Evening journal., 1914-01-29
MARYLAND MAN
WILL PRESENT
LIQUOR BILL.
President Of the Senate Il OUld
Stop Shipments to WiCOmiCO
County for DelaWareaRS
SAYS HAZEL LAW
Is BEING EVADED

ANNAPOLIS. Md, Jan. 20. ~ Pres
ident Price, Of tile Senate, will short
ly introduce bill on the liquor
question for his county, forbidding
the shipment of liquor to any but
bona-fide residents of the county
and limiting the amount of such ship
ment, he said:
while conditions have been very
much exaggerated in regard to the
quantities of liquor received in the
Eastern Shore counties adjacent to
the State Of Delaware, there is some
reason for the demand on the part
Of large class Of our citizens for
the putting Of a limit on shipments.
This is largely due to the fact that
al the last session Of the Delaware
Legislature there was passed a law
prohibiting the shipment of liquor
into dry" counties of that state,
Kent and Sussex, which has caused
many of the citizens of these coun-
ties to resort 70 the method of hav-
ing their liquor shipped to the near
est express office in the State of
Maryland That practice has made
the territory adjacent to the dry"
counties of Delaware a sort of dump
ing ground for liquors consumed in
the State of Delaware
"These conditions primarily have
brought about the demand On the
part of many of the citizens OF East
ern Shore counties for a similar law
to apply in Maryland, but I am of
the opinion that the benefit secured
from the passage of such a law
would be questionable and of a very
temporary nature, because there is
strong feeling in the Delaware ooun-
ties TO which this law applies against
its continuance.
~Wet" Sentiment Created.
81 have been told by reliable per-
sons that the passage of the Hazel
law has had a reactionary effect and
that a demand will be made for its
repeal at the next session of the Del
aware Legislature / am also reliably
Informed from Delaware sources
that there is such a feeling of re-
sentiment against the provisions Of
this law which is so drastic, and
which so violates personal liberties.
that It would not be surprising If a
demand should be made for a vote
IN these Delaware counties, and ~
belief is widespread that such q vote
will result in putting back saloons in
the dry" territory.
III such should be the case, admit
ting that the law 7 propose is proper
and does not violate personal rights
to an Objectionable degree. should
the people of the dry" counties of
Maryland initiate their sister State
in such drastic legislation. which is
only serving to irritatc and is not
curing the evils 1t is supposed to era
dicate, ! believe, however. that some
relief should be given the people I'm
this border territory during the per-
iod of the operations of this Delaware
law referred to.
Favors Action By Counties.
"lnasmuch as these Eastern Shore
counties bordering upon Delaware have
different local liquor laws it would be
manifestly impossible to secure the CO.
operation of an parties in the different
counties to pass a uniform law which
would involve The repeal of all the
liquor laws in the several counties. In
fact. il is doubted whether anv genera I
law would meet The different local con-
ditlons. and for that reason am firmly
Of the opinion that the proper wav to
deal with this question and to secure the
best results is for any county that is
affected by the operations Of the Della
ware law to amend the situation peculiar
to that locality.
Holding this view / have determined
TO amend the local liquor law for my
own county and am preparing a bill
which ! viii shortly introduce to meet
rhe conditions as | understand them.
Plan TO Break Up Bootlegging.
There are two evils complained of (:
the first is the one that have referred
Go. about Delaware people having their
shipments of liquor sent to MARYLAND
express offices adjacent to the state of
! Delaware. This condition applies in my
own county Salisbury, where ] live.
1 IS only six miles south of the Delaware
state line. and is receiving large con
| lsignments Of liquor for Delaware people.
This I intend to break up by amending
our local liquor law so that only bona
} iide residents of Nicomico county shall
receive shipments of liquor within Wi
icomico county
IT he other amendment | propose Is "a
limit the quantity of liquor or beer that
lany bona fde resident may receive at
lany one shipment. This. I conceive will
stop in 4 measure the abuses complained
of without disturbing the many good
! FEATURES of our present local LIQUOR law
This viii not only stop the Delaware
traffic within uur borders, but will
imakc it almost impossible for boot.
ileggcrs and 'spcakcasies' TO receiv,
liquors IN sufficient quantities to con
ltinuc their business. At the same time
/ it guarantees TO all bona fde citizens
and residents the continuance of their
personal rights and lihcrties.
II helevc this TO be sensible and
conservative way TO settle this question
So far as my own county is concerned
and ! have talked TO several representa-.
tives from other Eastern Shore countie,
who feel the same way and who have
expressed their intentions Of following
the same plau in thcir own localities
that is. permitting the shipment OF lin
aors to bona hde residents of the county
only and the limiting to definite
iamcunt of the sic of such shipments