The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-06-04
The German constitutional ConYentiOners'
Exclamation.


We have spoken of the card pub
lished by the few German members of
the Constitutional Convention in ex-
planation OF their course on the IL
cense question. The following is a
full translation:
. Several of the German papers in
the State, in discussing the license
clause, haye called attention to the
fact that the undersigned, German
members of the Constitutional Con-
yention voted against the license prop
osition as it was finally adopted by
the convention.
'.In order to avoid that this our vote
should be misconstrned, we find our
selves impelled to make to our fellow
citizens the following declaration and
explanation:
We declare ourselves, under the
circumstances of the case, in favor of
Just and reasonable license system.
and voted against the adoption of the
license proposition only because in its
form and substance it did not come
up to our wishes and views, but not
from any principled reason
"We advocated and demanded a
popular vote simply on the PROPOSE
ton whether in future the Legislature
may grant license or not, in the con-
viction that upon this point every cit
izen could, without the advice of a
lawyer, pass competent judgment.
By, however, adding further provis-
ions to the affirmative license clause.
that which is the most important
thing in the so-called plebiscite was
destroy the simple per-
the matter in question-and for this
latter result we voted against the
draft.
1--WE are of the opinion that the
addition which provides that the Leg
islatures shall not be prevented from
eDacting laws whereby the sale
of spirituous drinks shall be re-
stricted and compensation be allowed
for injury resulting therefrom, does
not give the Legislature any rights
which it would not have had even
without it; but just because this is the
case and the added clause makes the
matter no better and no worse. it was
on the part OF the majority, unfair and
unjust to complicate the draft, and
then to divide the friends of license
and make them undecided.
. 1t must be clear to every thought
ful citizen that ii the affirmative clause
is adopted. it is left to the discretion
of the Legislature to adopt a license
law with such provisions as shall
seem proper or not TO do so.
8 The main reason why the pro-li-
cense proposition should be voted for
is, first, that. thereby the .sno license"
clause will be kept out of the Con-
stitution, and, secondly. because there
by the absurd theory of temperance
fanatics, as though the traffic in spir-
ituous drinks is wrong and immoral
per Sc, will be disavoWed and put out
of the way. The gain of the adoption
of the pro-license clause, although
more moral than a material one, is
yet of great Importance. The adop-
tiOn of the pro-lieense clause will be
verdict -of the people against the
ruling fanaticism on the liquor ques-
tion and moral instruction for the
future legislation of the State.
''If therefore, we may give our fell
low citizens any advice, it would be
under all circumstances, to support
the pro-license clause, and then, if
this should be adopted with the new
Constitution, to look to it, in the fu-
ture elections ofmembers of the Leg
islature that only judicious and sensi-
BILE men are elected, to Whom the car
rying out of the popular verdict in its
true spirit way be entrusted.
"JACoB MUELLER, Cuyahoga Co.
"JULIUs FRIEBERG, Hamilton Co.
~. JOHN RICKLEY, Lawrence Co.
ga. KRAEMKR, Ottawa Co."