The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-06-30
OHIO POLITICS.

campaign of 1884, being closely followed
in It's platform announcements by the
conventions of two other republican states,
at,alns a position Of no ordinary signiii-
canoe. 1t is true the convention showed
a lack OF confidence IN success by passing
over Its party leaders in selecting q candI-
date tor Governor, and nominating q
young man who is not a politician or
wheelhorse," as our contemporary of the Of
tawa Republican puts it, but who Is really
a man of SO little account that his defeat
will be of no consequence; but they have
placed him on platform which, as the
same high authority assures US. us unn's..
taxable in its pronunciation for protective
tariff and for the regulation OF the liquor
traffic by rigid license law. A Repub-
lican Legislature had previously passed
what IS known as the Scott law, which the
Supreme Court this week declares is con-
stltu,ionall."
"Unmistakable in Its pronunciation for
a protective tariff the platform no doubt
Is, with an emphasis, for 1t takes the bold
ground, which no republican convention
heretofore had dared to take, though the
party has often enough been accused Of
standing on it, in favor of "a tariff for pro-
lection only with incidental revenue"
But on the liquor question our cotempo-
rary entirely misconceives or intention
ally mlsrepresents the platform in saying
it pronounces for "the regulation of the
liquor traffic by rigid license law"
The convention pronounced in favor of
the Scott law, ii decided by the Supreme
Court to be constitutional; otherwise 1t
favored absolute prohibition. Now, the
Scott law Is not a"rigid license law" nor
license law ut all. 1t Is one of the queer
est, oldest, most paradoxical enactments
legislative crankery every gave birth to.
Starting out with the acknowledgement
that under the constitution Of Ohio no
person can lawfully sell liquor IN that
state, 1t assesses a"flne" OF $500 per ann.
um on all saloon keepers for the privilege
of setting the constitution at defiance.
That is what Is called rigid license
law"
Our contemporary is equally "ofl'' IN tell.
Ing what the Ohio democrats did at their
state convention. He says: "They nom
mated renegade republican, after throw
ing aside one of their old leaders and a
warm friend of the old war-horsc, Thur.
man, and put him upon platform une-
quivocally for free trade and personal
liberty" which means free whisky"
Judge Hoadley, the nominee for Gov,
ernor, is renegade republican" exactly
as Judge Trumbull, Gov. Palmer, Gov.
Curtain, and many other great republican
leaders OF Lincoln's time are rcnegades.
They left the party because it ceased TO be
party Of high principle and became the
party of spo,ls and public plumber. Aside
from his desertion Of the party under such
circumstances, we believe no question Is
made but that Judge Hoadley is very
able man and man of the highest in
tegrity and personal worth.
As to the platform, II is exactly because
1t Is not free trade unequivocally, or other.
wise, that the Republicans are worried.
Recognizing the fact that under the oxl-
gencies of the government at present and
for years TO come q tariff of not less than
80 per cent. on all our imports will be an
unavoidable necessity, and that Therefore
to talk of free trade is nonsense, the OHIO
democrats declare for such an adjustment
of the tariff as shall yield sufficient rev.
enue to meet the expenses of the govern.
ment 80 adjusted as to prevent Unequal
burdens encourage productive industries
at home, and afford just compensation to
labor, but not to create or foster monopo.
hes" Even the New York Times is con.
strained to admit that this, on the tariff
question, is the essence of good sense and
completely takes the wind out OF the sails
of the republican convention with its mo.
nopolist pronounement in favor Of a tariff
for protection only, with incidental rev
enue.
AS to the whisky question, the demo
Gratis of Ohio favor free whisky exactly rs
they do in Illinois, where the party sup
ports local option. Gin Ohio they are af
fllcted with prohibition constitution as 10
the sale of whisky though there is no law
against It's manufacture. The democrats
oppose that constitution because it is
sham and nullity but If they could hope
ever to get 1t out of the way, they would
Ct course favor judicious and sensible
license system, as they do in every other
state.
In addition to the floods IN Southern Il
llnois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, ETC.,