The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-07-03
LIGHT ON LICENSE.
ie Editor of Tie Cncinnnf Ga-ettc:

To tie Editor IF tie CiEcinHEf GAZETTE:
The editorial in Mondays Gozette pro-
posing light OH the license article, CON
tains the foil owing:
''Hhe advocates of n vote against IL
cense' seem to think that a majority vote
for license will have the effect TO license
the traffic. This is an error 1t will
simply leave the people, through their
General Assembly, TO prohibit the trade,
TO lay a special tax on it in the form of
II license. or leave it free"
But will the General Assembly be free
in such ease to prohibit! Will not a
vote for license" be in effect to say to
the Legislature, I'VE are opposed to
prohibition. but favor license; yet when
the public good demands it. you may re-
strict the traffic, but in no case must you
prohibit it,
On the other hand, will not a vote
against license say, We are opposed
to license. but favor prohibition; yet if
the public good demand it you may re-
strain instead of prohibiting it. yet in no
case must you license the traffic!
The intelligent men who represented
the people in the Constitutional Con-
vention meant more by prohibit" than
by RESTRAIN" and ''reStrict. and should
the vote be ''for license" the courts will
not hesitate TO decide that the people
are opposed to prohibition, and that
they designed by adopting the license
clause, with lis ca e.ully-worded pro-
viso, TO prohibit prohibition" If such
was not the meaning of those who
framed the proposition, why did they
not use the word prohibit" in the first,
as well as in the second proviso. And
why especially did they use restrict
only i'll the first, and both RESTRAIN"
and prohibit" in the second?
Assuming we think-that if
the license clause is adopted the Legisla-
ture will be left free TO prohibit the
traffic, the Gazette claims that the real
question is contained in the following
forms:
1.-The General Assembly may lay a
special or discriminating tax on sellers
or sales of intoxicating liquors"
The General Assembly shall not lay
any special or discriminating tax on the
sellers or sales Of intoxicating liquors"
Claiming this as the true issue, the
writer expresses sastonishment at 1.-The ig-
norance prevalent on the license article
as well as at the presumption of reverend
and other public speakers in Earanguing
on it without any knowledge of the real
question"
He asks, THUS truly presented. what
temperance league would resolve and
agitate for ii popular vote for the latter
clause. What Clergyman would dare to
thus set himself up as the advocate of
immunity from taxation for the rum
sellerE' He asserts This is lust what
many are ignorantly doing. =
| IL Is strange temperance work, but
this comes from blind leaders. - etc.
Such utteranceS in the columns of the
| IOikSJtdtt would create no surprise. but
| in an editorial article of the Gazette such
language can only be accounted for IN
the fact that il keeps had company.
But reverting 10 the real question be,
| fore us, We submit 10 the candid reader,
whether the above forms present the
| true issue
The proposition is in these words:
! For License"
License To traffic il. spirituous. vi
nous, or malt liquors. under such regu
lations and limitations as shall be pre
scribed by law, may lie granted: but in
|
raj Assembly from passing laws TO re-
strict such traffic. and TO compensate
injuries resulting therrfrom.
Against License"
mo license TO traffic in intoxicating
liquors shall be granted: but the Genera
Assembly may. by law, restrain or pro
hibit such traffic, or provide against
evils resulting tnerefr0m.r
We reafllr1n that a vote '.for license
will be a vote against prohibition. anf
that the courts will so interpret il
! We apprehend that the people Of Obi,
are not 80 ignorant. nor their leaders :,
JtiRd. nor their clergy so pres7tHDtltol
as the Gazette assumes; but will vot,
more intelligently than to unite witt
diStillers, brewers, Saloonists, and dram
drinkers in tying fast the hands of tn,
Legislature by adopting the licens,
! clause. JOHN.
GOSHEN, O., June %.