The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-08-01

who opposed the submission of the
law and the result was that the
measure, which passed the Senate,
was permitted to die a peaceful death
in the House. AT that time 4 num-
Der Of friends Of the present law
promised vigorous campaign
throughout the county in their efforts
to enforce the statute now upon our
books. So far, little practical work
has been accomplished outside of the
establishment of the committee who
have charge of the active manage
ment of the compaign but we under
stand that active work will soon
commence.
1t is not our desire to throw the
slightest obstacle in their way, and
we simply reserve to ourselves, the
right of having an opinion ON the
subject, which is undoubtedly one of
the most serious with whi.h civiliza-
ton has to deal. We all know the
baneful effects of the misuse ofliquor,
and the subject CT temperance, not
only in the matter of drink, but of
the misuse of any gift which a beauti-
full nature has bestowed upon us, is
weighty matter.
Appropos to this subject a most
excellent article recently appeared in
the New York Saturday Evening
Post on the practical effects of pro-
hibition in the State of Vermont. AS
is well-known, the columns of this
excellent newspaper are conducted on
the highest moral plan and it is
recognized as one of the foremost
journals in the United States that
stands for everything that is best.
vermont has had a prohibitory law
for fifty years, and it has been sup
posed that nowhere did such a law
received more unanimous support.
There are few large towns in the
State, and the Legislature is COM
pletely controlled by the representa-
tives of the themselves
generally farmers. The Republican
party is the respectable" party-in
fact, the only party-and it has been
identified with the prohibitionist
element from the outset. Whatever
laws the temperance" people de-
manded were enacted, and their cause
seemed to be triumphant. Hence the
appearance on aplatform opposed to
prohibition of a candidate for the
Governorship, who in a few weeks,
although spending little money and
personally unpopular, won more
than one-third of the delegates, and
came near winning a majority of the
convention, was very startling &C.
curance.
"Yet it by no means indicates that
there has been change of feeling, in
regard to the sale of liquor, among
the people at large. There are two
or three considerable towns where a
majority of the citizens would proba-
bly, vote to license the sale; but this
would have been true for many years.
The habit of drinking, among repu-
table people, is not increasing; those
who like to drink still think that the
common people should be prevented
from drinking. The explanation is
to be found in the nature of the pro-
hibitory law, which may properly be
described as outrageous. 1t is pro-
badly unconstitutional in several re-
spects. 1t violates the fundamental
rights Of citizenship. 1t promotes
perjury. 1t demoralizes juries and
prosecuting officers. 1t corrupts
magistrates and constables. 1t
burdens the counties with heavy
costs; and, in towns of any size, it
completely fails to stop the sale of
drink. No town, it may be asserted
positively, can maintain itself as a
business community without an inn;
and no inn, it may be said almost as
broadly, can maintain itself unless it
supplies the ordinary wants of it's
guests. The towns of Vermont,
however, are as we'll supplied with
inns as towns of equal size in other
States. In one town of less than
1000 inhabitants three or four men
engaged in the hotel business lately
fed from the State in one day be-
cause of the unexpected activity of a
judge; but no one thinks that their
business will not be carried on in the
future as in the past.
"The original prohibitory law was
bad enough. 1t authorized consta-
bles to enter dwellings or other places
without warrant, and seize liquors
found there. 1t commanded persons
arrested for being drunk to disclose
under oath the name of the person
from whom they obtained liquor,
and empowered any justice of the
peace to commit to Jail a prisoner
who refused to disclose it. These
provisions cannot be reconciled with
the Constitution of Vermont, which
provides that "the people have a
right to hold themselves, their
houses, papers, and possessions, free
from search or SEIZURE" forbids
warrants unsupported by oath, or
not directing particular officer to
make search, or directing the seizure
of persons or nrnnerty not narticn1ar-