Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-06-08
A Voice from Potomac.

| III the Se71tHlA upon the local OptlOn QueS-
ton, for several weeks, and as an invitation
has been extended for the pros and cons, We
have a few criticisms to offer from rather the
negative side, and while we may mention
names we will do so only TO draw attention
to statements made by certain writer's, and
not with the intention OF any personal ref
erence, for 1t seems to us that things have
already been written that should have been
clipped by the editors SCISSORS.
In his first communication Mr. Lamar
gave as reason why "the substantial bust
ness men and farmers" opposed the license
law and voted for local option was because
of "the indiscriminate method of issuing
licenses under the law as II then existed"
that opened the way by which drunkenness
and rowdyism were common in public places,
employees were demoralized and young men
were led into undesirable associations and
bad habits" 1t was not the method" Of
issuing the license that was the cause of this
state of affairs, neither was IL the ground for
opposition among any class OF voters but il
was the fact that the license was issued
that the saloon was factor and that II was
responsible for these conditions. Any other
method" of issuing license legali2ing and
| protecting the saloon cannot fail in accom-.
| plishng the same results. so that while
Mr.. l.. was mistaken in saying II was the
method, he was right when he told Of the
condition of affairs under license system
twenty years ago So that we must readily
conclude that no matter what the method OF
issuing license, or the price paid for the
same, the result will inevitably be drunk
enness and rowdyism 10 public and private
places, employees will be demoralized. Young
men, old men, and even boys, will be led
into undesirable associations and bad habits.
10 Nhae aaNas Of of tta
persistent votares, and IL is in perfect keep.
ing with the record that the saloon has ever
made, and 1t seems to US that when the peo-
pie OF Montgomery county decide to cast an
eye about with the view of improving their
condition it will not rest upon tho licensed
saloon with any degree of favor. Our pres
| ent condition may not be the best, but who
Is responsibleP Is II not in great measure
the very individuals who want to be pro-
tected by license law, and have they per-
formed one act in the last twenty years that
would commend itself TO public favor or
suggest the thought Of the enactment OF
special law for their especial benefit and
protectionp
Mr. l.. says the evils of the local option
law are great and many; that IL makes liars
and perjurers. This he cannot prove. When
an individual Is summoned before the court
Il VI kthuu Jury upOu q OunG VI thCib VI
der, and that individual refuses To tell the
truth, or tells an untruth, does the law
against theft or murder make that individ-
ual liarP Is he not such from choice or
some other causep IL is Just so with all laws
| We speak from experience when we say We
have served upon the grand jury, and II any
witness told an untruth there was no way
by which we could know IL. The fact of II
| is a truthful man will tell the truth no mat
ter in what condition he is placed, while
liar will tell what suits his purpose best, and
laws are not to be blamed for 1t. There Is
law that says, "Thou shalt not STEAL" and
yet stealing is going on constantly. What
should be done-repeal the law and license
the thieiS Hardly; and yet the saloon will
do more real harm In one community than
many thieves.
1t has further been stated that local option
is very expensive, and yet II has not been
more ex pensive than the votaries Of the sa.
loon would haveit. The whiskey men them
selves, those who want license, have been
the cause of this expense, and yet they say
il is the law. The law says you shall not
sell, aud he who sells violates IL. Now
which is at iaut2 Surely the law of itself
| is not expensive, but the one that violates II
merits the punishment, and the infection Of
the punishment is what causes the expense,
and the vioator Is the cause of this-he 10
to be blamed and not the law. The law
again INST murder is not the cause Of expense
j ust like the local option law il has been
enacted for the protection Of society, and
the violator of these laws only are the cause
of ex pense but even though both OF these
laws were expensive they could not be as
expensive as law that protects only the
saloon in its work OF demoralizing EN-
int Il.
sirable associations and bad habits, and
making drunka rds and spendthriits. Surely
no system can be more expensive than such
an one We are here reminded OF corpo,
ration that had spent considerable amount
in public improvements, until II was found
to be considerably 10 debt, with very scanty
resources, and while they were looking
about, devsing ways and means 10 meet
their demands, bright young man, a slick,
good talker, a newcomer To the place, "a
| sQuatteT," as he was called, one without
| financial means, one who was seeking for
tune, one who had all TO gain, nothing TO
lose, suggested a saloon, a hgh.license ga
! loon, the boon Of those who desire TO pull
the skin over the eyes OF the unwary and
hide the niquitles OF the saloon under dol
lars and cents. But the people were horror
stricken. "No saloon here, never had one,
| uOn WANT any. Dub JuC NbTy JlluR yDu
do want" was urged Look at the license
fee-wili bring money into the treasury
clear money, all proht-saloon, saloon, high
licensep But the substantial business men
aud farmers sa id mo saloon, we have no
Jail, no drunkar d., no police, and we want
no soloon." But the slick, smart young man
talked the matter up, got some men Of means
interested, urged that men would drink, and
| why not let the town receive some benefit
Even some good, strict church members
were won over, and at length the license
was issued, the saloon opened and patrons
began to come In. Young men, middle aged
and old ones, and ere long every state and
condition was represented, and soon rowdy.
ism and drunkenness began. Rainy and
important days brought the country people
in, police officers were soon necessary 10
keep the peace, a jail was soon necessary,
police court had TO be provided for, and soon
the license fec was gone. But the saloon
was still there doing It's deadly work tights
and brawls became common young men
were debauch ed, employees demoralized, and
finally foul murder was committed, two
prominent young men being the principals,
who had been led by this very high license
| saloon into undesirable associations and bad
| habits. A long, tedious, costly trial lol'
| lowed, conviction was the result and the
culprt went 10 his doom, leaving the town
hopelessly 10 debt The saloon had failed
10 do what IL had promised, but was doing
completely fully, what all saloons do
blighting, blasting, destroying. A saloon
produces nothing that Is elevating, useful,
ennobling, right, honest, just or true To
how many homes does 1t give pleasure, hap
piness, or the comforts Of LIEF
But Mr.. l.. says that there is rs great
number OF drunkards IN this county as there
is in any other civilized community. Now
lust how he knows this we are not able 10
say, but we take 1t for granted that II y
an idle statement. He also says tina
ninety nine per cent Of those who iunk
have at one time or another found them
selves In places where liquor is Illegally
sold, and have there drunk and paid Tor INC
same" Now Just how he has gottei accu'
rate information 10 regard To this Is hard ~
tell and when he says ooer 80 pc oeIt
we think he means one hundred, and " ore
hundred per cent. means all, we an ei g.
~. a.. a..(a To-