Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-05-04
The Local Option Question,

The I. Mr.. Editor In the discussion OF the local
half option law OF this county the principal op.
avn. position thereto seems TO be based upon the
same InpossiuIIiny Oh enIoicing u Wnether u
Of Il eau % iuIly enforced! OF out partially en-
Sc. ioIceu, OF not enforced 81 all, does not app
come peAr 10 me to be material. The frat and
shall most important question TO be determined H.
collec does the sale OF liquors In saloons benefit
in the our citizens or 10 ita detriment morally and
diton financially, to themi Does Il add 70 the
sessmt wealth, morals and mental development OF
Apps0ur people, or does ttend TO impoversh and
deprave themp II the former, its sale should
not be prohibited, nothing should DO forbid
AN Alden that tends to elevate the human race
sion,If the sale OF LIQUOR Is beneficial TO the peo
eretidple oil this county,it would be an unpar
mus Sdonable injustice TO load II down with re-
Of MStriciive license system that would put the
peaosousiness at q disadvantage with any other
ira Legitimate mercantile business II Il is a
sal useful traffic II ought TO be equal before the
ten law with any other traffic.
Sc, In short the sale of liquor 10 the saloon
Asse, Ii either right or II Is wrong. II II 10 right
missi Il ought 10 receive all possible encourage.
djecr ment burdened only with license equal TO
powt lie share OF the tax the property used there
said In should pay 10 help carry on the Stat and
disefs eynnty government. II II Is wrong itshould
sufi'a b forbidden, regardless OF whether II can
Monigs reinforced.
peaos on If Il s wrong and cannot be enforced the
ton kIsauient that L should be repealed for that
sior lew 10 the code that has been violated.
Ifseyery criminal code 10 every State aud
sha Territory were examined, from the section
APP providing penalty for the highest crime to
the section providing penalty for the low.
eat misdemeanor, II would be found that ev
AN ery section OF every code had been violated
90 should then all Of these sections OF these
lev. codes be repealed whether they are NAHUM
heir n q or aaalu9a prohibliumi This Is the in.
cot svIIabie logic of this Argument
the IL IL stated with apparent confidence that
Sec while local option law cannot be enforced
sembly q restricsiSs Ncense law could be- No cases
mission az 80, however, that support this con
levy for ~ admitted that there is restrictive
aie 81 . Hoeise system 10 the city Of Washington
ars AM no u Il ever violatedf Was any one ever
p con arrested for selling liquor without license in
he ye that cityf Is the speak easy" unknown
'even eref The writer has lived 10 State where
Doln ins ubabiy rs good restrictive license system
ooctao q upon the statute books as could posi-
'na'i us be drafted, aud he desires TO be- under
ApPn ID thai IL was on he statute books There
70 doubt 10 the mind oil the writer that
bry person engaged 10 the liquor business
An Ia the county 10 which he lived violated ev
n ~, cry provision OF that law, except that ne
ne. hs~ quiring the payment Of license, and that
no. was violated by some
Sect venture the assertion that no law has
emily ever been framed, either Tor the regulation
M ne or prohibition OF liquor selling that has not
and ~. lii ~ found 10 he in nronor,oo ~
omery eineficiencf Of the officials whose duty It Is
Pc react zoe c,ster the law, and an adverse pub
ON and reside In tIe IA - IA n sood Iaw and ,,ono.
~. .noNn Onev! bad business IL ought 10 be kept
Secon :. ana oe atute books regardless OF the ex
~ - '""'' AAe Enforcement, and every law abid-
4 -, .uslEDod citizen ought 10 take pride
AFr'' wiping 70 enfore il, 80 long Is IL Is law,
ether Il meets with bis appreciation or
not The only fair way 10 argue this ques
i10D, as II appears 70 me- Is TO present the
1ghleousnessor unFighteousness OF this bus
ness.