National Republican., 1882-12-19
WHAT ALLIED OHIO.
The River and Harbor Bill and Liquor Legis-
latiOn Did II.
What the Germans Did and whnt They
VIII Do Again.
Special Letter.

CINCINNATI, Dec. 15.-The remarks of SEN
ators Sherman and Pendleton on the civil
service bill have brought Ohio politics into
some prominence. Ohio is an October state,
and as such, to some extent at least, an object
of interest to the rest of the country. The
defeat in Ohio last October is attributable
almost wholly to the temperance question,
which for ten years or more past has played
an irritating though never until now o de-
cisive part. The prohibition cause has never
here won victory, whatever it may have
done indirectly toward bringing disaster to
one or the other of the parties.
The tariff question and the passage of the
river and harbor bill played a minor role in
various parts of the state and were the subject
of discussion and consideration in the manu-
featuring districts.
THE COURSE OF PRESIDENT ARTHUR
ever since his accession to power has won fa-
vor throughout the state. At tho beginning
the feeling toward him was very bitter per-
sonally and politically, owing largely to the
misrepresentation and ISLANDERS of the press
of the state. But, as he generously carried
out the policy of the late President Garfield
by making the appointments which he had in
contemplation, the harsh criticism of his mo-
tives and purposes was disarmed, and conf
dence took the place of distrust.
1t is safe to say without fear of any contra
ulNblun lIOiu any luub inc course Oh
President Arthur's administration was calcu-
lated to aid rather than injure the campaign
in Ohio. His veto of the river and harbor
bill was highly approved as evidence of con-
servatism, as well as of o desire to make o
good record for his party in the matter of an
economical expenditures of the surplus reve-
nue.. Then his suggestions looking to re-
duction Of the revenue taxes were received
as timely, and gave the party here a good
standing,
If a cause for defeat in Ohio is to be sought
out it will not be found in anything that
the president has done or has omitted to do,
but in what congress did in passing the OBJ
jectionable bill referred to, and in failing to
cut down taxes so as to reduce the surplus,
and most of all in the temperance legislation
in our state last winter.
THE GERMANS OF OHIO.
number many thousands of voters in the
republican party. They have been the best
sort of republicans attracted to their party
for its hatred of slavery, for its patriotic SER
vices in defense of the Union, and for its
record in favor of hard money For thirty
years our constitution has forbidden the
licensing of the sale of Intoxicating liquors,
restricting the evils and regulating
the sale of liquors. The laws were mildly
or strictly enforced according to the prevail
ing sentiment of each locality, and there was
no complaint except from those who through
out the state in the country precincts, were
absolutely in favor of prohibiting the sale and
manufacture of liquors, numbering only $1,000
votes out of total of over 600 900 in the state.
The state legislation of last winter was in
tended to capture these $1,000 votes, and a
law was passed imposing an exorbitant annual
tax upon every dealer in malt and spirituous
liquors, and with such unjust restrictions and
burdens as to be oppressive to the poorer
dealers, who from sheer helplessness would be
driven out of business thus giving monopoly
to their richer and more favored fellows.
Then Sunday law was passed so strict in
its provisions that guest at a hotel could not
be furnished with wine. or beer for his dinner
on Sunday. .8.4p
The Germans of Ohio felt-as they num-
bered five times as many votes as the Is, 900
prohibitionists, and had been voting the party
ticket faithfully year after year, while the
prohibitionists who originally were also re-
publicans, were placing ticket in the field Of
their own in opposition to their party-that
they were badly treated. They declared they
had been sold out for the purpose of getting
the prohibitionists vote. The result was that
the course of true republicanism was not made
to run smooth after all. 1t was too radical for
one and not enough so for the other. and so
the German republicans voted the democratic
ticket, while the prohibitionists continued as
of yore voting their own. And so Ohio went
democratic in 1882, and so it will go again in
1888, unless this winter legislation is of diff
ferent character from that of last winter.
w. NJ. A,