The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-08-30
Scott LaW-Dr. Scott,

a lew days since DT. ScOIC, Lke father
of the Scott Law, addressed the people of
Spring Valley on the subject of the Scott
Law, in which he advanced ideas which
seem strange and incongruous, and to
which we take exceptions. In speaking
of the design of the law he makes this
contradictory statement, if we under
stand him Alright. "In a word, it pro-
vides against the evils resulting from the
traffic in Intoxicating liquors; provides
revenue to meet the expenses imposed on
the body polite by the traffic" In what
way does it provide against the evils re-
sulting from the traffic? Now, wherevec
the traffic exists the evils will exist. for
they are inseparably connected. The in
crease of the traffic, increases the evil,
and the decrease of the traffic, so will it's
evils decrease; and in this way alone,
can the evil be remedied. MIR. Scott
tells us, "The law has closed large
number of the lower saloons, which did
the most damage to society,"" The initia-
tion takes place in the gilded saloon, and
guttered out in the low doggeries. Had
we no gilded saloons there would be no
need for the low ones. They are sort of
an appendage, as the sewer is to the city.
The fact is, there is no less liquor drunk
now than before the law was passed.
Some of the small spigots are closed, and
the remaining ones enlarged.
But if the provision is for the removal
of the evil, where is the need of revenue
at all? What is meant by "the expenses
imposed on the body polite by the
traffic" but the evils resulting from the
traffic? If the evil still exists-and who
doubts it-why- is it claimed for the law,
that it provides against the evils result
ing from the business? Every one
knows it does not, and it was not intend
ed to lessen the evil, except, possibly, in
that it authorized villages to pass pro-
hibitory ordinances. Could net this be
done without the law?
The DIR. seems to be quite jubilant over
the benefits derived from the law, and
appeals to the sordid avariciousness of
mans nature to Justify such an abomina-
tion as the rum traffic. Compare, my
Democratic friends, the state of things
do ChOJ WClO OClOlC Ul1C OCoLC LAW w ttO
passed, with what they are now. Think
of the $2,OOO,OO0 collected annually from
the traffic, with but a fraction of a
mill on the dollar as the cost of collect
ing, large number of saloons which done
the most damage to society, closed up,
and your local taxes lessened $2,000O0O."
From this it seems that taxpayers of the
State have been paying, at least $4,000
600 annually to meet the expenses Of the
evils resulting. from the liquor traffic.
It is claimed that the Scott Law takes
this amount off the people and puts it on
the saloon. Now we all know the sa-
1oonkeeper is not a producer of anything,
but poverty, disease, and death, with
their concomitants. Where does the
saloonkeeper get his money but'from the
people, and mostly from the poorer class.
What is the difference in taking it from
the people by direct taxation, or collecting
it from the people, using the saloon keep
er as revenue officers? This money
passing through the hands of the saloon
keepers produces more than $2OOO,O00 of
evil to the State; it costs more than
$20,0O0,OOO; SO Mr.. Scott's statement is
not true in regard to the cost of collecting
this revenue For every dollar the.rum
seller puts into the county treasury costs
society not less than $1,000. Now how
much better it would be to extirpate the
damnable business and save all this tax,
misery, shame, and wretchedness? The
traffic in intoxicating liquors is an evil in,
and crime against society, and it may be
laid down as one of the elementary prin-
ciples in civil government, is to protect
society against any thing which may exist
to the injury of society in any civil way.
Does the Scott Law do this to any ex-
tent? No; but on the contrary, it per-
mits the evil to exist, and the state de-
rives handsome revenue from it. Can
deeper, darker stain be placed on our
escutcheon? ]. @. LAKIN.
THURMAN, Aug. "a, 1888.
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