican parties for
catching the temperance vote. A Bal
timore banker has started the ball in
systematic movement and the "great
dailies'' of that city hearken to the cry,
tumble to the racket" with eagerness
and alacrity. We are on the eve Of a
vigorous campaign to restore universal
liquor license to the State under that
thinnest of all masks, high license.
That sheep skin will have been shorn
SO closely, and have become so destitute
of wool before the Maryland whiskey
wolf puts it on, that even the inmates
of blind asylum might be able to de-
tect the ravenous beast that is attempt
ing to hide under it.
The "great dailies" of Pennsylvania
are enjoying such surfeiting feast of
whiskey ring Doodle during the
Amendment campaign as to make the
mouths of our Baltimore "great dailies"
fairly water. Like jobs Horses they
scent the battle afar and neigh fer the
Doodle. With one accord they all cry
out let US have high license. The
present low license cannot be enforced
they say. let US have high license
with restrictive features vigorously or
rigidly enforced. Alas! there is moth
ing so stupid as human credulity under
the sun. If the officers wont-"wont"
is the word)enforce the "restrictive
features" of the present license, in the
name of common sense who is so sim
pie as to expect them to ''rigidly en-
force'' more restric tive licese law?
The "great dailies" are about all on
the side of high license. 1t matters
not if the license fee is only 500 or
$3.50. 1t has become fashionable to
use the words "high license" in place
of saloon. The one is the alias of the
other. And always coupled with this
formula for preparing gin cocktails and
brandy smashes for the public, are the
glitterlng generalities, restrictive
features" rigid enforcement "placed
inthe hands of respectable Dealers"
and other patent phrases recently in
vented by the saloon party and placed
in the mouthes of the "great dailies"
to be re-echoed by thousands of
thoughtless temperance people.
There is not an editor of "a daily paper
in the country that does net know, or
it is his first duty to ascertain the facts
that these claims for the restraining
and restricting influence of high license
which are repeated with such clamor
and persistcnty, are wholly, entirely
false. They have been refuted by the
most substantial evidence that ever
nailed ialsehood to the counter. In
every instance where ever high license
has been tried it has proved most
dismal failure to check the drink evil,
to reduce crime, to lessen expenses of
prosecuting criminals, whose Gaines are
caused by the selling and drinking OF
whiskey in saloons, That poor houses,
jails, insane asyums, houses of correc-
ton and penitentiares are kept full by
the steady stream from the high licens
ed groggeries, as from the low licensed
groggeries, statistics of these institu-
lions prove conclusively. The high
licensed. saloons in Omaha, St. Louis,
Chicago, Kansas City and every where,
run full blast on Sunday and sell to
minors, drunk persons, in short, violate
every restrictive" provision of the law
tudI CouHlCtS WIFI luelT lulGIeSIs WltD
impunity. The police are their crea-
lures. They control the politics OF the
cities where ever they exist, and fill
the Offices with their creatures by brid.
cry and ballot,box stufing. The high
licensed are more powerful, hence more
dangerous than the low dives, and are
not one whit better in their morals or
manners or as bulwark to drunken
ness. Their only object in temper
ance point of view is to bar out prohi.
bition, by bribing municipalities and
the state with the payment of heavy
license fees. In Omaha, where they
have had $1,000 license for 9 years, the
taxes are higher this year than ever
before amounting to $3.50 on the 500, !
with valuation of property placed at
the highest notch. The city of Omaha
has population of 10000, with 260
licensed saloons paying $1,000 each into
the treasury, and SO demoralizing is
this enormous license, that the brothels
are also all licensed to swell the school
fund; and with all the taxes are rising