Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-04-30
To The Voters OF MontgSinery
County.

The present agitation of Mrs. Mollie L
Nicholson. organizer Of the Woman's Demo-
cratic Club Of Montgomery County. and
recently resigned president Of the United
Women's Democratic Clubs Of Maryland.
in attempting to create a demand for in
creased Law enforcement. and her effort 10
create q new organization headed By her
self to be known as the United Demo
cratic Law Enforcement Clubs Of Mary
land make it necessary for rs as
members Of the Democratic Womens
Clubs of Montgomery county. and as indi
vidual Democrats. TO publicly state that
in our opinion Mrs Nicholson's campaign
for increased law enforcement in Mont
eomery county is not justified by the con-
ditions prevailing in our county. and which
We are personally entirely familiar. We
all know that the affairs Of Montgomery
county have been administered by Demo
cratic officials for a number OF years past.
and that the State Senators and members
Of the Legislatures from the county have
also been Democrats. 50 that the enforce
ment of our existing laws. as well az the
enactment Of new ones. are a proper part
Of the record of government in Monteom-
cry county by the Democratic party. and.
Is Democrats. we want TO call the atten-
ton of the voters Of our county to the true
record.
In 1885 the voters Of Montgomery county
passed. at q countrywide general election.
9 prohibition law. This Law then had the
support Of the majority Of the voters and
il has been honestly and ably enforced BY
the recent Democratic Sheriffs Of Mont
somery county and BY the police force Of
Montgomery county created by Democratic
members 20 the General Assembly and ap-
pointed by Democratic Board Of County
Commissioners
We feel that law enforcement and tenn
persnce now exist In Montgomery county
10 a much greater extent than. from Stats
tics and newspapers. we gather prevail in
most communities in other parts Of the
entire country. We feel that our prohibi-
ton Law is better enforced at the hands Of
our Democratic county officials than are
similar laws in the adjacent District Of
Columbia. (where the Volstead law has
been re-enacted for the District Of CoIum-
bia. where a Republican President ap-
points the Police Commissioners and where
q Republican Congress pays the police
and several other adjacent counties of
Maryland which also have county prohibi-
ton laws. and in adjacent territory Of
Virginia. which has both a State and
county prohibition law in addition to the
Volstead law.
The Democratic members to the last
Maryland Legislature secured passage Of
amendments strengthening Montgomery
countyis local option law. These amend
ments were submitted to and approved by
Judge Robert 3. Peter and Geo H. Lamar.
Of the Rockville bar
Montgomery and Frederick counties were
the only counties to attempt to strengthen
their local prohibition laws at the last
legislature. and both amendments were
presented from the Democrats from these
two counties. The wet delegation from
Baltimore City made no fight against these
amendments. thereby recognizing the right
Of Montgomery and Frederick counties to
local self government.
The Democratic members Of the last
session Of the legislature also strengthened
the anti-gambling law for Montgomery
county by an amendment which makes
each pers n participating in gambling
game one Of the principals or operators Of
the game until the individual proves to the
contrary. This amendment makes il easy
and relatively certain to get testimony
which viii stand up in court against the
owners and operators Of gambling games
which have been raided by the local police.
Passage Of this Law. and the fact that the
Montgomery county police force cannot be
bribed to furnish protection for gambling
houses has so completely rid Montgomery
county Of gambling houses that Judge
Robert B. Peter has been able to congratu-
late the county police force in his charge
to the recent grand juries upon the elimi-
nation Of commercislized gambling 10 the
county.
The Democratic members Of the last
General Assembly also secured the enact
ment Of law requiring people who wish
10 operate prize fights in Montgomery
county to secure the approval Of the Mont
eomery County Commissioners upon any
permits to hold prize fights 10 the county
that the Baltimore Boxing Commission
might issue The Montgomery County
Commissioners have consistently refused
60 approve permits for prize fights In
Montgomery county and have 50 prevented
such gatherings at various points 10 the
Montgomery county suburbs Of Washing
ton City.
A bill was passed at the session Of 1920
the operation Of which. coupled with the
later passage Of the Burke Bill would have
permitted the Rockville Fair Association
TO have rented its fair grounds free from all
municipal. county and State license tax OF
regulation. to people who could have run
race track at pari-mutual system. or to
limit the days Of racing. and no tax could
have been levied by the State. county or
town Of Rockville. Z. Brooke Lee, Chair
man Of the State Democratic Central Com.
mittee for Montgomery county. read this
bill and called it to the attention Of the
Democratic Governor. Albert C. Richie.
and Governor Richie promptly vetoed the
bill. This action prevented the ests bIish-
ment Of what would probably have been
Maryland's largest race track. racing the
greatest number Of days year at Rock
vile.