The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-11-01
REV. FATHER HANNAH ON
PROHIBITION.
HAvRE DE GRACE, Oct %, 1886

pers, at least a portion of an address to the
voters of the county, delivered by me IN
the Town Hall of Port Deposit on the night
of Tuesday, the Dist inst | regret that
space obliges me to give but few arguments
and reasons that were not given in the adj
dress.
Having studied-let us lay stress upon
the word studled-the question of Prohibi-
ton conscientously and thoroughly, especi-
ally with respect to the effect it would have,
if rgidIy enforced, upon the masses and
particularly upon the members OF the
Catholic Church, l am driven to declare in
the strongest terms that it would be bless
ing, "a c)nsumm hi IN davout'y to be
wished" | say il rigidly enforced, for
many agree as to the desirability OF Prohl-
bition. but doubt the possibility of its en-
forcement. In agricultural regions ike
Kansas, the Dakotas Iowa and may add
Nebraska, it can be and indeed, especially
in Kansas, it is enforced; and it is source
of benefit morally and financially to the
state In large cities Wilmington for ms,
lance, it could not now be enforced; but
later on it might be.
My platform is the motto of that noble
and useful organiza ton, the w. e. L.
Total Abstinence for the individual and
constitutional Prohibition for the nation.
Out and out Prohibitionists say that Local
Option is too local and too optional
True, but we have it, and it is the best
that we can get just now, 1.-THE half loaf is
better than none" Besides it is in theory
and in practice decided improvement up
on any possible High License Law, for
License high or low, presupposes the eXls-
tence of the liquor evil, and means legal
lied permission for that existence; whereas,
Local Option means no legalized existence
no tax on or fer permission to exist and to
thrive; discoura cement and extlrpatlon.
In practice, the success of Local Option de-
ponds in great measure upon the efforts
of the officials to enforce the law. In gen
eral, failure means not failure of the law or
statute, it remains the same print in failure
as we'll as in success, but the failure of paid
servants of the people to do their duty that
they swore they would perform, viz. to en-
force law and order. Officials do not make
the law; they enforce it. The people make
this law a nd the officials as well, and when
| our officials dare to make or what is prac-
| tically the same thing, to unmake law by
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of it, the people should
| dare assert their rights and unmake the
usurping officials.
As far back az the year 1917, Chief Justice
| fancy of the U. S. Supreme Count decided,
| that eff state deems the traffic i'll ardent
spirits Injurious to its citizens and calcul'
| ated to produce idleESes, vice or debauche-
cry, it has "A right to prohibit the use of it. y
| see nothing In the Constitution of the
| United States to prevent it from prohibit
ing it altogether, and in 1887, just forty
years later, the Supreme Court of the
United States, eight justices asserting, one
dissenting decided, I'VE cannot shut out OF
view (they cou'd see ir) the fact within the
knowledge OF all, that The public heal'h, the
| public morals and the public safety may be
endangered by the gener i use (not abuse
of intoxic ltng drinks; nor the fact estaol
ished by statistics accessi BILE to every one
that the disorder, pauperism and crime pre-
valeut in this country are in some degree
traceable to this evil.
Is there any similar decree, voters o.
Cecil County, against Tariff, high or low,
production or free-trade? Surely then the
liquor tax question is as important and de
| mands our earnest consideration, as muct
az the import tax question. Tax II? Never
voters, for to tax it is to tax or permit dis
order, pauperism and crime, but punish,
it in order to prevent crime. Ii prohibiting
does not prohibit, crime permitting certainly
does not prohibit it. See Chicago; 1882, for
$50 90, drunk and disorderly lS0ij tooa
number arrested 32sOO 1888, for SOB 90
drunk and disorderly 2l4l6, number ar
rested 37l87 1884, for $500 90. drunk and
disortlerly 2303O, total number arreste,
39i34. License for 1882, So 90, 1887 $500 o.
| almost ten times As great. Drunk and dis
orderly 1882, 1S045, in the wear 1887, 26632
increase in five years 9587, or more thar
half again or 80 as many. Total arrests
1882 a2SU0, in the year 1887 1896, increase
1905 Innumerabie other instances nigh
be cited. License it now? Here howeve
is a dilemma, either the liquor traffic i:
right or it is wrong. Ii it is right then W
are wrong to tax it to death, to put an
extra tax upon it, to restrict it more thai
we would restrict any ordinary legitim at
business, to annoy, hamper or interior
with it in any way A dry-g goods merchan
may sell all night; no law against i t, bu
the wet. goods merchant cannot.
Why this unjust discrimination? /
grocer may sell to child; a liquor deale
, | must not. An ice cream dealer may sell il
some places with the authority of the law
on the Lords Day; the rum seller does it il
, spite of the law The merchant may have
side door, the rum hole dare not Why?
One is reputable merchant who adds t
the prosperity of the community; the othe
is called hard names even by his Customers
A confectioner is not obliged by law TO Sc
that his customers do not max
t themselves sick; alas! the poor run
] seller must see that his patrons do not tai
. | too much, and he must swear not to sell I
3 these who do take too much. This la
seems to know that poison by whateve
p name it may be called, hence probably rec
light over the saloon door danger sigma
But if the traffic is wrong, we are wrong t
connive at it, to profit by it, to license i
Why not crush out the evil? Our Hig
: License friend are upon either horn of ii
dilemma Get out of it on Tuesday next
: putting the traffic out, as you would a fir
" But License people are just as cool ten
i perance people as we are, Of course. "B
f their fruits we shall know them" W
S fight this fire water friends with fir
Il because we do not like their busine.
r and the License people fight for Il
p business because they do not like She bu'
n ness. Strange, isn't it? Consistency, the
=. art jewel: In fact they are, come
think of it, inst as good prohbitionists
y we are. Consult you dictionary: defl
Prohibition: 1t is thus defined to forbi
L do not. Do not sell to children; Why
That is Prohibition. Do not sell on Sunda
Aha; Prohibition. Do not sell betwe'
10 twelve midnight and five a. IN, VIII
e More Prohibition. Not sell to wome
b Not sell by women; Cnofus, thats go
= (they cannot vote, and it is good thil
y for the saloon that they can't) Not sell
n persons under twenty one years; Who is
tell how old the barkeeper is? But BILE:
us, here's Prohibition with vengeanc
Must not sell unless that is a stable &
h stalls on Il LOTT; How exact these la
y makers are. Some connection evident
ii between Il stable and Il saloon Not unle
&c there are 50 many rooms. What is a suit
L. BILE room" True; the law says, suitat
lie rooms, not too suitable, and at least 70
N | hads two in a room We can stand tn;