Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-07-20
A Voice from Potomac.

nas us cTodkers, ana tney are out OF theiI
latitude when they cannot bite themselves
or somebody else, and it is not very often
themselves. We have been told that the
entlre retinue OF saloon writers do not di.
rectly pay enough State and county taxes in
Montgomery county to buy fish hook, and
yet they are continually harping taxpayer"
ana crying down our county and its laws
but no matter how low we might get or how
much II might cost us to live 1t will not
effect them one penny, and it is very unfor-
tunate that such individuals have seen fit to
set themselves up as the mouthpeces of the
saloons and the criterions for the taxpayers
OF Montgomery county. But 1t is not our
mission 20 change conditions, but to meet
them as they are found. 1t is not our work
to croak and cry down, the other gentlemen
are doing that TO their hearts content When
we cannot keep in line with the progressive
and add our little to the elevation of home
and our best interests; when we cannot point
with pride TO our county, TO our laws and to
our material increase, commercial progress,
financial standing, social surroundings, sober,
intelligent, young manhood and beautiful
young ladyhood with pleasure, then We may
JON the army of the croakers and saloonists,
but not until then. If the doleiul tale as told
by some of those writers was true we are
very low down, while every corporation
that has saloon has reached the topmost
round in the scale of progress.
Now for moment let US look at ourselves
and our surroundings. Take 1870, ten years
before the close of the saloon regime, we had
taxable basis of $7,7l0,560; the last ten
years OF saloon rule, to 1880, brought it down
TO $6,133O4S. How does that look for sa
loon dominationp In $780, when local op
ton was adopted, there were in the county
S,43O separate individual taxpayers. The
1899 tax list shows 8,l20 land owners and
home owners in Montgomery county, and
our taxable basis is now more than double
Here it is, $l2, 4S0,7 200. This is up to 1899,
and 1900 has already shown a material in
crease. Now in 1880 there was only one
banking institution in the county, the Sandy
Springs Saving Band, and the amount of its
deposits were about $96725. The first ten
years OF local option, " 1890, March l, the in
crease in deposits is shown in the following
figures, 1921 900, and 1900 gives the almost
marvellous increase TO $3.50 $40, and besides
this the bank paid the snug sum OF $l4,593
to its investors in the savings department
for last year, and it pays 10 state and county
taxes the sum Of $1,027 56. Since the time
in question the Montgomery County Ma
aud is doing successful business in that line
and its statements show gratifying results.
There is younger brother at Gaithersburg,
and Notwithstanding the fact that it Is yet
young in years its deposits show the COM
Portable sum of more than $lO5OOO. These
Institutions are pride to our people and
an honor to the county, as well as an evi
dence OF our Lille and prosperity, and besides
this they are as solid as the rocks upon
which they are built. Our county is com
paratively without debt, only the Court
House bonds OF $32 900, and turnpike bonds
oil S24 800 standing against us, and our credit
is always at a premium. Our election OIL
Gals are honest and capable men and our
appointed officers are above the average,
with the exception OF few saloon furnished
ones, who are appointed and re appointed
year after year because Of sympathies lnspir
ed by the malady known az blindness and
some other influences. What we need most
now is capable jurymen, and we are glad TO
note that there Is great improvement even
in that direction. Our tax rate is not quite
as low as some, and then 1t is not as high as
some, but this can be accounted for when
we come to consider that we are live peo
pie and IL always takes little more to sup
port live people than dead ones. The EVIL
dence OF our life is seen every where. NO
people have better or continue their schools
longer than we, our school buildings are up
to the average, our teachers are efficient and
attentive to duty. The waste places in our
county are being brought under cultivation
and many of its darkest spots have dlsap-
peared and beautiful towns and villages
supply their place. Where ran the narrow
trail OF the deadly rum shop OF saloon days,
now beautiful churches point their nngers
heaven ward, and even the "black ankles
of anti-local option times are some OF our
safest and most beautiful residential sec
tons. Our young men are sober and at
tentive to duty, our labor is not democrat
lied, and this Ia one OF the evidences and
causes of our thrift and improvement. New
roads have been opened up and others mac
adamiZed, creeks have been spanned by
bridges, buildings erected, land improved,
and instead Of trying any more saloon ex-
periments, we, as county, have just ABOUT
good common sense enough TO attend 10 our
own affairs, irrespective OF saloon croakers
or any other irresponsible element whose
object is only TO pull down what 1t takes
energy, manhood and brains to erect.
The improvements that we have noted
has not been accomplished by the aid OF the
saloon or any of its votaries, but In spite oil
these 10 spite of their opposition and in
spite OF their efforts to cry Us down, we have
gone forth in spite Of their opposition until
now we are proud OF our surroundings, and
of the record we have made, and we can
stand erect in any presence with feelings oil
competence aud Independence. We might
show that the opposition that has been Of
fered has been done by that very class oil
salOonists who want now 10 be licensed 10
carry en- their nelarous work OF pulling
down what we have built up, and they see
with eagle eye the army of young men and
boys upon whom they desire TO expend thelr
fatal iniquty. They know IL would be rich
harvest Tor them, and the pare1tage Of the
county had better be on its guard. Ara you
willing to open death trap for your boy or
your neighbours that the State may receive a
few dollars from the license fee. The lee IS
the only redeeming feature that the saloon
has, and they are working that Tor all IL Is
worth. Will you be caught with such a
bait The country Is being raked, as with
fine comb, for low-grade preachers anu
others TO bolster up their cause.
Mr. Lamar came out lately In an article
and told US about Rev Dr. Fox, OF New
Jersey. We can tell you little more about
the same gentleman. He WAS preacher
once, Us stated, but was a part OF failure
in that position, so he quit and went into
politics and had himself elected TO the Leg
stature, formulated license law, To include
MoFristown. The law passed, was signed
by the Governor. and be then had himself
appointed on the license commission, IS pres
ident of the board and receives satisfactory
salary. The law Is his own child. He Is
paid 10 look after this child, and II seems 10
Us that he would be very inhuman parent
il be did not think he had perfect heir,
and as long ~ he can keep in with the sa-
looms and hold his position he will get his
nav He is not like Mr. L., who would have
Us believe that be works for nothing and
boards himself
Now we are told that that town has is'
sued twenty. three licenses, 30 that DR.. Fox's
license child has been divided into twenty
three licensed, unprotected men who are
stationed all over and about that town, and
are there demoralizing labor, leading young
men into undesirable associations and bad
habits and performing all kinds Of pranks,
such ss taking the living from needy homes,
bread from hungry children, shoes from
their feet and clothes from their bodies, and
then these men thrust dart into some moth
| f,nr