The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-02-06
An Open Letter.
ELKToN, Md, Jan. 81, 'o3,
LAw-REsPECTING CITIZEN,
Cecil County, Md,

Necll Nounty, Mo-,
DEAR SIR AS you already are aware,
the present High License Law will be
superseded on May first, of this year, by
the Local Option Law.
The majority of the voters of the County
have spoken, through their suffrages, and
the selling of liquor for intoxicants in
Cecil County after that date, will be
illegal
The voice of the people should and
must be respected. Otherwise, our local
government will become mere farce,
and we will no longer deserve the distinc-
ton of being classed among the foremost
counties of the State, in moral and civic
virtue.
We cannot afford to allow this decision
to be not respected. If we do, and with
ont your support we will. who can fortell
the degree of debauchery TO which our
electorate may come.
| The Anti-Lcense League Of the County,
through their local Executive Committee,
has appointed the undersigned Law
Enforcement Committee, and this Cou-
mittee, through this letter, desires to
enlist the sympathy and moral support of
every lawloving citizen in the County,
be his political affiliations what they may,
in its effort organize the County against
any violations of the Local Option Law
that may arise.
We are not essentially Prohibition
organization our force including one
Republican, one Democrat, and one Min
lister who can have no political bias; al
though one of our principal objects is to
prohibit and while we are not i'll any
wise posing as the followers of any party;
we are, of course, Interested in the selec-
ton of good, responsible men to fill the
hope. is sufficient.
We appeal to you to help us, whether
you voted for or against this law. We
admit the right of every man to his own
opinion as to the wisdom or folly of Local
Option ; yet we do not admit that you
have any moral right to refuse to help
enforce the law, as now established by the
highest tribunal of our County.
By lending your hearty support in this
work, we can, before the first of May,
become SO thoroughly organized that few,
if any, will dare to attempt the selling of
liquor for intoxicants in the County; and
if any should be so blind as to suppose
they can evade US, and thus violate the
law by surreptitiously engaging in the
traffic, the chances of successful prose-
cution therefor will be materially in
creased.
Recognizing the potent influence for
good of the Pulpit, the Press and the
Fraternal Societies of the County, as
such we also appeal to them for support
towards securing the proper observance
of this law.
This is a grand opportunity to do for
our County service whose value is
beyond estimate. By hearty cooperation
in this work, we can, not only practically
prevent law violation in our midst, and
thus raise our standard of morals but
besides-and this is equally as, if not
more, portant-stop this miserable
traffic and thus remove the greatest
temptation with which our young men
have to grapple.
By enforcing the Local Option Law, we
LET r;l s,,in h1oxu abo1 sc -
regeneration, woman's peace, and our
County's prosperity.
On the contrary, by allowing it to go
unenforced, we become responsible for
the blasting of early and brilliant hopes,
for the expense of prosecutions, and,
what is certainly the worst of all, for the
making of many early graves.
Someone has truly said that rum is the
greatest undertaken on earth and we,
by allowing this Ubiquitous traffic to con-
tinue, become its assistants.
In asking your help in this crusade, we
promise not to divulge your name, unless
you so desire our desire being to organ
ize ourselves, before the first of May, that
those who would violate the law, will be
afraid to do so, in view of this organized
sentiment against them.
Furthermore, we do not intend 10 de-
pend for evidence to convict, upon pro-
fessional detectives or minors.
We do not intend, in our efforts to fer
ret out crime, to make a criminal of any
one. We heartily condemn any such
practice; first, because of its palpable
wrong aud Furthermore, because of the
inherent weakness of all such testimony.
We expect to use none but honorable
means to make our work effective.
1t is our purpose TO prosecute this work
without fear OF favor. In the language of
somewhat current phrase "All" violat-
ors will look alike" to us
Any suggestions you may feel disposed
to make, will be carefully considered by,
Yours for law and order,
JOHN S. STRAHoRN,
Chairman,