The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-05-27
THE PROHIBITION WAVE.
Destroys Millions Of Property and OF
Revenues, But Does Not Stop De-
mand For Whisky.


To His Honor. the Mayor -
The prohibition wave that has been
passing over the country is showing
unmIstakable signs OF subsiding be-
cause the people are finding out that
prohibition, whether by State or eoun-
ty, does not prohibit.
The indisputable evidence OF the In
ternal Revenue Department proves be-
You'd question that putting over half
of the United States under prohIbItory
laws has increased the per capita con
sumption of distilled and fermented
liquors fifty per cent.
Prohibition destroys millions OF
property and of revenues, but It does
not check the demand for whisky.
beer. vine, brandy. gin, alcohol IN the
form of patent medicines, etc, and
while this demand exists the mail
order houses, the druggists, the boot
leeeerg and the moonshiners will see
that 1t Is supplied.
A nation that consumes each year
twenty-three gallons of alcoholic bey-
erages per capita may pass prohibition
laws. each voter faYoring them for the
other fellows, but It will not be denied
these beverages by any edict Of law
and It will not for long, nor seriously,
prosecute the men who supply them.
The question, therefore, for the fu-
ture Is to regulate the sale Of these
beverages and 1t Is the part OF wisdom
to adopt regulation that will regulate.
The people and the press Of this
country are demanding obedience 10
law and the liquor trade Will welcome
.R taVUG that will
both encourage and compel obedience
of what are known as Model License
provisions and should they appeal 10
you I urge that your influence be en-
ployed to engraft them into your liz
nor ordinances. We recommend
First-That all licenses must be re-
newed so long as the holder Is not
convicted the second time OF the ylo-
lation of the law and the business Is
not prohibited By vote Of the people.
seeond-The licenses issued n the
future shall not be in excess Of one
license for each five hundred OF popu-
lation.
Third-That the license shall be
reasonable, fair and just and not rep
resent penalty.
Fourth-That for the first eonylc-
ton by jury of the violation Of law
the license shall be suspended for
thirty days and the place closed for
that period: and for the second like
conviction the license shall be can
eel1ed. and the holder never again
licensed to retail liquors in thai city
Persecution, excessive taxation. ex-
cesslYe competition and nominal pen
alties may compel the saloonkeeper In
his fight for existence 10 do things that
ale wrong, but IL Is a great mistake to
suppose that brewers, dlstillers. whole
sale or retail liquor dealers favor law
violation or that they would not vel
come law aboliahIng such practices
| ask your consideration, therefore
so far as their trade Is concerned.
The permanent license will remove
the saloonkeeper from politics. for the
political boss could no longer cancel
his right to do business; IL would be
. valuable asset aud especially II
limited In number as suggested. and
the holder of such license would heBi-
tate a long time before he would in
eite It's destruction by violating the
law.
The mandatory penalty which nc
Judge could set aside would do away
with the farce of minimized penalties
which are generally imposed and which
are merely an invitation to further
dIsobedlence.
Under most of our license laws the
profits incident To the violation Of Law
are SO great as compared With the
penalties imposed that the one thought
of the saloonkeeper in his fierce atrug-
gle for existence L to get around the
law, but under Model License the ga-
loonkeeper's one thought would be 10
obey law.
saloonkeepers. Ike bankers. mer-
chants. manufacturers, railway com
panIeH. oil magnates and men IN gen
eraI will violate law II II pays and II
the penalties are small, but no man
will violate law II he knows It vii not
pay.
The National Model License League
has but one purpose and that Is 70
bring about the adoption of license
laws under which the liquor trade
will not be tempted or compelled to
violate law, and In submitting our
ideas to you we indulge the hope that
you vii give them your favorable con-
alteration and join with us In nrgine
their adoption. Yours very truly.
7. NJ. GILMORE.
President National Model License
League.