The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1881-04-07
TIE LIQUOR A5IENIMENT.

dy relief
THE LIQUOR AMENDMENT.
The peace Of all classes of society
and all the varied orders of citizens
of the cities, villages and country,
imperatively demands that the exist
ing liquor traffic, lawfully and unlaw-
fully carried on in the State, should
be controlled by laws as definite and
clear in their character as language
can make them, and that their pc
nal provisions ought to be speedily
enforced against the guilty. All say,
agreed, but how is such enforce
ment to be secured? Alone by the
force of public sentiment. All
again say, agreed. But how is this
public sentiment to be ascertained ?
Only by vote or ballot, or by peG-
ton, or by an enumeration Of those
in favor of or against the execution
Of anti liquor laws. There is no pub
lie sentiment in our land that exc
cutes its own behest formulated into
law, except the legally expressed
voice of a majority of citizens, when
heard on any particular issue. Meth
er the press nor the pulpit, nor pub
lie assemblies, nor conventions, nor
the utterance of any associated body
of men and women, can correctly ex
press public sentiment, the opera
tive voice Of the majority, and hence
the necessity for Local Option laws.
What are they The right granted
to separate communities, in their po-
litical, police, and municipal divis-
ions, to have the will of the maiori-
ty maintained by law; so that such
majority, being its own guardian,
will certainly see to the execution of
wholesome laws in a lawful manner,
for the protection of such communi-
ty against evil doers. Why not have
such laws in Ohio? First, because
many citizans and legislators honest
ly doubt their constitutionality.
Second, because the advocates of
temperance differ chiefly in these
two provisions of such laws. One
class say a prohibition law can not
be enforced in the cities of the first
and second class at all, and the only
control in self-defense they can have
over lawless liquor dealers is to tax.
them. The other class say taxation
is sinful, and as prohibition can be
enforced IN the country-and ali
general laws must be uniform in
their ope ation-the cities must eth
er adopt prohibition or have free
whisky. Thus we stand at bay and
bark at each other. After the most
careful examination I am strongly
inclined to think, if not fully con
Yinced, that Mr.. Locke's House Joint
resolution, provididg for an amend
ment of the additional section to ar
ticle 10 Of the Constitution, contain
Ell in section Is Of the schedule, re-
lating to the traffic in intoxicating
liquors, which amendment, supple
mented by me in italics, is as follows:
'.ArticIe Is, section IS: The Gen
eral Assembly shall, by law, provide
against the evils resulting from the
traffic in Intoxicating liquors, and
may by law provide for submitting
to the electors of counties, town
ships, cities and villages, at special
elections, the option of prohibiting
the traffic in Intoxicating liquors
therein, to be determined by a ma
ioTity Of all the electors voting at
such election, and shall provide for
the enforcement of such option by
appropriate legislation, uOtl0itb- |
Standing the provisions dissection 26, |
article 2, Legislative, Of this Con8tj-
tuition, but no such special election |
shall be held within sixty days of |
any general election for State, coun-
ty, township, OF municipal officers. |
At said election, the electors desir- |
ing to vote in favor of the adoption |
Of The amendment, shall have placed |
upon their ballots the words Option, |
yes and the electors who do not |
favor the adoption of this amend |
ment, shall have placed upon their
ballots the words Option, no, ~ GfI
adopted by.a majority of the cleo
CONTINUED ON SECOND PAGE.