The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-02-21
The Fraud of High license.


The Christian Inquirer of New York, a
Baptist paper, which has favored trial of
high license, after witnessing the effects OF
that fraud where it has had fair trials, pub
! fishes the follow editorial. Will the Balti-
mole papers continue their stupid assertions
that high license has been great success as
a check TO the vice that is inherent to the
liquor traffic, and promoter of morality?
1t is probable they will, till the public be-
come so disguised with this classifying of facts
that even the deaf ears of subsidized press
hear their Indignant protest. The follow
ing is the Iaquirtr's arraignment Of high
license under the query, "What Next Gen.
llemen?'
MANY friends of High License are cou-
ing 10 the conclusion that their Utopia is a
Sahara. They thought that High License
would SO weaken the liquor traffic that the
cause of temperance would obtain substsn-
tial Advantage. While not advocating license
in any form or under any circumstances,
we have been willing to see High License
tried, because SO many good people believe
in it that we knew the best way would be TO
let them Try it and learn lis futility by their
own experience. 1t is becoming apparent,
says the Brooklyn Citizen, that the High
License system is as much of a delusion as
Prohibition as means of stopping or check
ing the use of liquor The Citizen is Dem
ocratic paper, but is clear headed-some.
times. Republican papers are beginning to
see the same thing. They are disappointed
in their Utopia. Ifany High License sys-
tenn would have proved effective, the Brooks
law in Pennsy lyania would have been the
one. But the Brooks law has the liquor
interest to fight it, and its best friends are
now in profound doubt as to whether it was
eyer what they thought it. The Philadel-
phia Inquirer publishes special from Pitts
burg, which states:
Judge John F. Whites strict inter
probation Of the Brooks law has reduced the
number Of licensed saloons 80 per cent; yet
there are more drinking places than there
ever were before. In some dist riots, notably
the poor neighborhood surrounding the iron
and steel mills, nearly every house is
"speak easy" having its biggest trade on
Sundays. JUDGED, some iron workers have
sacrificed big paying Jobs in the mills for
still larger income from sales of liquor on
Sunday alone. They get their supplies
from the breweries al the dead of night
''lf the Brooks law fails, what hope can
we have In any form of High License.
That was deemed the perfection of license
legislation. 1t was strict. legal, high toned,
and had the Courts on its side. 1t closed up
many dens of vice, hut as fast as the licens.
ed places gave in, the unlicensed places be-
gan to work. The power 10 defy the law
comes from the liquor traffic, which has
money, influence, political power and al
most perfect system. This is a battle which
is not being fought against the rum holes
which ara so conspicuous for their iniquitv,
bnt with the brewers and their wealth A
vast and wicAed monopoly is behind all
these shameful pits of sin. And that mo
nopoly is fast falling into the hands of
Englishmen. The Breuers' Journal tell us
that 80 American breweIies, consolidated
into IL companies, have passed into the
hands of British owners, the gross value
being stated at e9,0l3,O00, or $45 zoo, coo.
British gold is thus working the ruin of
American society.
snow, there is large class of earnes,
temperance men who say, The saloon must
co. and who sincerely thought they could
drive it out by High License; hut they find
they cannot do any such thing. They are
ioIled at every step they take. The liquor.
interest is stronger, shrewder, MORE inauen-
tisl than they. 1t has the balance of power
in every election, and casts it in its own de-
tense. The 5000 liquor.dealers of New
York City claim that they control and can
cast 10000 votes. Doubtless that is true,
and 10000 votes is nonstrous bid for the
protection Of any political party. These
honest temperance PEOPLE who haye had
their Utopia are beginning TO find it any
thing but an enchanted isle, and are looking
about in hundred ways to see what 10 do.
They have said TO Prohibitionists, Keep
off; let us try High License; that will re.
duce liquor selling TO minimum, and give
US temperance millennium But it is the
old story over again. Yes, the Brooklyn
Citizen has it: 1t is becoming apparent that
the High License system Is delusion as
means of stopping or checking the use OF
liquor
"Well, gentlemen Of the High License
Utopia, what next? You have asked us to
wait until High License could be fairly
tried, and you come back to us with the
broken fragments of your beautiful system
in your hands, and with sad and ruefnl
countenance say TO us, 1T don't work. OIL
course it don't. Nothing will work tina,
leaves the liquor traffic to manipulate our
Courts, frame our legislation, defy cur laws
and defeat all The ends of justice. Venus
strangle the foe, and kill the system that
al. n