Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-04-26
LATEST OHIO IDEA.

How Things are working Under the
Repressive Liquor LegislatiOn-Tafk
with a Cleveland Man on the Subject.
PrTrsBURGH, April 25.-A reporter had o
talk With gentleman formerly of this
ttity, Spt now of Cleveland about the effect
of the recent temperance and Sunday legis-
lation in Ohio, and the sum of his state
ments was that the sentiment which has
taken form in this legislation has been
growing for years, and is not merely burst
of mitigation at Sabbath desecration which
will soon expend itself and allow matters
to take their own course again. Somuch is
proved by the facts of the case in Cleveland
When he went there a few years ago
drunkenness on Sunday, as well as week
DAYS, was a common vice but is has been
steadily restained by public sentiment ris-
ing against il. This sentiment is so strong
that il cannot possibly be overcome and
the indignation meetings held in all parts
of the State TO denounce the Pond liquor
bill and the Smith Sunday bill will end in
talk. 1t is possible and even probable that
the Republicans will lose votes on account
of these bills in one quarter, but the losses
will be fully made up from other quarters.
The attempt TO make the Sunday and liquor
questions party issues has so far not sue
Ceeded, and the better class of people, Re
publicans, Democratic, Grecnback, or
whatever party they may be OF, regard these
questions as one one of good morals as well
as fair dealing in the matter OF taxa
ton. Democrats as well as Republi-
cans hold that there is no fairness in
taxing the most productive industries
while the business OF the saloon keeper
goes free. The contest over these bills is
now raging fiercely. A dispatch to this pa
per from Cincinnati yesterday reported i33
of a total OF 1000. The guilty have their
hearing to-day, and their attorneys have
invented variety of forms OF defense,
which will of course be presented to the
higher courts, to which the accused will ap-
peal. Last Sunday was the first under the
Smith Sunday Closing bill, and tests OF the
law will be made with the cases of infrac-
ton OF it then. 1t is noted that though
there were over four hundred saloons open
in Cincinnati last Sunday there were only
half dozen arrests for drunkenness
during the day. This may be account
ed for by the fact that those
10 Covington. But whatever the ex-
planation, the facts remains, as noted by
the Cincinnati papers, that the day was
quieter than even the friends OF the recent
legislation expected it TO be. The Clcye-
land papers report the day there to have
been the most decent and orderly for years.
In spite of the order advising to the con-
trary, saloons were closed by large ma
jority. The police were yiglant, and found
opportunity to make but few arrests under
the Smith law up to ~ o'clock at night,
n,,l nft do N
Saturday night, So that of 400 saloons of
the city, but five were discovered open on
Sunday. In the Black Hills portion OF the
city, which is infested by the lowest dives,
all was quiet and orderly, and the streets
generally bore the appearance of those OF
country village on holiday. The first per-
son arrested under the law was Charles
MesSer, President OF the State Pro-
tcCtive Liquor League. Shortly after mid
night of Saturday he called AT the Central
police station, as he says, TO see the captain
of police, and discover il any instructions
in regard to enforcing the law had been
given the officers. While there policeman
charged him with having his saloon open
after T. o'clock, and he was promptly ar
rested He immediately gave bail and he
was promptly arrested. He says his ar
rest was the result of a mistake. He claims
that he invited those in his rooms at II
o'clock to leave, which they did, and he
promptly closed the doors, but that few
of his friends, brother saloon keepers, called
upon him shortly after on business mat
tiers, and that he was in conversation
with them when discovered by the police
man who made the charge against him.
President Messer says he had no intention
of attempting 10 violate the law. The ar
rest Of Dan Catoir, another prominent deal
er. was also the result of a mistake. An
intoxicated individual appeared just after
midnight Saturday and threatened to break
in the front door To pacify him Catoir
opened up, when individuals slipped in
and arrest followed shortly after. In Co
lumbus the saloon keepers met and agreed
that the Sunday law should be observed,
and the result was q quiet day, with only
two arrests for drunkenness and no evil
dence that the arrested men obtained their
Iiouor on Sunday from the saloons. In
Toledo the Liquor Dealers Protective AS
sociation consented TO keep the saloons
closed, but at the same time demanded that
the Police Board issue orders under an old
law to prevent any common labor
on Sunday. The orders were issued
but the street cars ran as usual,
and no attention was paid 10 the order by
the Sunday papers. About half of the
milkmen men refused TO deliver milk to
their customers, but the livery stables sup
plied their customers a. usual. A large
number of names were taken by the patrol
men Sunday, and among them the names
of the drivers Of cabs at a funeral. There
is a very general feeling OF indignation
among such tradesman as butchers and
bakers, who have closed with the saloons.
There are threats of suits for false arrest.
and many will doubtless follow. The be-
lief is that after this temporary excitement
subsidies the Pond and Smith laws Will be
acouiesced in by the saloon keepers with
out an effort TO enforce the obsolete laws