The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-07-26
Friday. July 20, 1889.
What Will the Next Legislature DoF

lature went to Annapolis with strong feel
ing on the part of the great body of the peo-
pie THAT a revision OF the tax law Of the
state would be the chief matter of consider
alton 10y that body. But the subject was
hardly mentioned. The monopoly lobby
smothed it in committee. The railroad
companies pay about one third the amount
of State tax on the same species of property
that the individual citizen pays. The other
monopolies in the State are treated with
the same distinguished consideration. There
are franchises given away to corporations
which are worth now millions, and will be
in the future, worth countless millions to
those operations, which justly are the
peoples property and should be reclaimed
for their, and their children's benefit.
These corporations set up the claim of vest
ed rights and law of contracts in order to
make good their false claims, and by the
jugglery of watered stock in connection
with these valuable franchises, haye estab
llshed constant drain on the productive
industry of the people.
Farmers have it in their power to correct
the many abuses which prey upon them
and would haye the aid of honest people in
other lines Of industry, as soon as they
showed sufficient knowledge of those econ
omic questions to attack them inteligently.
But we can hardly look for any improve
ment in this direction very soon, and the
knowledge how TO deal with them is most
likely 10 come from the outside when II
does come. Though the voice of the great
unorg gained multitude is borne past the
capitol on the banks of the ancient Sey
ern, on the idle wind UNDECIDED, the voice
of organized capital is heard even though
il may not be raised above a whisper, and it
is seldom louder than a whisper. That
voice rot only checks all legislation which
threatens to curb its grasping power, or re
store the peoples rights, but if that power
finds laws on the statute books distasteful
10 it, their repeal is demanded at the first
favorable moment, and the demand is IN
most instances Immediately complied with.
Among those demands which ale likely
, 10 be heard at Annapolis next winer, is
one from the whiskey and beer monopolies,
asking..for high license laws for Maryland,
accom-, panied with the repeal OF the county
prohibition laws. They have paved the
way 10 this result by taking into their ser
vice the prominent party organs, which
have already given a quasi commitment 10
their PARTIES to high license. The rext
point TO be gained is the nomina ton of cam
didates for the legislature favorable 10 the
liquor business, with the alias of high Ii
cense in place Of saloon. This old name
has grown dis;asteful TO the people, hence
the change, with slight advance in the
fees to the clerk for filling the blanks and
recording the contract between John Doe,
Richard Roe and the State of Maryland,
in which the former is authorised and en-
powered by the latter TO sell all the intoXi-
eating liquors they possibly can, in order
that the said John and Richard may not be
distressed in furnishing their quota of state
and municipal revenue.
The democrat party has made its selec-
ton for the legislature, and if there is a
man of the legislative part of the ticket who
is not in favor of license in preference to
the prohibition law of this county we have
not heard Of that fact
The republican party will make nomina.
lions for the same offices in a few weeks,
and We doubt if single word will be utter
ed by the convention which dominates them,
10 favor of sustaining the present prohibi-
tion law of the county; and the candidates
are not cxpected-and if expected not per-
mitied-to say a word to enlighten the pub
lie in relation to their sentiment on the
law. The Baltimore american has taken
the privilege Of committing the republican
party Of the State TO high lcerse, without
party mans or papers voice being raised
against the measure, that we hear Of The
american hedges on Baltimore city as o
feeler, of course, and meeting or encounter
A"S ~ Pio'Sot against tHc LHoFeuleut, the
whiskey interest will not be slow to claim
that this is the sense of the party, and will
demand general license law for the State
with the division of the license fees between
the State and county treasures. which is
intended to neulralize the opposition of the
tax payers.
The day is approaching rapidly aud is
near at hand when the temperance men of
Cecil will be called through party orders
to submit and have the saloon yoke laid
upon their necks, or 10 assert their indie.
pendence and fight against it. Don't make
the fatal mistake that has been so often
made by temperance people in believing
that the voter pledges his party to pIin-
ciple. The party always pledges the indi
vidual. The liquor men understand this.
They don't care a continental for all the
bowling temperance speeches that may be
made and violent denunciation of the saloon
by individual members of party, if that
party in convention assembled does not
pledge it TO enact, sustain and enforce pro-
hlDitIon laws. When a party does that It
means business. When il refuses to COM
nit itself TO this it is in favor of. or fears
the wrath Of rum.
The Law and Order League of