Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-06-08
The Local Option Question.

In the language OF an eminent statesman O
this country, "How can it be possible tha
the same thing which, in certain quantities
and methods Of administration, Is known tc
paralyze the nervous force, TO derange the
circulation of the blood, dominate the mus.
cular power, disintegrate the vital organs
drive the heart like slave to its task with
whip and scourge, dethrone reason and turn
loose the faculties, emotions and passions,
over the PROSTATE moral nature for the time,
and, If long INDUCED, then for all time, com.
pletely effacing the image of God, and pro.
ducing hideous caricature abhorrent even
to the beasts that perish-how can 1t be pos
sible that the agency which is admitted TO
do all this, and more of horror which Ian
guage cannot portray, is also healing angel,
q nOurishing mother, messenger OF life and
happiness to that normal and healthy or.
ganization which the Almighty bestowed
upon man In the beginning.
Ii is certain that we continue this search
after the further action of alcohol and Its
final disposition in or by the body, with the
strongest presumption that its history will
be one of consistent hurt and misery TO the
end"
am opposed to the licensed saloon be-
cause the largest percentage of crime is pro-
duced by drinking intoxicants In the saloon.
In 1870 Chief Justice Hale declared
"The places of judicature have long held
In this kingdom have given me an oppor-
tunity to observe the original cause OF most
of the enormties that have been committed
for the space of twenty years; and by due
observation have found that if the muir.
ders and manslaughters, the burglaries and
robberies, the riots and tumults, the adul-
teries, foundations, rapes, and other enormi-
ties that have happened in that time, were
divided into fOe parts, four Of them have
been the issues and product Of excessive
drinking-0f tauern or ale house drinking"
DR.. Elisha HAMS, Of New York, alter an
inspection OF the prisons, wrote that full 30
per cent of the convicts gave evidence of
having been ain some larger degree enticed
to do criminal acts" from the use of intoxi-
eating drinks, and the Board Of Police JUS
tees of that city, in 1874, say that they are
fully satisfied that intoxication Is 1.-THE one
great leading cause which renders the ex-
istence of our police courts necessary"
Judge Noah Davis, OF New York, whose
reputation is too high and well known to
require commentator, says: THAT 30 per
cent OF the criminal business of the courts
is caused by the liquor traffic"
am in favor of local option and opposed
to the licensed saloon because the latter is
more expensive than the former, when the
former is properly enforced, or as far as 1t
can be, and 1t bids fair that this will be done
by the present administration, OF course no
law will secure perfect obedience as long as
there is evil in the world. A leading jour.
nal says:
"Some years ago a striking comparison
was made between Vineland, New Jersey,
and New Britain, CT. They each had about
1900 inhabitants; New Britain had so
saloons; Vineland had none New Britain
paid 500 for the care OF paupers; Vine
land 1924. New Britain paid for police
$500; Vineland $75."
am opposed to the saloon because II Is
the most dangerous enemy TO the republic.
Hon William Window, former Secre-
tary of the Treasury, in fourth OF July
speech said: "The home and ballot are the
very corner.stones on which our free insti,
tutions rest; the very holy OF HOLES behind
the sacred affairs of Freedom. Destroy the
one or corrupt the other, and free gov
eminent is failure. The liquor saloon
aims its deadly blow at both Ii the hopes
of our fathers and our own ambition for this
great republic are to be realized, we must
protect and cherish the myraids of homes,
where children are daily taught those lessons
of Christianity, liberty, justice and forbear'
ance, which alone will qualify them for the
sacred trust of citizenship. Whatever else
the liquar saloons have done, they have
never made one happy Christian home, and
they never will. On the other hand, they
have created nnnumbered thousands Of
places misnamed homes, where the seeds Of
disorder and anarchy are daily planted and
nourished in the minds and hearts OF the
young. These desecrated homes are the
primary schools in which are taught, by
precept and example, the first lessons in dis
order and crime, while the saloons them.
selves are the colleges from which the most
dangerous order OF criminals are graduated.
They stand open night and day-Sundays
included-ready to receive the myriads OF
poor ignorant and misguided wretches
whose childhood, blighted in the drunk
ards home, makes them the ready victims
to the teachers of disorder, socialism and
anarchy, who here find their council-cham.
Der and their inspiration. / verify believe
that If the saloon were abolished the dan
gerous classes which now menace society
would TO a great extent disappear with 1t.
What, think you, would become OF the an
archist and socialist without his ally and
assistant? Where would he rally bis
forces? Where would he teach his trea-
son? Where would he find inspiration for
his followersp The saloon system is itself
league of law. breakers, whose example al
| iords a most powerful stimulus to disorder
OF all kinds. 1t openly proclaims its pur-
pose to disobey all laws which interfere with
| its supreme purpose to make money In Its
own way, and at whatever sacrifice. Briefly
stated, the question is, shall the liquor power,
with It's dire and dreadful influences, rule
and ruin, or shall it be utterly destroyed
This malign power has organized and mass
ed its mighty forces for the conflict. IL has
raised the black flag, and proclaimed that he
who will not swear allegiance TO II, and
thereby become pdrticeps crtmlnts 10 It's WORK
of Obstruction and death, shall politlcally
perish. IL has even drawn the assassin's
knife, and lighted the torch OF the incen
diary, In order to inspire dlsmay In the ranks
OF It's en- emes. The lrlghtiul prevalence oil
the drink traffic In our cities, where license
laws almost universally prevail, with the
accompanying ignorance, poverty, degrade
ton, vice and crime, and the corresponding
danger TO our existence, not only as nallon
but also as a people, il the CHIEF source Oh
alarm TO the thoughtful patriotism OF our
country"
/ am opposed 10 the llcenseu salooh oo-
cause the liquor sold there has been more
perncious in effects than any other agency
An able writer and statesman says: Ut
must be conceded that the use OF intoxicat-
ing, that is TO say Of poisonous, liquors as q
beverage Is the chief source and Immediate
cause OF more hurt to society and TO indi'
viduals than any other agency which can
be named. The war of the rebellion cost us
fewer lives and less treasure year by year
during It's term Of death and devastation
than the nation has sacrificed annually 10
the Moock of alcohol during the halcyon
period which has elapsed since It's close
Pestilence has not slain sixty thousand vic
tins In any one year since the settlement oil
this country. If cholera and small pox
combined, should sweep away one hundred
thousand Of our countrymen In season, the
nation would organize as one vast fnnera
procession and hang the heavens with the
emblems of despair. Famine Is with us IN
known, or at least unnecessary, and when
ever il exits II Is a crime either OF the victim
or of the community, and not an excusabl'
misfortune In any case whatever; but 10
other civilized lands starvation, even dur
Ing the last fifty years, has occasionally
a Ill NRd IN N