Middletown transcript., 1907-09-07
cHEsTERToWN, MARYLAND.

ID porous old town has Deen unuer the oper
lg alton of what is popularity known as tn
m Local Option Law for nearly thirty years
and is perfectly satisfied with it. Moth
n ing could induce its citizens to return tt
d the old license system.
Ii Local Option has become second ia
;e ture, as it were, and when you ask one o
A. the citizens whether he considers il ad
vantageous to a community he looks al
v you somew hat curiously, as if to say: "Dc
l. you think we are SO foolish as to have
e continued it for thirty years if it had
o been to our disadvantage ?'
Q Lest it be charged that have sought
!. out, for interview, only those men who
v are avowed temperance advocates, let me
i say, as 1 said substantially in former
8 paper, that have avoided them. have
/ endeavored to be fair, and many whom
! interviewed had not always been
friendly to local option and some of them
3 had v1ted against it, when the question
was presented years ago.
A TALK WITH THOMAS W. ELLA
SON.
, Among the prominent men ol Chester
|, town, and perhaps the most progressive
vi its citizens, is Thomas w. Eliason.
!, lie is closely identified with the town
and its interests, and has grown i'm
mensely wealthy out of his business oper-
ations there.
found him at his office busily engaged
but as soon as made myself aud the pur-
pose of my call known to him, be cor
daily welcomed me.
''No business interests have in the
least suffered because of the operation OF
the local option law" he said. ''On the
contrary they have been materially sd-
vanced, and as sustaining this statement
let me say that the line of deposits in our
banking associations have more than
doubled since its enactment. Besides,
nearly every improvement and almost all
the growth OF the town have taken place
during the same period"
"W hat about its influence upon the |
morals of the community?' asked.
"Ah, that is the point" said lie. |
There is where marked difference lies. |
II you had seen this town under license |
and visit it now, you would be amazed at |
the happy change in its moral aspect.
"In the days Of the saloon, street fights
were common occurrences, so common as
to call forth but little comment. Drunken
men were familiar objects, and disorderly
conduct, especially on Saturday nights,
prevailed throughout the town. These
things are unheard OF now.
"Of course" said he, II do not pretend
to say that nobody drinks here. That
would be preposterous. No law could
prevent that. if it would. But do say
that the prohibitory law has practically
driven out drunkenness. That liquor is
brought here by the boat, and other con-
veyance, is undoubtedly true, but where
it used to be brought in barrels it is now
brought in jugs; and, besides, there is
nothing in the conduct or behavior of the
people to show that drop of it is brought
here
Let me tell you little story" said
he, "and incidentally show you Chester
town on Saturday night: Several years
ago the States Attorney of St. Mary's
County was visiting Cqestertown, and on
Saturday night lie and l took walk
about town. The streets were literally
thre nged with peope-citizens of the
town strolling about; ladies going to and
fro making purchases; farmers doing
their dealing, colored people everywhere
and everything orderly. We had walk
ed through the business district and
were returning, when the States Attor
ney said to me, 1 am perfectly astonish
ed at what see. Saturday night your {
streets crowded with all kinds of people, t
and qniet and good order prevailing. (
No drunkenness, no profanity, no disor- i
defly conduct. Why, Leonardtown, in \
my county, on Saturday night is the !
scene OF a drunken and disgraceful orgie.
The town is literally given over to men
and bad conduct. Ladies never think of t
upon the streets. am, indeed r
amazed at what behold here Il
Well" said, 'Chestertown, on a
night, when we had the saloons, a
was very much like your description OF /,
Leonardtown.' 3
is it possible p he said, This is GER
taiuIy fine object lesson in favor of
local OPTION
"Ah, yes" continued Mr.. EIiason, "it :,
is beneficial in every way. So well salts 4
fed are our people with the law and its ;,
effect that any effort to secure its repeal Il
would, am sure, meet with overwhelm.
ing defeat"
WITH MARION DE a
KALB SMITH i.
Few people are better known on the
Eastern Shore than Marion De Kalb ii
Smith, an able lawyer and an astute a
politician. had not the slightest knowl. /,
edge of Mr.. Smiths views about local al
option, when entered his office. But | !.
knew him to be a genial gentleman, Al
nan of decided opinion and most IN n
resting talker. This is the story he told y
ne: tr
''In 1878, I think it was, the question
If license or no license was first sub q
nitted to our people and, as you may s.
magine, it brought forth a lively con. Il,
est ALI through the campaign the n
aloon element was confident Of ginning, tc
md, indeed, to the observer, it really did al
ook as though they would win out. But I'll
when the votes were counted, to the utter Ii
ufprise Of the whiskey people, the county vi
'oted dry by some 700 majority. 1 did ii
lot agree with the proposition at that CT