The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-09-14

Republican party, then and In that case
as question of high morals, they must
look out for squalls.
Then in solemn tones he says: "It is
for these reasons / am in favor of a
Sunday law applying to all trades, Occu-
patiOns or business or life" (And so Is
every one else.) But just then the SEN
atOr notices group OF his former
staunch henchmen, with disgust in their
cOuntenances, and he exclaims, II shall
not object if on that day Sunday they
drink their mugs of beer, or their glass
of wine, or some of that which steals
wisdom from their brains" Provided,
always, he wishes to be understood, they
vote the Republican ticket.
A SUNDAY LAW,
has, as Senator Sherman says, been on
the statute-bOOk for One-half century,
and during all that time no one prOpos-
ed its repeal. We have a Sunday law,
now, on our statute-bOOk, and no one
proposes its repeal.
The Legislature makes laws, but then
enforcement not only depends on the
police force and the courts, but still
more on public opinion. The long es-
tablished customs of people are their
most potent laws, and until moral in
fluenees change customs legal enact
ments against them are null.
IN REGARD TO THE SABBATH.
The civilization of most of the cOnti-
mental States of Europe differs from
that of Great Britain and the United
States, where, as a rule, it is rigidly
maintained; but for all that, there is a
hundredfold more drunkenness in Eng
land than in Germany or France. On
the continent of Europe Sunday is
day Of recreation as we'll as of worship
I'D kha Of loWn 40
who come to America bring with them
their traditional customs; and it is diff
cult for them to understand that what
is regarded as innocent in the father
land can be regarded as wicked here.
There they believe in the God of the
Christians as we do in the United States
but in some respects their customs are
| different from ours. AS our country
grows older we, as a people, will be-
| come more and more fused into. one
grand nationality of character, as well
as of name and institutions, and then
| an harmonious sentiment Will pervade
| the whole community.
STIMULANTs
In one form OF another have been used
in all ages, by all people, civilized or
savage. The inhabitants of the cOun-
| tries bordering on the Mediterranean
chiefly use wine as beverage, and in
tOxicatiOn is very rare. In addition to
wine they used garlic and pepper in
| large quantities.; and as do most other
people, they consume an immense deal
of tobacco, tea and coffee. AS you go
| farther north on the continent, and
| towards the British Isles, alcoholic
/ drinks are largely used until you reach
the rigOr of the climate causes the con-
sumption of larger quantities of pure
oil as diet, and many of the Russians
| devOur raw tallOw, and consume large
| quantities of alcoholic drinks, while in
Asia the chewing and smoking of opium
is general custom.
1.-THE AMERICANS ARE NOT SOCIAL
ENOUGH"
| says Senator Sherman. 81 have seen,"
he says, "On the banks of the Rhine, and
| in Berlin, old and young men and WO-
men and children, of all conditions of
social life, listening to music, playing
their games, and drinking their beer,
doing no wrong, and meaning none. 1
have seen in the villages of France the
young people dancing gaily, with all
the animation of youth and innocence,
while the old people were looking on,
chatting and joking and drinking their
native wines, and l could see no wrong
in all this.
To this life-like picture, from my own
observation, l can bear testimony to its
correctness. And unless customs have
been greatly changed, were you to-day
to enter restaurant in the wine grow
| ing regions of France, call for break
fast, and name every article you de-
sired, you would find too placed on the
table, not called for, a bottle of water
and bottle Of wine, and when your bill
was made out you would find every item
| charged, except the water and the wine.
| And If you would rise early enough in
the morning, you would see working
men going to their labor, with little
tin bucket of vegetable soup, a roll of
bread, and bottle of their wholesome
CUSTOMS CANNOT BE CHANGED IN A DAY.
He who has just strength enough to
carry two hundred pounds will fail if he
attempts to carry fifty pounds more.
| And he who seeks to promote the cause
of temperance through prohibition, will
just as surely fail, because as Senator
Sherman says,-and am glad to give
him credit when he does happen to be
right-"prOhibitiOn is impracticable and
impossible" But it is evident the
Senator becomes confused when he un-
dertakes the discussion of the Sunday
law; for tipping a wink" to the Ger
| ulduS, u0 says, U6ll6N6 lIS (Iu6 Ouuudy
law) provisions are unnecessarily strin-
gent, but they are entirely within the
discretion of the Judge. He may limit
the fine to one dollar, and the imprisOn-
ment to one hour" But just then his
sensitive conscience imagfnes that some
one calls out: And you call that toe
stringent, Mr.. Sherman" "Oh," con-
tinues the Senator, "but the accused
may be fined one hundred dollars, and
be imprisoned for thirty days"
INTEMPERANCE
Is an immense evil, and none appreci-
ate that fact so keenly as its victims.
Twenty-eight years ago, the Democracy,
with a majority in each branch of the
legislature passed law which is still
in force, and which the Republicans
have never proposed to amend or repeal,
making it penal Offense to sell intOXi-
eating liquor to be drank at the place
where sold; or to minor except on the
written order of his parent, guardian,
| or family physician; or to a person in
| tOxicated, or in the habit of becoming
| Intoxicated; and If that law had been
sustained by public opinion, and en-
| forced by the authorities, a saloon for
| the sale OF intoxicating liquor would
not be in existence in Ohio to-day.