Middletown transcript., 1907-09-28
7Itrrnap Gnttnttter
MARYLAND COUNTY
In LEADING STRINGS
Hedged in as to Trade, Wide
Open to Drnnkenness=z=Busi-
ness Goes to Baltimore and
Wet Towns in Delaware
SUNDAY Drunks Common.
WIcoMIco COUNTY

lQ6DOaFuS OF LH6iT UhuJ Vic AuCSbiOh IA
,istently arose, how was it possible for
his intelligent aggressive community to
to the folly of prohibition2 This
question putdirectly, and bluntly TO
merchant who has tens of thousands OF
dollars invested in dry goods, brought this
answer, as quick as the trigger
IN a firearm.
How did the prohibitionists manage to
carr, that election? Like all our elec-
lions are carried; by money. Della
ware has a bad name, but Wicomico
county beats any county in Delaware for
corruption at elections. Not less than
S2O, 600 Was spent to carry this district,
one out Of dozen in the county, for pro.
Eighty per cent.of the business
men in this district voted for license.
There we're only four bars in the town.
Tie town was orderly and the hotels well
Kept. As a business proposition the busi-
ness men voted for license; but every pur-
chaseab1e voter in the district voted
against it.
zone family runs all our politics and
they made politics out OF our local option,
They put up the money and they made
dry. 1t was not moral i-sue
with them, but a political. They pro-
posed to take whisky out of politics. 1t
was factor their money could not always
control. Their purpose was to reduce all
political argument in Wicomico county to
one proposition, namely, money, cash, in
which they had no competition.
"0f course, there are honest temper
ance men here, but they were not in it.
The election was carried by corruption
and corrupt voters. The order was sent
out to the 'foaters' TO get all the money
possible from the liquor men then come
to headquarters and we will double all
the cash you can show us. There is the
building" said this gentleman, point
ing out a substantial brick building,
on the main street of the town, ''on
the second floor of that house the work
was done. The three men who were
deepest in this piece Of bribery are all
high up in politics. One is in Office now
and hopes to go higher, by means OF his
millions. The other two are both OIL the
county ticket this fall and have 10 ex-
pectstion of being elected except as
the county can be bought up. Both are
shouting prohibitionists and,church, ,mem-
bers, but they handled the money, that
bought up Salisbury for prohibition.
Why the leaders of this piece of hypo-
crisy, I mean the men who put up the
are among the hardest drinkers
in Maryland and that is saying a good
deal.
"Several OF them went so far as to hold
OF colored voters and threatened
TO abandon them, politically, if they did
not vote for prohibition.
81 saw the whites and blacks go up
hose stairs, in groups of five and six, to
get their money"
This story of the election OF April, 1904,
when the last district in Wicomico county
vent dry, was told the reporter a
lozen different times, the witnesses gem
,raily agreeing except as to the amount
VI money used. Que man who admitted
ie was in the fight with money, that $20,.
100 was too much. He pointed out that
here were only about 800 voters in the
district; that the prolibilionists got about
20 majority; and that the business men
nearly all voted for license and did 50
Without money, he thought the ''fJaters"
,ot about 500 apiece. Others, however,
insisted that as much as $4,000 was on
ap-on the second floor OF that substantial
,rick building. Whatever the facts are,
IS to the amount Of cash expended
nd men on both sides admit that
money was used-there is no doubt as
o the conviction at Salisbury that the
esult was bought and that it has left a
better sting behind.
Salisbury is the lact of the districts Of
he Eastern Shore. excepting the towns
i Worcester county, to 60 dry. It stood
'ut for 80 years or longer against this
lleged prohibition, with the result that
is the best business town OH the Penin-
ula, south of Wilmington. Other PEN
nsuIa towns have better water facilities
md equally good railroad advantages,
,ut they surrendered to maudlin senti-
nent, 10, 20, 80 and some even 40 years
Igo, while Salisbury stood for her rights
md for common sense. Thetown enjoyed
he sale Of liquor from Wicomico- county
Ind portions of the neighboring coun-
les % years, and this furnishes to large
legree the explanation of its business
Iuccess of to-day.
The leading clothier and gentIemen's
urnisher of Salisbury. if not of the East
srn Shore, whose business approximates
300, 900 per year, expressed lis disgust
hat city of the size Of Salisbury should
be dr. and put into Leading strings by
i lot ofimprscticables.
81 casinot tell you hew much tI.is town
lost by that foolish act. / lost 81 600 D I
business the frat year and every other
business man felt the blow. 0feourse, we
have all pulled OH again and are doing a
good business, you can't keep Salisbury
down. 1t IS q n8tufaI business centre
and has been for so years. We are far
enough from Baltimore aud Wilmington
to command . wholesale trade and all the
folly possible could not kill this place.
ssOur turner's have been unusually
fortunate during the last 10 years.
Hardly a poor crop ii all that time. II