Evening journal., 1914-01-28
SOMERSET co.
WOULD Be DRY
Maryland Preachers Want Alb
SOIute Anti-Shippine Act
for District
BILL IS MODELLED
AFTER DELAWARE LAW

PRINCESS ANNE. Nd, Jan. 2S.-A
large crowd assembled in Antioch
Methodist Episcopal Church here yes
teddy in answer to the call sent out
by the preachers of the county some
days ago.
The purpose of the meeting was 10
draft a third set Of views upon an
anti-shipping bill for Somerset coun-
ty. two other measures dealing with
the question having been drafted and
sent to the Legislature. within the last
few days Nearly all the churches of
the county we're represented at the
meeting. Sixteen ministers, 70 lay
delegates and about so citizens were
present Among the preachers who
were here to help "rout the rum
demon" we're nine Methodist Episco-
pal, six Methodist Protestant and one
Baptist.
Ex-State Senator L. E. p Dennis,
of Crisfeld, was elected chairman
and the Rev. Frank e. Benson, pastor
of Mount Pleasant Methodist Protest
ant Church, Crisield, secretary A
general discussion of the liquor ques-
ton continued for three hours. Min
listers and delegates debated the best
means to keep whisky from being
shipped into the county, and the
merits of the other two anti-shipping
bills we're discussed.
Want Liquor Barred Entirely.
Neither of these bills met the ap-
proval of the preachers, because one
allows each person to receive a quart
of whiskey a day and the other per-
mits the shipping of one gallon to
any person in "a ho4rs and allows
druggists to receive it in unlimited
quantities.
The ministers did not want any Ii
quor to be shipped in. The meeting
finally decided to adopt the Delaware
measure, known as the Hazel law"
with amendments. The bill was re-
vised by eliminating the clause which
permits drug stores to receive liquors
by common carrier and prohibits the
shipping of wine to churches for sac
ramental purposes. The proposed
bill prohibits absolutely the shipment
lof liquor into Somerset county and
makes it unlawful for anyone to
bring into the county more than one
gallon of whiskey in each "a hours.
One Gallon May be Carried i'm.
The meeting divided on the ques-
tion of how much liquor a person
should be allowed to bring in Some
we're in favor of a gallon, while 9TH
ers wanted the amount reduced to a
quart. This point caused considera-
BILE argument, but finally those back
ing the gallon proposition won.
The best means to secure the pas
sage of the law desired by the min
listers was the next question brought
/ up, and it was decided to circulate
petitions throughout the country for
signatures. The petitions will ash
the Somerset members Of the General
Assembly to work for the law The
chairman appointed the following
committee TO circulate petitions: The
Rev. T. H. Dashiell, of Asbury, chair
man; the Rev. W. o. Hurst, of Fair.
mount; the Rev. G. f. Morris, of st
Peters; the Rev. J. L. Elderdice, OF
ManOlin, and the Rev. ]. J. Bunting
of Mount Vernon.
The meeting was the outgrowth ol
a movement started by the officials
of Crisfield two weeks ago to clean W
that town. The Crisfield vice crusade
was touched upon by the speakers
1t was brought out that more than
400 packages OF liquor had been re.
ceived at Crisfield in one day. Thl
ministers were OF the opinion that
t. this fact would justify an anti-ship-
ping law such as they propose.