Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-06-15
The Piatform-weat It Is and What
IL Is to be.

hepuollcan party IN Trying 70 stfhuule
the fence has fallen into the mud-hole
at the bottom and SO befouled the water
that its identity is hardly observable.
1t reminds US Of the Dutchman o:
whom Irving tells, who having run
three miles to acquire headway to
jump a mountain upon reaching which
he was compelled to sit down to geth'
er breath. 1t travels way to Russia to
find an object of sympathy In the per-
secuted Jews, and asks interference in
their behalf by our government, but
strangely overlooks the incarceration
of our own citizens in the prisons of
England for manifesting but human
sympathy with afflicted and oppressed
Ireland, and even forgets to bestow a
thought on the toiling and unprotected
laborers of our own land. With one
hand it casts withered flower on the
grave of Garfield and in the other ex-
tends petition for patronage to
Arthur--giving the cypress to the
half.breed and the laurel to the stall
wart while the go-between, Charlie
Foster, it tickles with straw, and for
the goody.goody legislature ltexhibits
the wisdom OF silence.
In the 9Th resolution is where the
mud is mostly stirred, and The lights
should be turned down in reading it.
Resolved says the document, "that
the tax x-paying people Of the State de-
mand that, by specific taxation, the traf-
fic in intoxicating liquors shall be made
to bear its share of the public bur-
dens." Should not every business,
and does not every business, bear its
share of the public burdens But
specific taxation is quite different
principle than that recognized by the
constitution, and is the great objection.
able feature to the existing tariff laws
and when once applied to one com
modify will soon be extended to others
Ito merchandising and to every arti
Gle of consumption. Under the con.
stitution of Ohio of 1902, this principle
Of specific taxation, as distinguished
from ad Nalorem Or money value taxa
ton, was Recognised, and .,the brindls
COW with the crumpled horn" wortl
ten dollars paid the same tax that Jer
sew milk givers worth one hundred
paid. The constitution of 1851
changes this RUE and provides: 'Iaw'
shall be passed, taxing by a uniform
rule, all moneys. credits, investments
in bonds, stocks, joint stock companies
or otherwise, and alsoall real aud per
sonal property according to its true valu
IN money" The constitution submit
ted by the convention few years ag'
proposed to return to the rule of 1902
and was one Of the main reasons for it
overwhelming defeat.
The resolution declares farther, ant
as an Independent proposition; 'Tha
the constitution, in so far as it may b
an obstacle in the way Of the exercis
by the people, through their represen
tatives, of practical control over th
liquor traffic, to the end that the evil
resulting therefrom may be effectuall
provided against, should be amende'
at the earliest date allowed by law
What does this mean 2 The constitr
tion, In speaking Of the liquor traffic
now reads: "The general assembl,
may, by law, provide against the evs1
resulting therefrom." How is it pre-
posed to further provide against thes
evils by additional constitutional tinl
ering R Isit not good deal like th
general who marched his troops up tn
hill and then marched them dow
again, or like the first settlers Of Cor
necticut who resolved to be governe
by the laws Of God--until they coul
make better ones.
If the Republican party must b
governed by issues instead Of princi
pies, why does it not take practices
hold Of them ? Why does it Civ
them the qualities Of the chameleo
that they may present any color th
gazer desires. The legislation Of lS5
is perhaps as perfect as laws can go, j
the face Of the anti-license clause Of th
constitution, toward regulating thi
htrafie~Atleash although we have ha
lall kinds Of isgislation since tbs
time, no improvement has been mad.
and, that legislation was 4 Democrat
measure. I'd.
/ We can conceive Of no more eficier
Legislation for the suppression Of lth