The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-05-30


To THE EDITOR OF THE WING:
The editorial III your issue of May 23d,
entitled b u News, Not Good News"
which sets forth in plain and vigorous
terms the evils of the rum traffic in Cecil
county as an Offset to the congratulations
OF the CecH Dsm0crAt upon the addition
to the County Treasury OF s. $50, will
lneet the hearty appreciation If every
wise, humane, and right minded citizen,
Nothing can equal the mcanness of an
appeal to the cupidty of taxpayers, when
over against the few paltry pennies they
may save, is placed the loss aud desola-
ton brought upon individuals, homes
aud society by tue liquor traill; You
| have conclusively shown in your article,
| that any direct pecuniary profit to the
| public treasury, is more thau neutralized
b. the varied losses to the community
| that arise from the Infamous traffic Per-
haps those who are rubbing their hands
| with such glee over few dollars in the
! Golfers OF The county, might like to ill.,
crease their delight by obtaining an ad.
diIipnal revenue from licensing licentious-
ness, gambling and lotteries, since it
seems TO make little difference with such
persons, what becomes of morality. man.
hood, public Older, aid the family, only
so few doilaaS are saved in taxation. I
do not see why the licensing business
Should stop with intoxicating liquors.
The principle is the same.
But suppose the taxpayers of Cecil
county Should be called upon to paw a
higher tax rate, and thus make some
Sdcrifce for the safety aud well being of
their fellow men, for the PROSPERITY of
she community aud the peace and happi-
ness of the unfortunate homes about
thems Would that be an unreasonable
requirement? The peace and progress of
this world are secured largely by self
denial and sacrifice. Let the people
forgO little tax money for the sake of
others. Is there no such thing as benevo-
lence, as human brotherhood as bearing
the lnirmities of the weak, as sacrificing
sell for the welfare OF mankind Happily
in this case, as the afore- mentioned edi.
torial 50 ably sets forth, a wise self inter.
est, and the claims of philanthropy, per.
fecGly coincide. But if they did not, true
manilness would scOrn to save our taxes,
at the expense of the comfort and happi-
ness of wives and children, and the
safety OF the weak and tempted. 1t is a
fearfully cheap kind of character that
will chuckle over its pennies, saved at
the price OF the degradation of others.
Let us think of the heavy taxes paid to
the saloon men By their rumcursed victims
largely the poor lab0Ting men, who get
nothing i'll return but degradation and
death for themselves and their families.
Not long ago while in a neighboring
city fortunately it could not have hap
pened in Cambridge where no.license
has prevailed with most beneficent re-
suits for five years., l stepped into the
business office OF a gentleman, and
shortly afJerward young man entered,
opened valise and took therefrom bag
of good dimensions filled with five cent
pieces, which he proceeded to empty into
a box which seemed to be placed con-
veniently for the purpose. He then drew
from the valise second bag, and that
was filled with ten cent pieces, which he
emptied into another box. what" said
l "does all this mean?" "Do you not
know" he replied why IN this manner |
get every week the small coin necessary
to make change in the office" He was
the ticket agent at railway station III a
large city. But continued, "where
does all this small coin come from p"
''Wep' said the gentleman "it comes
from "Shirley's" on Market street, the
wholesale liquor dealer, and these dimes
and pickles reach him from the saloon
meu who are his customers, and who
partly pay their bills in this small coin,
which they in turn have picked up from
their victims. The we'll dressed young
man with the valise, is the son of the
represent the rags on the back of the
drunkard and bis wife and chill
dren. But" said l, show much is
there here in five cent pieces ?" Sixty
two dollars and five cents was the re-
ply. And how much in ten cent peces?'
Zone hundred and forty mine dollars and
fifty ceRts, y he replied. But be added
THAT is only trihe of the receipts. 1t
reaches thousands of dollars a week, and
then the retailers quadruple on what
they disburse to the consumers. The
large bills and gold coins from the estab-
lishment, are deposited in the bank. The
small change only is worked off, through
the ticket offices of the railroad"
| can assure yon that coin was an
''object lesson" And they were but a
drop in the bucket compared with the
oceans of treasure scooped in by these
vultures OF the liquor fiend, and thai
became the waters of "liquid damna-
ton" to untold thousands of human
beings. Let your citizens think of who
is tieeced and by whom, and for what
purpose, and of how much society has to
suffer for it all, before they congratulate
themselves that they have saved few
dollars in taxes, that are in their hands,
the price OF blood.
CHARLES w. BIDDLE.