Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-05-25
The Temperance Question.

Mr.. Editor. In the discussion Of "the
temperance question:" now proceeding In
your columns, some "7lelo ideas" have ap
peared so, TO a certain extent, the object OF
the agitation has been accomplished. For
the first time in my life find man, evident.
ly u talented and learned lawyer, over the
initials "a. r." stating that ITO him it does
not appear to be material whether a law can
be fully enforced or tut partially enforced,
or not enforced at GH"
To his mind everything "wrong" should
be prohibited by law, and the only thing
needful is the declaration of the law makers
thou shalt notw The law can then take
care of itself He would place the law upon
the statute book and then rest content, his
responsibility for disobedience of the same
or any consequences of its enactment would
then cease.
IA. r." is evidently one of those men who
believe that the only way TO prevent the
evils of intemprrance is to pr0ltt6it the sale
of intoxicating liquors by statutory enact
ment Older and perhaps wiser men who
have wrestled for whole generation believ.
ing in abstinence, practicing, preaching and
teaching it, laboring, in the love of God
and their fellow. creatures, 10 restrain and
control the appetites aud passions of the
weak and reckless pleasure seekers within
the reach of their influence have become
convinced, by observation and experience,
that good citizens, temperate and moral men
are not produced by legislation and that one
might IA well expect to convert 1.-THE worlds
people" to christianity by scattering Bibles
by the waysde or depositing them In court.
houses, post-ofilces and market places, with.
out the aid of organized societies, churches,
Sunday schools and ministers Of religion as
to make men good and pure by Legislation.
The Prohibitionist Of to-day, pure and
simple, does not make the drinking of in
toxicants or the bringing of the same into
the community, giving it away or having IL
in his possession "crime" or a "misde-
meanor." Why notp Isn't II wrong" to
drink il or to "put the bottle to thy neigh.
boris lips aud make him drunken also ?"
No, he only says thou shalt not sell, and
the demand, the appetite still exists and will
until it is overcome by other means than
statutory enactment, and those who have
not enough regard for those dependent upon
them or for themselves or the good opinions
of others or public sentiment to prevent them
from abusing themselves will get drink In
spite OF any law. 1t is the duty of the peo.
pie of every community to restrict, restrain
or prevent the sale of anything injurious to
the public health or inimical to the public
welfare by means Of such municipal police
regulations" as the majority In their wisdom
require; to make il as difficult as possible
for those who should not have dangerous,
harmful things to get them. To enact laws
demanded by the people, TO be obeyed and
enforced-not To be laughed at or sneered
at-not as matter Of ceremony
A God loving, God serving man, who has
devoted an ordinary lifetime to temperance
work in this locality declares that more
liquor Is consumed In this county than there
was before the present local option law was
passed, and he pronounces the law failure.
Why is this thusi say il is largely due to
resentment of people who have never learned
or believed IL 10 be Il "crime" to sell or use
intoxicants and protest against an attempt
to deprive them of their rights by law.
Instead OF the well regulated restaurant,
respectable, orderly and responsible, amena
bic to the law, submitting TO authority and
respecting II, paying legal tax into the
common treasury-a place where man can
get what he thinks he wants and no more,
lawfully and honestly, we have the speak.
easy" the boot logger, the sneak, the spy,
the perlured witness, the fixed juror, the
contempt for law and courts OF Justice, as
well as OF the officers sworn TO obey the
tdos Until the millennium comes we cannot
look for perfection among men. OF course
all laws are violated; there always will be
law breakers, but some laws are more bind.
ing than others as some "wrongs" are
greater than others
The man who sells intoxicants is not re-
garded by all the people as az great Grim
inal as the man who steals horses or burns
buildings or robs people OF their property
in the dead of night in their own homes.
A law that cannot be respected and en-.
lnrcnh ahoulI mt hn a In we'd n rpmai N n mn
the Statute Books.
Ii. A. HARLAN.
Washington Grove, Md. May 8, 1900.