Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-04-13
The Local Option Law.


First-The temperance people who though
that no one had moral right to sell or drlnl
intoxicating liquors.
Second--A large number of the substan
tial business men and farmers who were OPP
posed to the indiscriminate method OF grant
ing licenses under the law, as It then existed
and the inadequate restrictions OF the old
law, by reason of which drunkenness and
rowdyism was common in public places
employees demoralized, and young men led
into undesirable associations and bad habits
The adoption of this law was also opposed
by several elements OF society, among whom,
ofcourse, were the liquor sellers and many OF
the persons who trequented the bar room. Ii
was also opposed by most substantial
thinking and reading class of people, who,
though temperate themselves, were opposed
on principle TO all sumptuary legislation,
who believed as a principle OF government
that the widest scope should be allowed TO
every individual of a free country In the en-
joyment OF life, liberty and property and
pursuit OF happiness, so long rs there was no
Infringement of the rights of others, and
that II was no more a proper junction OF
government 10 direct what a man should
not drink than 1t was to say what he should
eat or what he should wear. They also OPP
posed the adoption of the law because they
thought II would he impossible to enforce it,
and that 1t would breed additional evils to
society here, rs had been thecase with slm
lar laws elsewhere, without producing cor
responding benefits.
People may differ as to the amount OF
good which has been accomplished by the
local option law in this county, but the evils
incident to its operation have been 80 great
and so many as to cause US to seriously con
slider whether or not II should be amended
or changed, and II a change is deemed to be
desirable what kind of u new measure will
meet with approval of the people, and es-
pecially of the people who pay tue taxes OF
the county and who are most interested IN
its welfare.
Before going further, it may be well to
state that We know there are many good
and honest people In the county who, while
admitting that the law has not been enforced,
and that II is very difficult to enforce, are
still unalterably opposed to the substitution
therefor OF any kind of a license law. They
treat intoxicants az pnisons aud desire the
present or similar law To remain upon the
statute books, so that, even # II can not be
strictly enforced, they can class as criminals
those who sell intoxicating drinks, hoping
creating the same character of public senti
ment against Violators OF the local option
law as that prevailing against thieves and
vicious criminals Tn re are, on tho other
hand, just as good and honest people who
have no interests whatever in the liquor
business, and who would be perfectly will
ing To see 1t stopped, who believe that the
public can never he made to attach the same
Odlum to the violation of u statutory law OF
Il sumptuafy character rs il does TO the com
mission OF common law offences, which are
evil in themselves, such as theft, arson, &c.
and that even II IL were possible u do 30
under any circumstances, II could never be
accomplished 50 long as the United States
Government recognizes the liquor traffic rs
legitimate and issues It's internal revenue
licenses To the citizens OF the county To en-
gage in IT,
Many of our best citizens have been
growing weary of existing conditions for
some time, and thought that the recent
legislature should have ignored theories
aud bias, and should have amended the
present law or given Us II new one which
would result 10 more practical good to the
county. But the friends Of the present law
insisted that the trouble was not with the
law itself, but the manner of It's enforce
ment, that conditions had changed and that
both the practicability and usefulness oil the
present law would now be fully demon.
strated. II these predictions are verified
within the next eighteen months, all may
be well Tor a time at least, but II on the
other hand these predictions are not verl'
fed or only partially and enthusiastically
verified, an issue will be presented which
should be openly and squarely met by the
people and u satisfactory plan arranged lor
It's settlement by the next Legislature.
There is ample time and opportunity tc
observe the course ul events, and " con-
slider at the same time the advantages OF
disad vantages OF the various features Oi any
new law proposed, while the one now upon
the statute books is undergoing its crucial
test. In this connection a plain statement
OF facts as they are known TO exist under
present conditions should be placed before
the public, so that the errors OF the past
may be avoided whenever there IL any new
legislation upon the subject.
SOME FACTS IN REGARD TO THE OPERA
TON or THE LOCAL OPTION Law.
Notwith standing the fact that this law
has been in operation for nearly twenty
wears, there are and have been Tor long
lTOu SBNtnty uNC W a
in the county where intoxicants are sold
most Of which have United States Internal
revenue licenses. The location Of these
places and the fact that they are engaged in
such business are AS well knwn TO the peo-
pie in the respective districts rs the location
and nature of the business OF the MOntgOm-
cry County National Bank is known To the
people Of Rockville. The taxpayers are
put TO the expense Of thousands OF dollars
every year in abortive efforts To enforce the
law, with the result that the average amount
Of the fines paid by any one individual does
not amount to one fourth as much ~ he
would pay az license, II required 10 do 10.
Asa result the taxpayers lose from fifteen
~ twenty thousand dollars every year
without deriving benefits therefor.
IL IL a fact that cannot he successfully
contradlcted that there have been, and are,
to-day az many men in Montgomery County
OF every grade OF society, who drink intoxi-
cants, either habItusllY or socially, as can
be found 10 any OF the Old settled communl-
ties Of the United States. Over ninety.nine
per cent. OF the men who drink have at one
time or another lDund themselves Ia places
where liquor ia sold illegally each has
taken drink and At one lime or another
directly or indirectly, has paid for IT,.
A transaction has thus been completed ia
each case Tor which the liquor seller is
liable 10 u tine OF $500 or imprisonment
in the House Of CouectiOn. The man
who purchased the drink, ia looking back
upon the matter, ieels that he was rs much
10 blame a. the liquor seller, AMI will say
nothing " cause hun trouble. These things
are taking place every day IN every section
of the county. 4 large number Of our most
prominent Off las, business men, iarmrrs
and labOring people are parties To these
transactions. Under such conditions would
il not be range W tind anything more than
a mere proiunctOry execution OF the local
option law, aud a failure " bring to tral,
or upon trial failure 10 secure convictions
for It's violation, unless full and complete
evidence is voluntarily submitted
The relations Of the men who sell liquor
illegally and the men who buy it become
such that when the latter are summoned be-
fore the grand jury they generally use every
effort to evade questions rs to violations Of
the local option law, but failing 10 that, a
large proportion OF them commit perjury.
Thus year after year large number Of our
neople become pei Iured criminals, and "A set