The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-09-15

The following address to the voters of
the county was then reported by the
and read by Mr.. Torbert::

To our F5ll0,o Citizens Of Cecil County:
AS the law authorizing you TO determine by
your ballots on the 9th of November next, whether
the present liquor license system shall continue
in force in the county not. constitutes you the
Judges OF the necessities of the public condition
now existing in the county, 1t seems to US emf
nently proper at this time that Il specihc state
ment of the pending issue should be made public;
The issue to be submitted to you on the 9th O.
November while involving questions OF the high
est Importance to our people morally and materi-
ally is still one that admits OF simple and concise
,ent.
Fortunately it is not, at this time, complicated
by any interfering differences of opinion among
temperance advoca tes as to the best methods Of
accomplishing temperance reform
The ineihciency of the present so-called high
license law, its constant and defiant violations
and its absolute failure to correct or to restrict
the evils of incompetence, constitute common
ground on which temperance voters OF every
shade of opinion can consistently stand.
Besides tho present issue between the oppo-
nents and advocates of the license law, Is no.
involved in, or complicated with, any partizan
or political local Issue pending before our people
The organized political parties in the county
will support their respective candidates Tor
Congress, that exercise of political right being
| entirely eliminated from the local question OF
the abolition or continuance OF the saloons in the
county and which the words "For License or
| against License" printed upon every otttcial
ballot. will afford voters the free opportunity tc
| express their desires.
The local issue succinctly stated then is Shall
| the liquor saloons go, or shall they stay, Tor
| another term OF four years in the county
| Arc they a good thing to have or are they ;
| bad thing to have in oar midst :
| Do they contribute to the happiness, the wei
faro and the prosperity of our people, or do the!
not
| Do they promote virtue and encourage soo'
| citizenship, or do they promote vice and e1cit
| to crime and pauperism
| Are they friends to the peace, sObriety ant
| good order our communities, or do they Jeopal
die the peace, increase drunkenness, and VIOLATE
| the good order of society
| Do they contribute in any way to the good o
the community, or are they, regardless OF TN
OWLS they inflict upon men, conducted and main
tanned solely for the dollars and cents they ear
their owners
Is there any one good and sufficient reason ic
their existence in Cecil county"
| Briefly stated, these are the considerations tina
enter into the simple issue now before you: Shal
the saloons 20, or shall they stay
The record shows that their LOCALIZED e1istenc
| in Cecil county rests upon the ballots of onl
22SI qualified voters thrown four years ago, Q
upon the wishes of only one-third OF the qualihe
voters OF Cecil county, the registry lists oil u
county showing 6S4O voters.
a Without discussing at this time the causes tina
led to the absenteeism at the polls in 1890, Gu
anyone assert that tho license system in Gee
county rests upon an equitable or a stable basi
while 1t has behind 1t only onc-third o. our qta
!: ned aud registered rioters?
IS The liquor license policy Of Cecil county does n
j rest upon the tcH Of majority Of the qudhh
a | rioters Of IL.
q 1t exists only upon slender majority OF
votes in n total of only 1879 votes cast in 1890,
aggregate of only two-thirds OF tho whole vote
y the county or 1851 less than It's registered vote
:, With these figures be fore you, the oppone nts
8. the saloon need enter upon no hopeless campa
/. this year.
IL would indeed be an equivocal compliment
your intelligence to suggest, that because t
license system is now entrenchod behind
authority o law, you are too weak to strip it
VI its nm.y garb OF respectablity, since all t
-, responsibility it possesses is conferred by
sanction OF law.
f. This sanction OF law you can, if you choc
l withdraw.