The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-02-17
Local Option IN the Ohio Legis-
lature.

Qrom - Obs st.ss Journal) -
The local option feature OF the tenn
perance question Is attracting much at
tention throughout the State at the
present time. Thousands Of petitioners
ore aaking Che Legislatnre % give them
such . law asihis. The first attempt %
enact law Of this kind was during the
second session of the Sixty-third Cen
eral Assembly. The Democrats had u
large majority in the Legislature at
that time. There were 66 Democrats,
80 Republicans and Nationals in the
House. The result of the vote was 80
for and ~ against the passage Of the
bill. All of those who voted for the
bill were Republicans except six, and
two Of these were Democrats elected
from Republican counties; one Repub-
lican voted against the bill; four Re-
publicans were absent or did not vote,
one Of them afterward had his vote re-
corded for the bill: Only elk out of the
sixty.six Democrat, voted for the bill.
This was certainly very poor show
ing for the majority party. 1t is not a
record Of which any party should be
proud. The second attempt to pass a
local option bill was made last winter
In the frat session of the Sixty fourth
General Assembly. There are sixty
nine Republicans and forty-fiye Demo-
or ats In the house. The result of the
vote was fifty-ave for and about the
same number against the bill. Fifty
one Republicans giving it their sup
port. Four out of the forty-five Demo-
Gratis voted for it. This is not very
bright crown to adorn the head of the
minority party. s ...t..
The Republicans from Cincinnati and
Cleveland voted against the bill. Be-
sides these there were votes against the
measure from only four other Repub-
lican counties-Summit, Washington,
Scioto and one from Lucas-making in
all six Republican counties, while about
forty Democratic counties were against
it. Almost every Democratic county
that elected q Republican Representa-
tive gave vote for local option. This
10 true Of Knox and Perry. Ross elect
ed representative for each party. The
Republican from each voted for local OF
ton and the Democrat against. There
are at present forty-three counties that
have Democratic representation of
forty-ive members, and a majority Of
these are rural counties without large
,1f;os xuhoro tho aapfimapf ouUht tO no
for temperance As against the cities; but
only four votes could be Lad for local
option from all these counties. These
were from Clermont, Licking, Belmont
and Monroe. Some of the Democrats
are church members, most of them are
men of good habits and ought in duty
to themselves to rise above mere party
diction and vote for local option, yet for
some cause they do not do it. This
should not be party measure, but
ought to be above party consideration,
80 that neither party could profit from
such legislation. l.'-
Local option is again before the Leg
islature. The Republicans have not a
measure without votes from the Ham,
ilton and Guy ahoga delegations. These
cannot be had for local option. The
Representatives from Cincinnati and
Cleveland will not support temperance
measures Of this kind, because major
ity of their constituents will not sustain
them and do not ask it at their hands.
A Legislature Is only an exponent of
public sentiment. Legislators will, as
4 rule. do what they feel assured their
constituents demand and will approve.
There Is scarcely any hope of support
for temperance legislation from the
large cities. 1t follows, then, that if
local option is carried, 1t must be by the
support of the rural districts. Now the
thing for temperance people to do ID
missionary work In these rural Demo-
cratic counties, where the majority Is OF
ought to be for temperance. II they
will hold what they have already gain
cd, and labor In these rural counties for
more, the end will soon be gained. 1t
IL q fact that the largest petitions for
local option are from the strong Repub-
lican counties. These counties are in
the advance In mo. al sentiment, and if
all the people in these counties should
sign local option petitions, it has but
little iniiuencs on members whose con-
stituents are comparatively silent. We
cannot expect votes from the larger
cities for this measure. We have a
right to expect them from the rural
counties, and these Democratic counties
t0uguT 10 give rucm, 1uu ruo reupcTa auco
laborers should be put forth in these
counties until they are gained for tenn
perance. The Republican members out
side of these two large cities have done
their duty toward their constituents.
They came in almost a solid phal nx to
the very gates Of the cities. and il few
mole Republicans had been elected from
rural Democratic counties the eni
would have been reached, or if half
dozen Democrats had given their sup
port the bill would have become q law.
The people should understand where
the hindrance Is, and this they are be-
ginning to see. Temperance Demo-
crats are beginning to understand the
attitude Of the leaders Of their party,
and will be heard by and by.
Noble County. H. r. SMITH.
Our New York Letter.
aa New YoRK, Feb. Il, 1881.
Prom our own Correspondent.
The Chinese have been celebrating the
the New Year. They are growing quite