The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-07-07

A Reminiscent Testimony and Some
Appeals in Behalf of Temperance.
To the Editor of The Republican.
For some time 1 have felt that l
should write of my past experience
with reference to what hold to have
been very helpful factor in the in
f1uence eXerted upon my life by The
Republican through its Temperance
columns, in the early days, the days
of my boyhood, when James A. Hay
den occupied the editors sanctum.
Back in the early days of this county,
as such, when the subject of "local OPP
ton" began to be preached and ad-
vocated, there was at first consider
able sentiment against such restric-
tive measures. Those advocating the
proposed movement in many cases
were perhaps not as consistent in
practice as they might have been,
and the result was that the agitation
did not beget confidence as it would
perhaps otherwise have commanded.
At any rate its adoption would re-
quire some self denial and interfere
with some previously exercised privi-
leges CD and goodly number of
people were unwilling to commit
themselves to a movement which
might later not prove desirable. The
movement gained force and influence,
and district after district became for
hidden area for the exploitation of
spirituous liquors as beverages, and
then finally the entire county become
forbidden territory for the sale of in
toxicating drinks.
But The Republican continuously
and persistently published articles,
treaties, accounts and narratives of
the baneful, injurious and ruinous eff
fects and disastrous results of the use
of intoxicating drinks which impress
ed me until became thoroughly i'm
bued with the idea of the merit and
virtue of personal temperance and of
total abstinence of alcoholic liquors as
beverages, and whether local option
prevailed or not had schooled myself
to an attitude and status of safety.
And it did not make whit of differ
ence to me personally as far as myself
was concerned, when the Eighteenth
Amendment became part of the Con-
stitution of the United States and be-
came effective, for it did not require
the least change in my case to be
obedient to it's requirements. Person
al observation confirmed and REIN
forced the principles disseminated as
stated above, to fortify me more firm
ly and solidly in my adopted course.
As stated before,I rejoice in the privi
lege and am willing to bear testimony
of the value of the teaching thus pre-
scented and set forth. 1t cannot be
said that l am doing this for the sake
of popular gain for l shall do it in
cognito. Furthermore, it seems we
are at a place where it is not very
popular for any one to advocate to-
tai abstinence or even somewhat less
rigid Temperance attitudes. Yet l be-
lieve the people of this nation of ours
will in the near future either main
tain conservative safe, sound tenn
perance attitude, or become starting
ly aware of the ruinous folly which
they have brought upon themselves
through a reckless resort to removal
of restraints which will give freer
rein to the use of alcoholic drinks.
Governor Roosevelt has declared his
approval of the proposition, and his
personal endorsement of the move
ment to repeal the Eighteenth
Amendment. In the same speech he
also declared 1--WE do not want the
saloon to come back" The saloon did
not make people drunk, except by
means of the alcoholic liquor which
was sold there. And under any other
name under the sun it would have had
the same effect with the dispensing
of the same kind and quantity of
liquor. The American people are
asked to take a leap into the dark.
They are asked to give up definite
something which has been a barrier
to the liquor traffic for something
which has not been definitely pro-
posed, and concerning which there is
not the least assurance, or specifica-
ton in proposal. Seemingly anything
will suffice just so this definite some