Morning journal and courier., 1882-10-12
THE OHIO ELECTION.

The result of the election in Ohio was g. surprise both to Republicans and Democrats. The political situation in that State was very much mixed, and those who knew the most about it did not feel like making predictions The most hopeful Democrats did not expect so large majority on the State ticket or such gain in Congressmen, and the most Respondent Republicans did not expect such an overwhelming defeat.
 The chief issue in Ohio this fall has been one aside from the beaten path of politics. The passage by the Republican Legislature last winter of the Pond bill, taxing saloons in cities $500 yearly, and of the Smith bill, to compel the closing of saloons on Sunday, aroused the fercest animosity of 8 large class of Germans who have usually voted with the Republican party. It also aroused ths Ire of others besides Germans. Everybody con- nected with the liquor traffic and those who desire freer rum in Ohio worked hard for the success of the Democratic party. The Prohibitionists also, with the sense they usu- ally display in politics, put up candidates for Congress in some of the districts and thus weakened the Republicans.
 The rum interest" in Ohio and all over the country will be very iubilant over this victory, and it will tend to strengthen the Democratic party in other States where there is similar issue. Good men will be grieved and for time will feel like believing that the country is really ''going to the dogs. D But there is still room for hope, and there is valuable lesson to be learned from the af- fair. This is that no party cani accomplish anything towards lessenng the evils of the liquor traffic by originating or attempting to enforce measures which do not commend themselves to the good sense Cor the bad sense if you wilD of the majority, and large majority too, of the people. This is perhaps not an ideal state of affairs, but it is real Furthermore, the Prohibitionists of this country ought to understand that reliance upon civil enactments alone, or chiefly. will be fatal to their cause. We commend to the Proh1bitlonists among our readers, and also to all interested in decreasing the abuse of alcoholic drinks, the following wise words of the Rev. Theodore l.. Cuv1er: ''The most effectual way to prevent selling is to prevent the buying of strong drink. Those who are instructed into habits of teetotalism furnish no custom to the dram-shop, and the duty of furnishing such instruction deYolves upon the pulpit the church. the Sabbath school and the public school-as we'll as upon conscientious parents. In communi- ties we'll leavened with total abstinence, it is easy to maintain prohibition and to keep out the grog shop. But where large pro- portion of the people demand liquor they will obtain it, even in defiance of law. Le- gal suppression of the dram shop and moral i suasion can never be divorced They go
 hand in hand; each is complement of the l other. We need a revival of total
 abstinence preaching and practice as the in- l dispensable basis for both social and civil re. | form. The attempt to suppress liquor-drink l ing and drunkenness by legal enactment in a
 community that has no temperance con- ! science is as impotent az breakwater of [ straw built on a quicksand."