Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1937-02-19
PEOPLES COLUMN
Mr.. Editor:


les in the four incorporated towns of
Worcester County.
AS sometimes happens, statements
have been made without regard to
facts, and as far as I know, no eff
fort has been made by those who have
considered this question, to secure
complete information concerning
same. The result is that conclusions
have been reached without regard to
facts as they really exist. Certainly,
no one Directing to division Of the
dispensary profits has consulted me
concerning this, although think
am as familiar with the problem as
is anyone in the county. To this ex-
tent, I have been indeed astonished
that men who usually weigh prob
lem from all angles and consider ev-
cry approach to an important matter
have in this case undertaken to reach
a conclusion without even hearing
both sides of the problem discussed.
1t is like Judge Of the court at
tempting to render a decision in a
case of Importance, without hearing
the evidence presented from both
sides. 1t will be apparent to every
one, upon sober reflection, that cor
rect conclusions cannot in this man.
ner be reached, and that those who
so undertake to reach conclusions are
unfair to themselves and to their
neighbors.
The fact is, there is no God-given
right either to the counties or to the
towns to regard the dispensaries as
their exclusive property or the ex-
elusive right of either, and for eth
er to attempt to assert such owner
ship or privilege as it's inherent right
is to start off with a wrong premise
and cannot fail to lead to a wrong
conclusion.
This can well be realized from the
fact that many states have set up
for themselves the dispensary system
without permitting either the coun-
les or towns to enjoy such a privi-
lege. And, the Governor of Maryland
suggested only yesterday that the
State of Maryland set up their own
dispensary system and that neither
counties nor towns be permitted to
enjoy this privilege. It requires no
stretch of the imagination to realize
that sometime an effort will be made
to do this.
When the dispensary law for Wor-
cester County was created at the
special session of the Legislature of
1888, after setting up the manner of
operation and after choosing for the
management a capable and efficient
board, thus assuring the proper con-
duct of it's affairs, I considered how
best to distribute the profits which
might be- made. The late j. Harry
Young, a member Of the board, in
sisted from the first that there
should be an equal distribution Of the
profits between the towns in which
the dispensaries are operated and the
the county. He always maintained this
position. Many other persons have
always maintained the same opinion.
Not being able to tell, however,
what the profits would be, and not
knowing whether the amount would
be large enough to amount to any
thing if divided, I concluded to allo-
cate the profits at the beginning to
the county, knowing that when there
was enough to divide, the division
could at that time be made.
During the first eighteen months
of operation, the dispensaries turned
over to the County Commissioners the
sum Of thirty thousand dollars. This
was done without any expense to the
county, which has never been called
upon to put up single penny in con-
nection with the opening of the
stores or with their operation after
being opened.
For a period of two years I have
been importuned in public and in pri-
vate by the Mayors and officials of
the incorporated towns to do some
thing for them to replace the allot-
ment of the county road fund for
merly made to these towns. For
uoarc oach of thnsn towns was alIO-
Gated a substantial sum annually from
the county road fund, but in recent
years the entire road fund has been
spent on the county roads and the dis
tribution to the towns from this source
has ceased. Some of the service clubs
of the county have Joined in the re-
quest made by the town officials.
Mayor Gladding, Of Pocomoke, at a
joint meeting of the Lions-Rotary
Clubs, of Pocomoke, at which many in
rr,,ocfc xxyo,.o roroconf uoar 0Is