The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-02-08
>1(Aeeo o...tIs' .a. Jan. g lsss

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DIAN sm.-The proposition of the Republican
party At Columbus to onst the no license els1se Of
the Constitution is devilish as was that of the
author Of the Fugitive slave Bill See Mr.. koon's
resolution In the signAi OF this week. wherein the
proposal IL as follows:
"That the additional section to Article IS Of the
Constitution described in section IS Of the sche
dule thereto be amended as TO read follows:
And said additional section to Article Is Of the
Constitution as described in section IS Of the
schedule thereto be repealed" "Section 1s-Ab-
solute and unlimited power to legislate concerning
the trafc in intoxicating liquors Is vested in the
General Assembly, which shall by law provide
against the evils resulting therefrom."
Commend me to the virtue of the Fugitive Slave
Law before that Of the diabolcal villainy of this
proposal now OF the Republican party of Ohio.
The proposal is to behead the Temperance people
Of the State in dealing with the fundamental law,
and to substitute for IL the head Of all the drunk
ards in the Commonwealth. And every "temper-
ance Republican, in the stateis expected to chime
in with the move because, as Governor Foster re-
minds him in his Annual Message, he ''voted" for
the resolution" which submitted the proposition
to themN This is just what said last summer
when 'temperance Republicans" stood braced and
were gulping down love to 'their party" and were
ready to take whatever was prepared for them.
write you, with the facts in your hands to meet
them, Temperance Republicans" will be obliged
now to go over to the side OF the drunkards or to
come to our side with the Prohibitionists.
Please take this TO the enterprising Publisher Of
your noble village, ask aim to print it. and to fol-
low it with what he nay have to say.
lam, very respectfully, yous,
C. coSKIISa.
An examination of the article referred
TO shows that the repeal of said section of
Article IS would abolish that clause which
declares that no license TO traffic in intoxi-
eating liquors shall be granted, and re
enacts the portion which gives the right
to provide against the evils resulting from
the traffic in intoxicating liquors.
If there is any doubt about the Legisla-
ture having power under the present Con-
stitution to legislste against the evils re-
sulting from the traffic, even to local
option or total prohibition of the same in
order to protect Us from these evils, we
should like to see all such doubts re-
moved, but feeling confident that no ad-
vantage can come from any license to
traffic In liquors except for mechanical
and medicinal purposes, we do not see the
object in repeating that prohibition unless
it is 10 throw the doors wide open for the
Legislature to legalize the traffic at its
own sweet viii. We are in favor of the
largest liberty to correct any evil but an
utter prohibition of the legal right to do
wrong. There certainly can be nothing
gained by striking out the prohibition to
license unless it is the purpose to license.
The thing looks suspicious on its face, and
we doubt whether 1t can be passed by the
Legislature, and if it can, the people will
not fail to condemn it at the polls.
But while we agree substantially with
the writer of the above letter as to the
character of the proposed amendment, we
take exceptions to his extravagant and in
temperate language, to his uncharitable-
ness toward those temperance Republi-
cans" who did not think it wise to join the
Prohibition party in the last campaign.
We are lsboring under the delusion that
temperance Republicans" are just as con-
scientious, just as honest, just as consistent
and just as wise as those Prohibitionists
who called hard names, who were so un-
charitable as to think every one dishonest
who differed with them, and who, while
advocating temperance with regard to
drinks, were most Incorporate in speech
and feeling. 1t may be that such soft per.
suasion viii draw all temperance men
unto themselves, but IL seems to us that
they win have to moderate their tone and
leave off their vituperation and abuse be.
fore they will become recognized leaders
in this reform. 1t might be considered
that the member presenting the resolution
complained of is not the whole of the Re
publican party, and does not represent the
views of any large number of them. Il
ought to be known, also, that his PROPOSE
ton is not the necessary and only way o.
carrying out the resolution in the Repub
lican platform, or the doctrine contained
in Governor Fosters Message-in fact
that it is not in tune with the spirit o
either as understood by the Temperance
men of the party.
! The spirit of the Republican platform
and the recommendations of Governo
Foster win be carried out by making sucl
amendments to the Constitution as will
give the Legislasure power to enact pro
hibitory laws, or local option, or sucl
other measure as majority of the peopl'
may favor, and if we have not now such
public sentiment as will give US the bes
measure, then we are bound to accept ant
be grateful for less desirable law till sucl
time as thepeople are educated to demant
and support something better.
We are upalterably opposed 10 license o
taxation of the liquor traffic. We do no
believe prohibition can yet be carried, an,
/ we fall back, therefore, on local option q
the most feasible measure yet suggested
Failing in both these, we would like II
enactment of the Adair law and othe
measures once on our statute books bu
. dition, we would favor simplifying tn
methods Of procedure in the bringing c
actions and proof of guilt, so that convit
ton might be procured with at least as Ii
tie difficulty as is experienced in the cor
viction of a Mormon of the crime c
+ bigamy or the conviction of horse THE
, before q jury of horse thieves. We mes
, to be modest in our demands, but shall b
satisfied with nothing that does not Civ
. the people power, wherever they have tn
; disposition, to control this traffic even
, its total, local prohibition.
In conclusion, we must protest againi
, the action Of Mr.. Koon being characte
, lied as the proposition of the Republica
: party;" and again, that the soft impescl
} ment that in the last campaign tempe
|, ance Republicans stood braced and wei
cr,,lr;no dovr, love N their marty and We,