Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-09-07

derived IRON his traffic the saloon-keeper pays
the tax on his billiard table, the tax on his
dwelling, the tax on his saloon, the tax on his
stock OF liquors, which is the indispensable
agent OF his traffic He forgets that with
.,blood money, drawn from his business the
distiller pays the tax on his distillery, tho
brewer the tax on his brewery and whole
sale dealer the tax on his stock in trade.
Does the payment of these taxes with money
thus derived legalize billiard gambling dis
tilling, brewing or liquor selling? Does the
receiving Of Il pollute tho hands of the State
and make IL copartner in the traffic from
which IL is derived9 Would the refusal to re-
ceive IL place on this property and these in
stitutions tho seal and ban of outlawryp If
moral sentiment requires the rejection Of the
tax on the traffic as an unboly thing does it
otreuuire the rejection of these other taxes
which are paid from the fruits of the same
trafior To this extreme the logic necessarily
leads It, in effect, says reject the tax with
righteoushorror as an unclean thing, ostra-
cise the dealor from legal recognition, freeze
him with public disapprobation, outlaw him
in his business by severely exempting him
from the burdens of taxation and blot his
name from the duplicate as from the book of
life. Prohibition or nothingl 1t may fail of
adoption; no matter until it come, strike down
the Scott Law with its unholy sanction OF and
co-partnership in the traffic; and meantime
permit the dealers to manufacture all the
drunkards they please for nothing-and all
the dealers say amenl This may be all
right; might be in Eden or in Paradise; but
l can not comprehend 1t, l can not compre-
hend the optimism that anticipates the mil
lennium in practical world where the wicked
cease not from troubling and the weary never
rest. can not comprehend the Jeffersonan
craftsmanship or morality which processes to
approve the taxation of the traffic but demands
that it be imposed only by the impossible
method of license. / can not comprehend the
Christianity which refuses the salvation of
some or to diminish some evils because all are
not embraced.
Republicanism is practical; does not sit
waiting on the bank for the river to flow by,
but deals with the facts of the present as it
finds them. If all good be of impossible at
tainment, it does not for that reason reject
partial good. The Jeffersonian license tax
which Judge Hoadly and the Democracy so
vehemently commend might be better than
it might be greater. But it is not now attain
able. The Scott Law does not prevent them
from persevering to obtain its constitutional
possibility. Until attained, Republicanism
thinks the So, 000, 600 OF revenue derived under
the Scott Law, although not precisely Jeffer-
sonian in its method is better that nothing.
Prohibition may be better than the Scott Law
in the magnitude and number of the fountains
OF crime and streams OF sorrow which it would
dry up, doubtless would be better. But prohi-
bition has not yet come, and may never. The
Scott Law does not prevent its friends from
persevering TO secure it, and the suppression
of the private evils entailed by the traffic.
Until secured, Republicanism thinks the dry
ing up of few fountains and streams, and
the compensating of the public evils of the
traffic with the two millions Of revenue de-
rived under the Scott Law, and relieving
the frugal wealth and virtuous industries
of the State from the burdens, costs and e1-
penses it entails, are better than nothing. For
these reasons it adheres to the principle of
taxation embodied in the Scott Law, as prac-
tical, just and reasonable, and calls upon all,
of whatever political faith, for whom the COM
mon welfare and diminished tax burdens have
charms superior to the shibboleth of Jetfer-
sonian personal liberty, to aid in preventing
either its legislative or judicial overthrow.
Having thus stated what understand to be
the attitude of political parties TO the liquor
traffic and the constitutional amendments, and
covered as best have been able the matter Of
your suggestions,
am very truly yours, W. II. WEsT.