The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-09-27
The High License Craze in Mary.
land,

Ii we may judge from present indications
the liquor question promises to warm up
the Baltimol cans during the campaign in
more ways than one and command more
interest in Mary land, politics, than ever
before. There is a strong movement in
favor Of High License. Those people have
been caught by the very tempting theory of
High License. This theory has but recen-
iy made its appearance in Baltimore, which
is proverbially slow, honest town, and like
the early promulgators of High License,
they believe it is a stepping stone toward
complete prohibition. 1t is worthy of note
that the honest advocates of High License
declare that prohibition-the complete abo-
li;ion of the rum trade-is their ultimate
object, and when the High License craze
has spent its force they will doubtless re-
turn 10 it. On the other hand the saloon,
or rather the whiskey monopoly, also favors
High License. Are these big fish of the
High License for the same humane purpose,
that the confding temperance people are?
Far from it. They. the liquor men, have
studied the subject thoroughly. Their iu
formation is based on the solid rock of sta
tistics. They know; they do not trust 10 the
mirage promises Of heny. The liquor party
have made themselves familiar with the
high license laws of Great Britain and her
Indian possessions. They have noted the
power the Liquor interest has gained in this
| country since the United States Government
has laid a tax upon liquors Of GOO per cent.
| That is protective tariff which has wiped
out all the small distilleries and breweries
and placed the business in the hands of
Iniliionaires. In Great Britain and her In-
dian dependencies the largest part of the
taxes is paid by the liquor business. The
| U. S. Internal Revenue laws raise nearly
one hundred millions annually from the
liquor business. This system makes the
liquor business an important source OF rey-
enue, thereby giving the entire liquor or
saloon business standing and importance.
But how can any honest business afford
10 pay 900 per cent tax to the government?
No honest business can do it and live. This
large tax is all collected from the people by
the saloon, which is used as tax collector S
office, and in addition to the 100 millions
collected for the government, The saloon
collects directly from the people 800 mil
lion dollars. The saloon collects yearly
from the people of the United States $500
600, 900 over its counters, out Of which it
can well afford to pay the government tax
and the High Licenses which are being i'm
posed by some of the large cities Look
over the country and behold the suualor,
rags and starvation in the novels from where
large portion of this money is collected!
Is this or any other'nation justified in
having such tax laws? But what is the pur-
pose of saloonP 1t is to make drunkards!
There is no other answer possible. But the
High License saloon wont admit drunkards,
wont sell Them liquor. That it makes them
none will attempt to deny. When they
grow too seedy to look respectable these
victims of the High License saloon are
hopelessly ruined. Very few can eyer re-
trace their steps. They must go somewhere.
They would move heaven and earth, if it
were possible. to obtain liquor. They are
ready to sell their souls for single drink.
Low dives must be provided TO receive these
wrecks which the High License saloon
turns out, or their increasing numbers
would soon block up the entrance to the sa-
loon and their cries of rage and misery turn
all decent, new corners, fresh customers
away. The High License, gilded saloon is
impossible without the dye, which is
necessary adjunct, fms to the high priced
respectable saloon. This is not theory but
facts sustain the charge. Consult the police
court records and walk the streets of every
High License city and both proclaim this
undeniable fact, that High License cities are
full Of dives-of unlicensed rum holes. Go
to Omaha, to St. Louis, 10 Kansas City, to
Pittsburgh, to Philadelphia the City |
of Penn, TO which the sleeping advocates Of
High License, rub their eyes and point.
Philadelphia, with the Brooks ''restiictivt'
High License law is filling up with liquor
clubs and dens rapidly. Pittsburgh with its
93 High License, grand saloons has 500 |
"speakeasies' Everywhere the result is
the same. Unlicensed dens multiply under
the shield of High License.
But the unsophisicased advocat les of High
License will tell you that those who pay
such high rates for the privilege will inform J
on all who menace their business by selling
without license. No such thing. The like
has never been known 10 occur. The dive
is necessary appendage to the saloon as
we have shown. The fine establishments
could never get along without it. The
drnnkards they make would throng the
of The fine saloons, Brighten away
decent people and in a short time ruin the
fashionable resort. The High License
places supply the dives with cheap whiskey
and they in turn take charge Of the formers
drunkardsl
The abolition of the liquor traffic viii |
never be reached by taxing the manufacture
and sale of liquor: BY the power of being
al L. -