Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-02-01
Gemperauft.
The Illinois Temperance, Law

| IR6 A4tt40lA temperance Law
For several years, the question ol
temperance, or how to legislate in ord
er to suppress intemperance, has ex-
licfted general interest and many differ
ent modes have been Suggested 70 Sc
cure the desired result Temperance
men have generally, been disposed to
| favor the Maine Law, viii. b. in effect,
1 tdeciared the right. to pass and enforce
/ Ia VS. strictly prohibiting the sale of in
| toxicating liquors, except for medicinal
purposes. 4 To many minds this seemed
| arbi trary and an Infringement upon in
herent rights+-th right of. one man to
| sch and of another to drink stimulants.
| For a time, the Maine Law gave prom
I ise of success, but it soon became eyi-
dent that 1t was not consistent with the
wishes OF the people and its failure was
sore disappointment to Temperance
mf n, whe keenly, felt the new growth
OF intemperance In consequence 0ftheir
failure. -. .--..,i
lust at this juncture, when the cause
seemed almost hops pelessly lost, our State
/ Legislature passed what Is now known
/ throughout the country as the Ohio
|, Law. The extent of its advantages;
were probably, otifully appreciated at
/ the time, of its passage, even by its au-
thors, and immediate, friends It does
not deny men the, right to sell and
drink intoxicating LIQUORS. but il makes
the seller responsib bic for ali damages re.
s1lting to Innocent persons frem the
drinking of such liquor. The. wife,
daug hter. son, guardian, employer, or
any other persons suffering damages to
person or property, as result Of the
urin king OF liquor, may sue the seller,
or the owner Of the premises wheresach
liquor was sold, and recovered judg-
ment for the damages sustained. The
law is very sweeping In this respect and
reaeheS out IN manner which makes
the , selling Of liquor . most hazardous
business, since ten cents worth OF
whisky, drank BY customer, may cost
the Sender as many thousands of del>
The law just adopted in illinois IS
more stringent In some respects than
the one on our statpt te book HreqnirFs
each yender Of intoxicating drinks to
procure license before he can dc bush
ness; and in order to get Q license, be
must enter into bonds, in the sum of
s., 900 with two good and sufficient free
hold sureties, for the Observance Of the
law and for the payment Of any, DANA
ges resulting from his traffic. There ara
other features of the Illinois law which
are, not 70 be found in. our statute, but
the one here mentioned Is by far, the
most Important, and cannot fail, to be
productive of good. It, Is q feature
which might, with very great proprie-
| ty, be, Incorporated into the law Of this
State, were 1t not that the Consultation
prohibits the passage ofa licenselaw
That the Ohio Law Is practical IN its
character, has been fully demonstrated.
We have yet to learn of a singf In
stance where a suit, commenced under
1t, with proper grounds upon which to
base verdict for damages, has failed.
The only reasons why ithas not been
more effective in the suppression softhe
traffic, are to be found In the fact that
the rights of the injured, parties have
not been well understood and the tim
idity of the sufferers who, for a, variety
Of reasons, dislike to carry their domes-
tic affections into Court. In Noble
county, where the law has been proper
ly enforced, not a saloon exists and not
a prisoner has been confined in the
county Jail during the past year, r n !
!, The Illinois law is substantially q du,
plicste, OF. the Ohio law, and we shall
watch itsetect upon the, ,trafiie In the
Sucker State with no little interest. We
feel degree OF pride In the refectionI
that Ohio has solved the problem which
has for so many years perplexed the
best minds Of our country by the adop-
tion Of law based upon universally
acknowledged Just principles, and yet
with penalties so severe rs 20 insure the
prohibition of drunkenness where It's
provisions are. enforced. - Toledo Com
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