Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-05-27
Temperance Topics.


can be done, probably, to relieve the Sit
uatioan. And yet, in spite of past failures
10 penetrate so dense body with the
X-ray, we want to make one more effort
to enlighten the Hagerstown Mail. This
newspaper continues to assert that the
fact that Shepherdstown recently voted
"dry" is responsible for the evils OF CO.
caine and other drugs. The truth is,
| Shepherdstown is still wet-the saloons
will not close until the first OF July-hence
prohibition cannot possibly be responsible
for the cocaine habit. This ought to be
plain enough TO sink into an ordinary in
tenect. As a matter of fact, the use OF
cocaine and the use of liquor go together,
and the poor victims almostinvariably are
habitual users of whiskey before they take
to cocaine. If the cocaine users are pro-
duced only in dry towns, why is Hagers-
town, which is filled with saloons, bad,
worse and worst, so over-rln with coke
| friends =?
The argument as to whether or not
Washington county will go dry next tall
seems to be warming up, and the saloons
OF Hagerstown are furnishing plenty OF
campaign material for the temperance
people. The other day William Bloom, a
saloon-keeper, and Clifford P. Martin, a
brewery man, had heated discussion
upon this subject in O'Byrne's saloon in
Hagerstown. When Martin left the place
Bloom laid in wait for him and as he
came out struck Martin blow in the face
that knocked him SenselesS, and then pro-
ceeded to kick and pound his helpless
victim in a shocking way. Justice Hotf-
man fined Bloom $l70, saying that he
would not give him prison sentence, as
he had just invested 5000 in a saloon Ii
cense and it would be hardship to send
him to Jail. No decision was reached as
to whether the county will go dry or wet,
but the incident has made more temper
ance votes.
Some THE business men OF Charleston
are reported as being fearful that the re-
fusal OF the council to grant saloon licenses
will hurt business in that city, The only
business that will be hurt will be the Ii
quor business, and the more that is hurt
the less harm will be done. Legitimate
business will be vastly improved, for
many, many dollar that goes into the
saloon will be spent for groceries and pro-
visions, shoes and clothing, and the COM
forts and even luxuries of life. Just let
Charleston give local option a fair trial
and see what the result will be. we
don't look for this, however, for we are
acquainted with the tricks OF those IA
nawhaiteS.
Two walls from different parts OF the
country illustrate wildly certain features
of temperance reform. Cincinnati brew
ers complain that the drying up OF nine
teen counties in Michigan means a loss OF
two million dollars year to the beer bus
mess, and Pittsb0rg bottle-makers say
that the local option elections in Ohio
have greatly lessened the sale OF liquor
bottles. The points we wish to make are
these: Prohibition does prohibit; the
closing OF the saloons enormously de-
creaSeS the drinking Of whiskey. Most
of the old stock arguments are rapidly
osing their force in the face of facts.
Another whiskey tragedy occurred in
HagerstoWn Thursday - a murder being
added to the long list OF crimes for which
the saloons are responsible in that city.
Horace Holmes, aged Syears, and George
Gross, aged 35, two negroes OF unsavory
reputation, met in saloon on Jonathan
street, and after brief quarrel Gross drew
a butcher knife. long and sharp, and drove
it into Holiness breast, cutting his heart
in twain. The wounded man ran into the
street, fell in front of the entrance to an
other saloon, gasped and was dead. The
murderer was quickly arrested and jailed,
and will be put on trial at once. Holmes
was from White Post, Va.
II is reported that the "drys" OF the
Charleston city council held conference
last week at which they again declared
their determination to stand pat. The
conference was attended by twenty-five
members and each one pledged himself
to work for the abolition OF saloons in
the city. In the meantime the whiskey
men are depoSiting their money and ap-
plying for license in The formal way.
The Mason Republican, published at
Point Pleasant, this State, is an able and
fearless helper in the temperance cause,
and with courage not observed in many
newspapers is pounding away atthe curse
in its home town. Keep up the good
work, brother.
A number of temperance workers in
Berkeley county have organized an Anti
Saloon League, and, we understand, will
make a determined campaign against the
granting OF liquor licenses in that county.
1t is good work and we wish them pros
perity.
L. Bright, agroceryman of Norfolk, Va,
was accused of selling liquor illegally, but
he put up strong defense. He said that
he had cotton the liquor found on his
premises for the purpose of giving the
baby bath.
The city of Bloomington, Indiana, in
which the State University is located, has
gone dry AT the local option election on
Tuesday the county was carried for tenn
perance by 700 majority.
During the past week papers have been
circulated in WilliamSport district OF
| Noeb;,otor county fOr ciopaft,rac ockinU