The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-06-03
Plan for Temperance Work.

The committee appointed by the
convention assembled at Elkton last
week to consider and recommend d
plan of work submitted the follow
ing. The committee who drew uI
the suggestions was composed Of
the following gentlemen:-Geo. A.
Blake, Thos. j. Wilson, Rev. A.
W. Mather, j. j. McCauley, Geo.
w. Clifford and Geo. BalderSton.
THE PLAN OF WORK.
| Your Committee appointed to consider and rec
omend plan of procedure for the conduct OF
| the campaign now before the voters of the county
the result of which license or no license shall
prevail among US during the next four years
thereafter, would make the following recon-
mendations:
l. That for the conduct of said campaign an
executive committee, to represent the entire
county, be appointed by the President of this
meeting at such time hereafter as may be con-
venent, to consist of twenty-seven (27) persons,
three from each election district, the said MEM
bers from each district to be appointed one from
the Democratic, Republican and Prohibition
parties. EACH
?. That said committee shall at its first meeting
selectits own officers and adopt such methods of
conducting said campaign as shall be deemed
most advisable and shall for said first meeting
assemble at such time and place as the President
of the meeting shall NAME
8. That in view of the fact that prohibition has
prevailed in our county since the year 1884, with
exception of a period of four years, and our peo-
pie in all their interests have felt tits benefcient
effects and in view of the fact that the license law
in force during said four years wasin the year
1894 most overwhelmingly condemned by our
voters, and in view of the further fact that an
amended license law is now before said voters for
their adoption or rejection in November next
we submit the following considerations to the
people of our county.
An examination of the proposed license law and
a consideration of the circumstances TINT have
promoted its proposed adoption lead to the fol-
lowing conclusions
Who has asked for the new arrangements to
regulate the sale of intoxicating drinks? Did the
demand for change come from the business or
moral interests of the community? Are such in
terests to be benefited by such change? None
have made such claims except those who expect
to make pecuniary profit by it and who were
the prime movers for this law and industriously
circulated petitions to procure it.
This law proposes to create favored class in
our county to whom, and to whom only, are to
accrue all the profits and benefits to be derived by
retailing and selling drinks to their less favored
neighbors who are inot financially able to buy
their stimulants at wholesale
That said law proposes to create new officers in
our county, to be paid at The public expense and
clothed with extraordinary powers which in our
Judgment make the proposed license law uncon-
stitutional, the result OF which would leave us
without any law at all upon the subject and every
man might sell intoxicants at his pleasure.
This law makes sweeping changes in a law that
in its nature was a contract with the voters of the
county and for which changes they did not ask
and which is contrary to the expressed wish of
majority of said voters.
As a bride to secure votes for said law, the peo-
pie are offered generous part of the profits of
the proposed business, to be larger or smaller as
said business is prosperous or not. We think this
an insult to the communities to whom such offer
is made.
On the pretense that public houses are needed
for the travelling public and that the same cannot
be provided without liquor selling attachments,
it is proposed to annex to hotels, feature which
- ODAAS-AAONAS w
ing public and only in making such places in
reality nuisances to them and all who have
occasion to visit the same.
To the charge tnat liquor is now iliicitly sold,
the question is asked, when did the licensing the
sale of liquor ever prevent its sale and who has
ever known of liquor sellers fading part in the
suppression of illicit selling?
In our belefthe provision of said license law
permitting wholesale places to sell in quantities
from pint upwards wifi prove to open the way
to speak. existing under the sanction of law
To all we suggest the inquiry, when has license
ever promoted temperance or how will it lessen
the evils of intemperance by making the sale
lawful, open and attractive
The reasons and arguments which three times
before in the history of our county have led to the
overthrow of license now have as much force as
ever and we feel sure that the result of the COM
ing contest will be on the side of right end so
briefly and against the legalized sale of what has
always proven to be curse only to all who have
directly participated therein profited thereby.