Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-01-13
The Anti-Saloon League.

The fourth annual meeting OF the Mont
gomery County Anti Saloon League was
held in the Town Hall here on Saturday last
with sessions morning and afternoon The
temperance organizations and large mum
Der OF the churches of the county were rep
resented by delegates, and there were also
present large number OF other persons IRON
various sections of the county President
Warren Choate presided and Mr.. Frank
Higgins acted as secretary.
During the morning session the following
officers were elected 10 serve one year; War.
rem Choate, president; Frank Higgins, sec.
rotary; John II. Gassaway, treasurer; vice.
presidents-GeorgeJ j. Ray, VIM. r. Wind
sor, Wm X. Andrews, Asa M. Stabler, M
b Montgomery, Rev. Parke p. Flournoy,
Benjamin II Miller, George r. Bell, W. A.
Maxwell, Columbus W Day, Rev. A. h.
Thompson. The following press committee
was also appolnted Rev. /. D Richards,
Mrs Sarah +. Miller, Miss May E Thomas
AT the afternoon session Dr. Juius E
Maurer, oil Hagerstown, delivered addresses.
Music was rendered by large choir.
The following annual report OF the league
was read by the president:
1t is with pleasure that the Executive
Committee and officers OF the League meet
with the members for the fourth time in this
Town Hail. at Rockville, for annual meet
81, gfNl. nd 10 g
co operation abors in behalf OF the righteous
cause which binds us together.
What other cause bring 80 closely together
men OF all political parties, of all creeds, OF
all phases and conditions OF interestsP Sure
ly there must be powerful incentive that
will make men of most radical ideas and
training in politics and sects come together
In public movement like this. What is
the incentivep Why do citizens band them
selves together on such occasions and make
their demands on politicians and on officials
and on the communities in which they liver
Ii Is because the most sacred and important
interests OF our body polite have been en-
dangered and men have come together TO
utter warning cry and TO endeavor 10 avert
the danger.
Let us make three specifications--first, the
safety and security oil our homes were en-
dangered by the alarming increase in this
county Of the number Of places where in.
toxlcating liquors were sold. Prior TO 1897,
or about four years ago, there could be
counted more than one hundred places In
this county, and it was estimated there were
fifty more places not positively located, or
one hundred and fifty in all, where the local
option law was violated. In many OF these
places with brazen impunity and in almost
wu,aNk = A. L..
Counting one hundred and fifty as the cor
rect number it made one liquor saloon to
every fifty voters, or one saloon practically
for every fifty homes, or one hundred and
fifty saloons and one hundred and two
churches, or one hundred and fifty saloons
and one hundred and twenty public schools.
II costs more to maintain the saloons than
1t does to maintain the churches, or the
schools. A young man was murdered in
saloon in an adjoining county and the cost
TO that county was enough TO maintain
public school for a year Where ever the
saloon is you can depend on II TO have lust
such cases.
The second specification is that the integ
rity OF law was endangered. 1t Is a princi.
pal Of law that the executors OF the law in
their official capacity are to be terror TO
evil doors. But the manner in which this
local option law has been executed has car
ried comfort TO the violators of 1t. The citi-
zens OF the county have expressed at the
polls their condemnation OF this laxity by
retiring most of the officials who were guilty
of IL. II has been demonstrated more than
three distinct times that large majority OF
the citizens Of this county are not only 10
favor OF this law remaining on the statute
books, but they want and will expect to
ha. a oil mil
favor. When law SO distinctly favored by
so large a majority is carelessly admins
tered and vioators of 1t are let off with no
punishment, or trlalng one, the citizens
begin TO ask each other, are We sale 10 the
hands OF such ufficialsI Fear and dstrust
as to all law endorsements spreads and at
first opportunities such officials are laid
away TO rest The political cemetery Is fill
ing up with them They are gone and we
will speak no more harsh words OF them
But we will look confidently to the new
officials who have been put 10 their places.
They have golden opportunity TO restore
confidence, TO elevate their noble profession
OF the law, and to make the citizens fee! all
interests under the law are safe in their
hands We do not expect them TO be per
secutors, but prosecutors, and to so inteli
gently present their cases TO the juries as TO
that the guilty are to be punished and that
the innocent are to be acquitted. At this
point it may not be amiss to say there Is q
wide spread feeling abroad that the fines
add penalties heretofore imposed, except in
rare instances, are entirely inadequate as a
punishment TO the convicted. What good
reason can be given for inficting the mini
mum fine of only $50 on person who has
half score OF indictments against him and
the evidence is clear and plain that he is in
the business to stay. This method has be-
come very unsatisfactory and we respect
FULLY ask that full penalties be imposed in
fragrant cases, and that the procedure of
stetted cases be less frequently accorded to
Jaw vioators.
he third specification we allude to here
Uut % he many that could be cited is the
danger " have been exposed to from the
fac, that WI ever the saloon is allowed TO
exist, and q lily where 1t Is allowed TO
.s,ist contrary 70 v, corrnpting practices
.r' ilabi,,, 10 prevail his is apparent in
sie,iinn iin,s,l where tue Niskey ring seeks
al ',ictste the potoiuations A4 contribute a
C,nS ~ control The lecuons cad we good
c-uEepr stand supino,y ey ana y, = their
ate IS III fear aud lg milling 'a,nk
q "a thai practice did not altos etlsf prevai.
at ouf last county election. And v05feFei
and VIII aeveT oiuzens will have the courage
10 believe that the Home Power is stronger
than the VIII. ssg Power that awful evil
can be broken. fly hundred voters 10
Montgomery county 1a4 'heokmate and oe-
feat the whiskey power 10 contro. d the
political parties. We can 90 80 it by nom
mating candidates of our own py iofming
another party. But we can do IL ing
notice W o.. and controlling .4llea
-. ~ 49, .aN..
not enforce this law we will vote agains
them and then do what we promise And
we can do this without being false TO either OF
the two parties with which on all other ques-
tons we are In affillation. 1t is clearly n
correct principal that the safety OF the home
and the maintenance Of good morals are
superior TO party demands. Aud II at any
time any party will nominate men who will
favor the saloon as against the home and the
church we would be in league with the
saloon and against the home and the
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