Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-08-17
OHIO AND WEST VIRGINIA ON THE
LIQUOR TRAFFIC,


The Cincinnati Commercial makes
this statement:
We insist upon it that there Is no tenn
perance question before the people OF Ohio
at this time There is temperance agita.
ton. but the question whether 8 prOhi-
bitory law shall be passed is not before the
people Governor Foster is not advocating
any such law. There is nobody disputing
the proposition that the liquor traffic
should be taxed.
To which the Chicago Journal adds
its view of the situation, as follows:
The liquor traffic is at present exempt
from license fee or other taxation in Ohio.
The question is, Shall the liquor business
be taxed the same g. are all other descrip-
tons Of business? The Republicans say,
Yes; the Democrats, under the control Of
the brewers, distillers and saloOnistS, say,
No. The Republicans have justice and the
popular appreciation Of the eternal fitness
of things" on their side, and will be success
full Whisky selling must be taxed. in
Ohio ~ elsewhere the same a dry gOOis
selling There is no reason why 1t should
not be so taxed.
The above two paragraphs present
tersely but very fully the difference be-
tween the false and the real issue on the
temperance question in Ohio.
The one is buncomb and the other
fact.
The Commercial defines tia situation
in nutshell. The Journal presents it
As the politicians are using 1t. The first
is true statement; the latter is state
ment for political effect.
The situation in Ohio and West Nir-
ginia on this question is somewhat sim
liar. In both States there is a temper
ance party made Of men Of all politics
who hold the temperance question
above political party, and are agitating
and ready to support the most radical
measures for the absolute suppression OF
the liquor traffic.
But thi> temperance party is not the
Republican party or the Democratic
party, either in Ohio or West Virginia.
In both States, however, the Republi-
can party is seeking to hoOdwink the
temperance party 10y professingt to cham
piOn the temperance cause, while at the
same time carefully retaining from
committing itself to any specific, prac-
teal measure.
The real temperance party, both in
Ohio and West Virginia, is in favor of
prohibition, and openly advocates it.
In both States the Constitutions con-
tain prohibitOry clauses. BY the Ohio
Constitution the whole liquor traffic is
virtually forbidden. All that's necessary
TO make prohibition rs complete as law
can make it, is for the Legislature to
pass laws putting it in force. BY the
West Virginia Constitution the Legis-
lature is invested with plenary powers
to shut up every dram shop aud distill-
cry in the State-Or, in other words,
complete prohibition, as far as law can
make it, needs only a simple act of the
Legislature.
Thus we have the complete status OF
the parties on the temperance question
illustrated:
l. In Ohio the Republicans have the
Legislature, with prohibition in the
constitution and a free liquor traffic
Throughout the State.
.. In West Virginia the Democrats
have the Legislature, with prohibitOry
power i'm the constitution, and license
law in twelve out of the tifty-fOur cOun-
ties.
8. In both States the Temperance
party continues to call for constitution
al amendments, and refuses to be COM
forted unless there are at least two pro-
hibtory clauses in each constitution.
They would probably not take prohibit
ton under the present constitutions if
they could get it, although it is as COM
plete in each case as they can make it.