The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-09-24
An Open Letter.

nj II. EDITOR:
| am in receipt of the following letter,
with request to publish and answer the
same in the columns Of the WING. To
knock out this humbug argument on the
liquor question, humbly beg through
your generosity to publish and answer the
same. The questions asked are:
First. Who are you going to prohibit,
and who are going to do the prohibiting?
Second Nine men out of every ten,
drink ntoxicants, how is one man going to
prevent the nine from drinking?
Third. II intoxicants are made and sold
to use how can their abuse be avoided?
Fourth. Is it not true that while the
churches spend one dollar in campo ming
against the evil, the liquor interests pend
thousand to perpetuate it?
Fifth. Will the United States Govern
ment or the people cease to engage in the
business as long as it pays we'll?
Sixth Will you and the sober people
ever spend your and their time in fighting
the liquor business without pay?
Seventh. Is not the proposed law by
far the most complete law to check the
low dives from doing business in the
county?
Eighth. Are there not more intoxicating
beverages sold and drunk in this county
under Prohibition than there was under
license?
Ninth Will not the revenue from
license help to defray the expenses of the
bridges that were washed out during
the heavy storm few months ago?
Tenth. Can you or will you answer
these questions over your own signature.
Respectfully, Z. d. B.
THE ANSWERS
First. The sovereign voters are going to
prohibit all persons who wish to sell rum
for beverage purposes.
Second. Statement erroneous. The
larger number do not drink, and many
who do are quite willing to have the traffic
prohibited. 600 votes in this county, four
years ago, tells the tale.
Third. AS provided in the several
planks of the Prohibition law.
Fourth. So far as we know the churches
do not spend any money in fighting the
rum mills, but money shall not always
tell.
Fifth. The rum business does not pay
the Government or the people at large, but
is a burden and disgrace.
Sixth. A great many Of them have been
so doing and it is reasonable to suppose
that others will.
Seventh. Yes it is the most complete
law to favor and enrich few rum sellers.
| Twenty against several thousand OF sober
people. 1t is monopoly law we believe
made for political purposes. 1t is the most
inconsistent law ever put before the people,
and is an insult to the Constitution Of this
Government. Men can become drunkards
through high polished barroom, with a
clean collar and tie on, as well as through
low dive, with rags on. In fact there
never has been any rum law made in this
country but what has been fraud and
there never will be.
Eighth. The Magistrate documents
proves there is not. Reason and common
sense also tell US there is not.
Ninth The rum defenders say it will,
but the official rate Of taxation proves that
it never has done so; but suppose it should
reduce the taxes could you sacrifice the
the youth Of this county in order to save
few pennies in texes, by placing the rum
mills under their noses? License means
saloons and saloons mean drunkards.
Tenth. We never defend noble cause
under an assumed name but fight the rum
mills face to face. But why should you
ask such questions when you have seen the
debauchery Of the legalized rum business in
Cecil county for 40 years?
S. C. PARKER.
ELKToN, MD, September Goth, 1898.