The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1902-09-27
PROHIBITION VS.. LICENSE.

-''N''lll'il. ~ i-''SiHilllNt fhla-
| ~ GRITTY, the qualified voters of this
county. viii decide at the polls.
whether or not the licensed sale of in
toXicating liquors. shall be continued in
the county.
When this vote shall have been taken,
it will constitute the sixth popular sub
mission within twenty-five years. of the
issue of Prohibition vs.. License
Three times out Of tivr--in 1850. by a
majority Of 1914, in 1856. by majority
of pos, and again in 1894. by majority
of 5I4,-Prohibition has been approved
ut the Polls in Cecil county, while in
1890, by Il majority of 2S; and again in
1898. by plurality of 33G. License car
ricd the county.
or these fluctuations in the popular
vote. the most noticeable is the detection
in the Prohibition vote in 1856. and from
the effect of which it has never rccov-
cred. The slump of 14G6 votes in the
majority of that year. and the further
absence from the polls Of 100 voters,
aggr"gating total of Dob citizens of
Cecil. who either We're hostile to Prohibi-
ton. or We're unwilling to commit them
selves to it. can he in part explained. by
the drastic and radical feature Of the
Prohihitory Law of that year. which con-
tanned Il clause. prohibiting the sale of
cider, manufactured by farmer of the
county. from apples grown by himself
i'll quantities less than Il gallon. and
limiting its sale between August 1St,
and the following January LIST of each
year.
1t must he conceded by every reflective
citizen. that these fluctuations III the
popular vote. this alternate pendulum
like. swinging back and forth between
the two systems. has in a measure dis
credited the Referendum. and when SEN
sibly interpreted, indicates il lack of
stability of sentiment in the county, not
calculated to exhibit fairly the benefits
or the evils incident upon either system
1t has certainly damaged the cause of
Prohibition. since it indicates, that there
does not exist in the county, the COM
manding sentiment necessary to secure
respect for, or the enforcement of a law.
creating only statutory offence
The large majority in its favor in
1850, secured after many years preg-
nant with all the evils of low license
system. was with many an experimental
vote, but which. experience neither under
that law. nor the law of 1886. justified
the expectations entertained by its
friends
The impracticablity of enforcement.
has in this county as generally elsewhere
been the rock on which Prohibition split
The absolute inability. or the indifer-
cnce Of local authorities, during the last
two years of ohibition-1S97- -1S9S-
in this county. to successfully or indiffer-
emily enforce the law, made sentiment
rapidly against it.
The Speak-casy revealed in the light of
day. the illicit whiskey trade fourished.
and the miserable dcns of nightly re-
sort, unStaycd, unprecedented and unas-
sailed. poured out their streams of liquid
poison.
That was the last local recollection of
| n | fInt 10 all ,,l,.,
| laws was not self-cnforcing. for the in
culcation of respect for which. or the
enforcement of which, nobody seemed to
care, and of which apathctic condition Of
our community, the unlicensed dealers
and illegal trafckcrs in rum. took
prompt advantage.
| This of the past, what of present CON
ditions.
Reflective citizens, religious men.
moral men, men who desire to promote
the cause of Temperance. and thereby
contribute to the good order and general
| welfare of our communities, no longer
look hopefully for beneficial results under
Il Prohbitory Law.
The alternative offered them now, be-
tween the present License Law and a
| Irohibitory one, seems choice between
two evils.
AS between ii License Law although
objectionable that limits and restricts
the sale of liquors to limited number
OF Public Hotels in the county (nine-
teen)-openly run and managed, by men
amenable to law, they regard as the
lesser evil, preferable to the probable
one hundred and nineteen. unlicensed re-
sorts, night clubs, speak-easies, and
devils kitchens, that will again iniict