248 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Feb. 19,

becomes detrimental as well to the whole trade of that section
to which it applies.

At the present time when the country is burdened and
weighed down by excessive taxation ; when all trades are
groaning under the results of this class legislation in regard
to our national currency, and the people are cry ing, especially
in our own State, "Reform," "Reform," which is but the cry
for retrenchment and economy, and a reduction of our State
taxes, a measure is presented, which has for its object the
breaking up of the business of one particular class of our
people, and which will result, as we intend to prove, in the
raising of the taxes fully fifty per cent., and at the same timo
materially affecting the traffic and profits, not alone of our
dealers in staple commodities, but of our farmers, the true
producers of wealth, the abiding wealth of our State, and;
giving to other Commonwealths the bulk of our trade right-
fully belonging to us.

It will be only one step more toward communism. Then
again the Constitution of our Nation and State guarantees
equal rights and protection to all men.

Is the passage of measures looking to the advancement of
class legislation and in direct conflict with the business and
home interests, as well as the pleasures of another large class
of our citizens, true protection and equal rights? Emphati-
cally, No!

The present Local Option bill before your Honorable Body
is one that its projectors clearly do not understand in its full-
est import, as is clearly shown by the reports which have
emanated from their central body in this State, known as the
State Temperance Alliance. They say : "Baltimore liquor
dealers have but a limited support outside of Maryland, while
the liquor dealers of New York and Philadelphia sell to all
portions of the country."

This is not true, and it is a libel on our merchants who
have invested to-day more than twenty millions of dollars in
this industry, besides having an equal amount invested in
private property, from which the State receives its due pro-
portion of taxes, and whose sales extend to every State in the
Union ; our own State consuming but one-twelfth of the li-
quor manufactured and sold here by the trade.

Baltimore and Philadelphia are the acknowledged markets
for fine whiskies.

The passage of this law will compel these citizens to seek
homes elsewhere, either in the District of Columbia, or Dela-
ware, Pennsylvania and other adjacent States. Can our State
bear this logs ?