Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-07-19

bate. L WAS Just saying when the de-
llghtful music Of the band brought by
the Duckworth Club came within hear
ing, was trying 70 draw what / con-
eefve to be the true line of distinction
In legislation upon the subject of tenn
perance. IL believed with the prohi-
bitionists that all beer, wine, ale, and
other spirituous liquors into which al
cohol enters perceptibly Is poison; III
believed III hope / say IL reverently)
that the Savior Of the world converted
water into poison at Cena In Galilee,
and the MahOmet, the false prophet,
the first prohibitlOnist, was right I'm
banishing the use Of spirituous liquors
from among his people, then would
Join prohibitiOnists I'm all the legislation
they desire. Because hold that which
Is wicked and immortal must be striyen
against with all the force of the indi-
vidual man. [Applause.1 But believ-
ing as do, that the crime of intem-
perance, as 1t is called by some Of the
best men in our community, consists
not i'm the use, but in the abuse of that
which rightly used is not pernicious, 1
hold to the doctrine that the duty of So
ciety is to wage war with all its exter-
minating powers, not against the use,
but against the abuse. [Applause.l
And, therefore, L. am for what the
democratic platform states to be the du-
ty of the state with reference to a license
law. Therefore, do not believe that it
Is right for the state, to quote the elo-
quentwords of Allen G.Myers, ito invite
every man to step up and pay $500 for
the privilege ofmaking as many drunk
ards as he can" 1believe in o graded
license system. l believe in 1t for two
reasons. First, because considered as a
means of raising revenue graded IL
cense bears proportion to the amount
of protection furnished by the state to
the traffic. 1t bears proportion also to
the amount of possible injury which
may be inflicted by the abuse of the
traffic. Secondly, 1 belive in a license
system, because know that the control
which society exercises over abuses of
the traffic is far greater under a judicious
license system that under the Scott bill.
Under the old statute of Ohio a man
who kept bad or disorderly house
could not get his license renewed; a
man who sold liquor to minors or chill
dren or to drukards, when he came be-
fore the court of common pleas for re-
newal of his license, was liable to have
his license taken away. Now, no mat
ter how riotOus, how degraded, or how
vile, society says to him: "For $500
you shall have the right to manufacture
drunkards." Is that right? Society
should say to him; "If you can prove
your character as good citizen we will
permit you to conduct the traffic, pro-
vided you conduct it in conformity with
severe restrictions, rigid rules which So
ciety throws around the traffic to pre-
vent its abuse, and if you do not fail to
conduct that traffic within the limits of
the law properly, you shall be protected.
If you are bad man and sell to chill
dren, sell to people in the habit of be-
coming intoxicated, your license shall
be withrawn."
The Scott law says that every man
who pays his 5000 shall be entitled to
manufacture drunkards. So say that
the license system-a severe license sys-
tem-I don't care how severe it is, which
affords the protection of society to a
fair traffic lawfully conducted; but that
plants iron heel of power to stamp out
offenders and those who abuse their Ii
cense-that is the system approved by
the old democracy; that is the system
the democratic party has recommended
for adoption. But they say that this at
presents unconstitutional. Very well,
then, provide and adopt constitutional
amendments. Why didn't you give us
these amendments, gentlemen? When
your representative introduced resOlu-
tion to that effect didn't you vote for it,
: republicans, and submit a license sys-
to the people of the state? Gentlemen,
republicans, you voted it down, SC
thatwe have to-day the Scott bill, which
is morally and practically and actually
though not technically as ascertained
by the supreme court, license system
and that with none of the beneficial
provisions of graduated license. L
the Scott bill a success as temperance
: measure? In my argument before the
! Scott bill was not; that it should bt
properly entitled. "a bill to encour
age the drinking of intoxicating LID
: uors." My friend, the editor of tht
Commercial Gazette, says that this is {
: temperance speech made by me. Blu
1 temperance or not, I can. say that NJ
:, bill which overrides and repeals tn
, dramshop law, and makes it lawful t.
t sell whisky over the bar, to be drank OF
t the premises, for the sum of$20O, is |
r temperance measure. 1t may be rev
e enue law; it has brought money into tn
+ treasures ofsome counties, but whethe
0 or not it be revenue law, successful o
: unsuccessful, it is not temperance Law
}. at all. 1t will not reclaim one drunk
o ard in Ohio. 1t will not save one maj
: from a drunkards grave. 1t will no
t substantially lessen the number O
# dramshops in the state. 1t has simpl.
e clapped a tax of 5000 on each dramshoI
It so that each can safely proceed to man