The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-01-28

V,
taton in the ordinary course of business
We are not aware OF the present population
Of Cincnnatti--probaby, however. about
100000. At the adoption of the new con.
stitution it was about 100000; so that with
an increase of 0 900 in population annually.
and ms great commercial cCntro. controll-
ing much of the trade OF great State, ard
OF tho vast Northwest, very rapidly incrcas
ing in population and means, is it not
strange. that IN this, as in other branches Of
business, there should be largo yearly in
crease.
/ The majority of the committee, aftor no.
ticing tho increase ofdrunkcnness. paupcr.
ism and crime since the adoption of tho
new constitution, conclude "that the cause
lies in the fact that license to retail ardent
spirits is prohibited in tho constitution, and
any ono, howcvcr reckless. may indulge in
the sale thereof by tho quartity, and tho
rcsnt is that persons. in order to got little.
purchase aQuantity. aud quality themselves
Tor the commission Of any crimo known to
our criminal code" Wo nro unable TO SEQ
how prohibiting the license to sell. in other
words, withholding legal right to soil. should
make 1t more easily to DO obtained But
passing this, i'll tho sentence quoted above
II appears tho difficulty is, that under the
present system, reckless men can sell by the
quantity, aud thus exert a bad influence
heretofore under our license laws. 0ny per-
son was allowed TO sell by tho quantity. and
from the drift of tho balance of tho MAORI.
tvs argument. We supposed that tho great
objection 10 the present law was in the fact.
that any one go dieposCd sold uuder il, with
impunity. That 1t was to get rid of this. ard
place the business in tho bands Of respecta.
IIg man. ilnv WpulI NAB, H.,
They say no law ike the present can bG on.
forced, and u license law can. The reason
urged e, that these respectable traffickcrs
VIII AID in its enforcement The reason IA
Obvious. But that law properly framed
/ IN accordance with the constitution adopted
/ By very large majority OF the electors, can.
not Oo enforced, is II libel upon tho intell.
grncc, integrity, aud law abiding spirit OF
/ the pcoplC of Ohio. We cannot iorbcar tho
remark. that il the present system induces
more selling hy the qruntty, and less by re-
tail. one great object. in fact. tho PRINCIPAL
o'jcct to bc accomplished by law, is brought
about. and tho evil must in time cease for
all experience shows that not by quantities,
but by drinks. do men commence to form
habits OF ntcmperaucc.
Again, 10y licensing somo TO- and prohibit.
ing others from engaging in this traffic. the
principle is established that the traffic is
wrong urlcss 60 lognlized. Wo uro unable
to SEQ how that which is oG itself wrong, be.
comes right by legislative enactment, nor
can NO willingly SO act in a legislative capac-
ity as To seem TO acknowledge this princi
| pie. While VIC would not license this trat.
ic. and would IGsisInto to restrict it, wo adj
init that men cannot DO reformed, nor do
hope to reform them, by law.-yCt, by tho
! Il i,,r A.
upon this subject, we hope to remove incrn.
t,vcs to, and at all events, Withdraw all 10.
! gal sanction from tho traffic.
1t is cOntcndcd TINT restriction and pro
hibitory laws cannot DO enforced, whio Il
well regulated license law can. and thus n
very large amount Of tho traffic DO curta.
cd. Tho reason urged is, that rsspectdbIe
dealers will aid in enforcing such law, and
that they will do so, not from principle, but
from interest. We cannot SEQ tho force of
this argument. II tho licensed seller. by
enforcing the law. secures to himself all the
! profits of the traffic, which inure to himself
I and others without the law. then is no inter.
cstcd Tho traffic is not changed, only the
recipient of tho profit. But il tho traffic is
thereby Icsscnod to tho amount he would
sell my way, then is he NOT Interested and
cannot be expected to aid in tho enforce
mCut of tho law. If tho traffic be right. and
it bc for the best interest Of community that
it bG prosecuted, then all should be allowed
10 engage in il. If wrong, wo cannot see
how tho granting of a permit, or tho pay.
mcnt Of fcw dollars into tho County
treasures can make it right
Admitting that much, and perhaps all
said 10y the majority of tho committee of the
increase of intomperancD and itr attendant
evils, IN tho State within u few Years past is
/ correct, il docs not follow that this results
from the abandonment Of the license sys.
tenn. As has UouD before remarked. cycry
reform has its period of advance and retro.
grade. of revival and decline. Especially
has this been the caso, in connection with
efforts for the suppression of intemperance.
What arc the facts: For some five or SIX
years, commencing in lS42, very strenuous
efforts wero mado by the friends of temper.
ance with, tor time, very successful re.
suits. Then much solicitation began to 90
felt, aud much effort made to secure the aid
OF law. Thc licensing system was fclt to
be serious ObstacC-and. in obedience to
the very general expression in ts favor, the
present NO License" system was adopted
( Tho law passed under II, and tho action
since. we havo before noticed. Now, from
tho timo the aid of law was desired and
sought after, hut for a long time DELAYED.
| and then furnished in very dubious man.
/ ncr, temperance men becoming discouraged
aud relaxing in their efforts. tho evil, as un.
resisted evil always will has been spreading.
aud threatens to seattle and blight our fair
State with its dircfli effects.
! Had law, like that at present upon the
! statute book, with such amendments ns
time and experience would suggest, been
granted when first asked. with tho then OK.
lsting sentiment in community, we have no
doubt it would have been worry generally on.
forced, and with most salutary results
From this examination o. tho suhirct VIC
como to the conclusion that tho majority OF
tho committee err in charging any increase
OF intcmrcranco and attendant evils upon
tho adoption of tho"NO License" clnnse in
tho constitutioG-that 1t is not Justly
chargeaOle thnreunto--that tho law, as or.
! iglnaly passed under it, on account of de.
lects making il difficult TO enforce, was not
calculated to inspire confidence in it's friends
or fear in its vioators---that thero is not
such general expressed desire for change. as
would warrant this Legislature in submitting
tho people TO the troabo and Inconvenience
excitement and bitterness of feeling, ineyi.
tably attending the canvassiGg tho question
that lcglliZiDg O WrOng, cannot mako il
right--that the present law, although not So
strongly prohibitory as wo might desire, in
! the present sentiment of tho community