The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-10-24
High License.

alSu hlC0uS6.
Elk. Chief Justice Daniel Agnew
of Beaver, Pa, wrote a series of
articles for the Pittsburg CONNER
cial Gazette during the Amendment
Campaign of 1889 in that State, one
of which, with his permission, we
reproduce as his very able argument
Is applicable to the present contest
in our equity.
High license necessarily takes
place in the discussion of prohibit
ton. 1t processes to offer "a better
system. 1t has the support of the
saloon, of tipplers and unrestrained
appetite. 1t takes in those who
doubt prohibition, those uncertain in
their own minds, the tboughtless, the
Indifferent, and those who would
escape taxation. 1t was evidently a
tub to the whale to avert prohibition
in the hope that these influences will
defeat it.
If anyone has watched passing
events, he has noticed how eagerly a
part of the press has taken hold of
high license as the best system, the
surest, most conservative and most
burden -relieving-how the first ex.
ecution of the law has been praised
the reduction of the number of
saloons, tt e increase of revenue and
decrease of crime, while the same
papers have been foremost to slur
prohibition. He may also have
noticed that with the popular ad-
vance towards prohibition there has
been a slight modification in their
tone.
But do not intend to decry high
license. Let it have credit for any
good it has brought. Between it and
the former system of low and indis-
criminate license much is to be said
in its favor. This is not the point
now. The question is between high
license and prohibition. High license
means the open saloon, the rich and
gaudy attraction of splendor, the
lures of fashion, the temptation of
youth and the yet unfallen. The evil
is not banished, but drinking con.
tinues. What follows? The saloon
is made only more respectable and
inviting, drunkenness will revel.
crime will flourish, woe and sorrow
will still await wife, children and
friends. Poverty comes with its
train, and dishonesty and fraud con.
trive means for the further gratifica.
ton of appetite and pleasure. The
prison. and the almshnuse, and
insane asylum are repleniseed, and
death and woe close the scence.
This is not all; courts are kept busy
taxes are not reduced, and the po-
lice swells in lumber. In short,
private ruin and public burden fol
low always the current which flows
from the license to sell intoxicants.
License high or low means sales,
and these mean drunkenness and all
it's evils. Those who advocate high
license overlook both economy and
public welfare. The money expended
on the consequences of drinking ex-
ceeds by far all the price of license
no matter how high. while society is
demoralized and health destroyed.
Men will drink until the price of
license reaches the point of prohibi-
ton. License, high and low, is but
sliding scale of public loss and
private ruin.
High license means agitation. The
liquor interest rallies to repeal and
avarice, selfinterest, appetite and
intrigue assist. Legislative halls
become scenes of contest, and per-
manency in the laws is banished.
Nor does high license give pure
liquors. Adulteration, made more
necessary by high tax, goes on and
society swallows the poison. High
license means the suppression of
some low dens, bnt what does it give
in return? Wealth and fashion dis.
play their finest art. The palatial
edifice rears its high head, its front
of elegance captures the eye, it's in
terror adornments strike the imagina.
ton, its brilliant lights dazzle the
poor moths that fly to its flames, and
to young men, even pure daughters,
and the yet sober it holds forth lures
aad temptatsons which have but one
end-ruin.