Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1933-11-16
How VIII Prohibition
Repeal Effect Residents
Of Montgomery County ?
CONTINUED from page u

mltted In Montgomery County under
any guise. They believe that the
county should remain dry until a
referendum is held on local option.
The proposed plan allows for ref
erendum the fourth Tuesday in
April, 1885, or approximately 10
months after the new system has
gone into effect.
AS the writer has pointed out in
previous articles on the question re-
peal surely connotes the elimination
of previous statutes. If the vote
here in Montgomery County was be-
low the normal vote expected, that
is the fault of those who failed to ex-
ercise the franchise. The majority of
the people of the county were disgust
ed with prohibition. BY the same token
they should be Disguised with local
option, for the latter meant "pro-
hibition" as far as Montgomery
County is concerned. The enforce
ment of the local option law was
practically the only whip hand held
over citizens of the county. There
was little Federal enforcement here.
The suggested price of whiskey,
some say as much as 81 per quart,
will not deter the bootlegger one
iota in his pursuit of business. Half
of that sum would be rather high
price. With good Southern Mary
land liquor selling at SIS per gallon
and with the privileged classes being
favored in the handling of liquor
here in the county, can anyone rea-
sonably expect the millennium? Six
thousand one hundred and ninety
nine votes were cast in Montgomery
County for the wiping out of the
18th Amendment. Only 1891 votes
were cast for retention of the amend
ment. There should be a story of
some kind back of that balloting.
After all it is intended the coun-
try as whole is working hard to
bring about the economic recovery of
the nation. Every State, every coun-
ty, every community is vitality con-
cerned. The business men of every
section are crying the lack of trade.
They want every reasonable priv
ilege which would be expected to
help them along. They pay taxes.
They back every civic movement.
They are entitled to recognition if
the sale of liquor in their communi-
ties means economic progress and
the furtherance of trade.
It must not be thought that the
dispensary system is without its sup
porters, even here in Rockville. On
the other hand, great many people
believe that the county should not at
tempt to sell liquor at all. They
think that the dispensary system
may prove less distasteful- prop
erly regulated and not mixed up with
politics. But there will be plenty of
criticism directed by the poorer man
toward the privileges afforded the
clubs and club members. They claim
it smacks too much of the very thing
repeal is expected to stop-bootleg-
ging and speakeasies. 1t may be
that the sale of wines and beer, of a
reasonable alcoholic content, together
with the drink-at-home policy, will
deter bootlegging. Many have their
doubts.
The county officials are to be con-
graduated, for determining, like
Roosevelt, to try some plan. Nothing
can be accomplished without some
refinite scheme. Their plan may
prove just the thing for county
of peculiarly divided sentiment. The
SENTINEL is not interested in any
particular plan. 1t does believe that
there should be no privileges, no
opportunity afforded for individuals
to grow rich at the expense of the
taxpayers under liquor control.
Licenses should not he exorbitant
and diligent care should be taken to
see that the proper person is given
a license.
The licensing system recommended
will not extend to the Laytonsville,
Poolesville, Clarksburg, Colesville,
Jamestown, Olney, Gaithersburg,
GAINESVILLE and Damascus election
districts in which election districts
the County prohibition law will re-
main in effect. The voters of any of
these election districts, however, will
be given the opportunity to repeal
the County prohibition law for that
district in a referendum vote to be
held in April, 1885, upon the petition
of 5000 of the voters of that election
district which petition must be filed
with the Clerk of the Court before
December 81, 1884.
At any time that 300 of the reg
istered voters of any of these cleo
ton districts shall have fled such
a petition for a repeal election and
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