The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-06-17
Anti-SaIoon League Replies To
Criticism.
To Tie Editors Midland Journal,
NJ nnAnlc.nn

TO he Editors Midland Journal,
MY DEAR SIRs:
A criticism has recently appeared in Cecil
County with reference to the position of the
Anti-Saloon League of Maryland in the present
Cecil County Local Option Campaign. Be
cause we believe this criticism has arisen
from a failure to know all the facts in the
case, as well as from misconception of the
character and purpose of the League we,
therefore, desire to make brief statement of
the facts and anexplanation of such character
and purpose which will enliyhten your readers.
On April 9th County Convention of Cecil
County temperance workers was held in Elk
ton, at which the following resolution, intro
duced by Rev. B. j. Brinkema of Zion, was
adopted without dissenting voice:
Resolved, that this Convention commend
the work of the Anti Saloon League of Mary
land, and that it invite the League to work
with this Organizations
The undersigned was present at the Conven-
ion, upon invitation, and, in response to re-
quest, replied to the above Resolution, offering
the cooperation of the League in the County
Campaign. Since that time the League has
acted entirely within the spirit and scope of
that resolution, and desires to do none other
throughout the campaign.
Many good people in your County have free
~ contributed to the Statewide work of the
League in the past, and now have right to
expect that its agents and agencies will help
them in their local struggle against the saloon.
The League desires to fulfill this expectation,
but only under local direction.
The League, so far as Cecil County is con-
cerned, is in no sense foreign organization,
but is a union of Cecil County temperance
people, regardless of party or denomination,
who are working for repeated and complete
victory against the saloon. This is the League
idea everywhere. 1t is essentially local in
management. Its workers are not the League
but merely the servants of the League.
1t comes into the situation at time when
the resources of state and national liquor
interests are being poured into local contests
and when the temperance people of every
county need the benefit of such counsel and
cooperation as can be brought to them from
the results of the experiences of other COM
munities having the same sort of contest.
Naturally, the Maryland League is interest.
ed in doing everything possible for the Cecil
County Campaign. because victory in the
County viii encourage our forces everywhere
in the State, while defeat would do mote than
anything else we can now imagine to hinder
the progress of our Statewide local option
movement
If the Campaign Committee. appointed at
the April meeting, win meet and organize by
choosing Chairman and other necessary
officers. the League win gladly submit its good
Offices to them for future direction during the
Campaign. But Of course If the Committee
should take action requesting the officials OF
the League to keep out of the fight, notwith.
standing the invitation of the Convention, and
say that the people of Cecil Comfy do not
desire the benefits arising from moral infiu-
ence of the other counties in the State, and SC
put the matter on record as that the League
cannot be justly accused Of neglecting an
obvious duty, the officers of the League will
cheerfully sever all connections with the
Campaign, holding only to the privilege en-
joyed by the League everywhere of entering
annually all pulpits in tine Cosuty. which are
open to it's Representatives upon invitation
of pastors and church officials.
Yours very truly,
john NJ, ARTERs,
District Supt