The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-09-21
JUDGE srUMp'S ADDRESS.

Ellis VI. Terry ......o
JUDGE srUMp's ADDRESS.
Judge stump in his charge to the grand
jury said
Since the last Grand Jury met, what is
known as the Local Option law has become
operative So far as your duty and mine is
concerned, it does not make "A particle OF dill
ference whether we are in favor OF the law or
opposed to it: whether we voted for it or
a1linst it, 1t j. the law Of the iand and
y0ur oath and mine requires us to enforce it
to the best OF our ability: strictly and impair
tiallv. Energetic action is particularly desir-
able at this time.
By making it apparent at the start that the
law cannot be violated with impunity. much
time, expense and trouble will be saved in
the future 4 vigorous prosecution now will
| hone lessen the necessity for any proSecu-
tions hereafter. 1t must he apparent to all
that under the most favorable circumstances
the law will be craftily evaded, to limited
extent, Yet it can be practically enforced
How it will be this time, in this county, | do
not know; but do know that il even half of
those who voted for the law will eXpend hall
as much energy to secure Its enforcement as
they did to secure its adoption. the sale OF
liu,ior will b. reduced to quantity 50 small
a. to be inappreciabie.
There was no lack Of carnestneSs or energy
before the election. The organization was
almost perfert-m"etingS were held, many
speeches made many sermons preached ana Il
good minority secured. But the trouble. 50
far as my experience teaches me, and we have
local option in every county in this circuit j.
that, as soon as the election Is over the advo
Gates of the law abandon their organization
and make no individual effort to enforce the
law. They talk, but will not act, while action
is the one and only thing now needed. They
seem to loose sight of the fact that the elec-
tion is only Il skirmish for the possession of Il
vantage ground on which the decisive battle
which is the enforcement and not the adop-
ton of the LAWS to be fought. 1t would be
contrary to human experience to expect many
of those who voted against the law to make
much effort to enforce it.
Nor can it hr successfully enforced. as has
sometimes been attempted, by employing Il
cheap low class of detectives or informers for
money. for tn" simple reason that juries will
not convict on that kind of evidence.
The court can do nothing unless the party
be- first convicted. He can not be convicted
unless you indct. You can not indict unless
you have evidence sufficient, in your judg-
ment. if uncontradicted to justify a convic-
ton. The moral effect OF ten indictments
followed by ten convictions. is far greater
than from thirty indictments and only twenty
convictions.
1t is the certainty rather than the number
of convictions that deters from the commits
sion of Offences How then can this law be
enforced unless those who advocated its adop-
ton lend active aid and assistance in secur-
ing and furnishing the evidence to the Grand
Jury?
II they do this, the law can and will be en-
forced if they do not then the law in Cecil
will be what it is and has been in so many
other localitieS-little better than farce.
But many who. having voted for the law,
think they have thus discharged their full
duty and, therefore, wash their hands of the
affair. ask why don't the law officers enforce
the law: as is their duty?'
So it ia, but it is also the duty OF the citizen
as well as Of the officer
The county officers are sheriff and seven
constables The men who would sell glass
of whiskey before one OF them could certainly
not be correctly called "crafty'. The average
pay OF the seven constables for the nine dis
tricts last year, according to statement
rendered to me by the county treasurer, for
all services in criminal eases, arrests, mile
age. witnesses, ETC.. was a fraction less than
8 1-10 cents per day. The constable boards
himself. How can you expect efficient SER
vice for that compensation? But the traffic
can to certain extent be carried on in spite
of them, even though every man OF them
was to use his best endeavors to suppress It,.
Not so If the citizens, or anything like u
earnest. The citizen is everywhere. The
trader can not avoid him. The effects OF his
traffic are such as to betray him at once. No
"speak easy can exist in any locality with
out the knowledge of those who profess a
desire to see the law enforced.
1t will not do to wait until the grand jury
meets to make complaint. The law must, If
at ALL be enforced day by day, as 1t Is vio-
lated. and for this reason: violations are
mostly by strangers imported for that pur-
pose The day before the grand jury meets
these persons leave. Many indictments are
brought in against them and cumber the
records of the court, but the parties are
never heard OF again, and the day after the
grand jury adjourns fresh importation
takes their place to run the business until
the next grand Jury meets. and so on from
term to term. II the citizen sees man
coming out OF a ''speak easy under the
influence OF liquor, and believes he has
bought it there, he has only to make afil-
davit to that effect before justice OF the
peace, secure warrant for the offender and
have the person so seen Immediately sum-
moned as a witness, and when put under
oath they will tell the truth more than nine
times in ten. Having asked man to violate
the law he will not voluntarily inform On
him, but when, without volition on his part,
he is put on his oath, he will tell the trdth.
If this course were conscientiously and sys-
tematicaily pursued in less than one month
there would not be "speak easy or walk
ing barr in Cecil county. Every violator
would be in jail, the evidence ready for the
grand jury, indictments and convictions
would follow, and after that such sentences
to the House Of Correction as would deter