The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-08-15
LIBERALS INvCOUNCIL.
Resolve to Unite With the De-
mOcracy,
In Defeating the Republican Party of Fraud
and Fanatlclsm-The Ohio Llq-
uor Dealers Association.

TOLEDO, Aug. 10.-The meeting of the
Ohio Liquor Dealers Association that
met here yesterday was attended by
nearly three hundred delegates. There
were assembled gentlemen who had here
LOfOre been Republicans and Democrats
but who are now united In opposition
to the prOscriptiYe and fanatical course
OF the Republican party. There was q
large representation from the liberal ell
ement of the Republican party, and a
substantial agreement that since the
Republican party has followed Foster
into the support OF bigOtry and intOler-
ance, the only thing left for liberal citI-
zens Is to abandon that party and act
with the Democracy. There were many
men present who hitherto have been
active in the councils of the Republican
party, and who have contributed liber-
ally to it's funds, and who now aVOw
their hostility to the party, and their de
termination to bring about its defeat
The practical outcome of the meeting
was the formation of strong Organiza-
tion for campaign purposes, and the ad-
option of systematic plan for thor
Oughly organizing the liberal people of
the state against the Republican party.
Mr.. VIM. Backus OF Cleveland, called the
convention to order and spoke as fol-
lows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION
am exceedingly happy to find that so
many have answered the call. This
meeting was called under the auspices
of the Ohio Liquor Dealers Protective
Association. All local associations and
societies throughout the state, in sym
pathy with liberal principles, were inVi-
ted to be present. The object in view is
to effect an organization for the fall DO
litical campaign, and to take into con-
sideratiOn all questions of interest.
The obnoxious laws passed by the late
Republican Legislature have caused a
great disaffectiOn in the Republican
ranks, as the result of the last two cleo
tiOns has plainly shown. The sO-called
Pond and Smith law was certainly too
heavy load for them to carry. They
manufactured the Scott law to come to
their assistance and redeem their lost
cause. In the spirit of that law you
will find the most contemplate hypOc-
risy exhibited. With 1t they have en-
deavOred to please the temperance peO-
pie by the local option clause; the sa-
loon keepers by repeating part of the
Adair law, and their German friends and
other liberal elements in the cities by
permitting their councils to regulate
the sale of beer and wine on Sunday.
l don't think, gentlemen of the con-
yention, they have made very prOfita-
lied to too often by the Republican sehe
meTs, and will not any longer believe in
the sincerity of their pTetentiOns. The
Scott law proved that, instead of reRu-
lating and diminishing the sale of in
t0xicating beverages, 1t has increased
the number Of low dives, which the law
was (as they said) to drive out, but they
are permitted to sell their "hell fire"
free and without mOlestatiOn by paying
an m M - nj off 4
necessary inducements to draw from the
path of virtue Of the rising generation,
and thereby accumulate enough money
during the year to pay with ease any as
sessment the law may ask them to pay,
whilst many crippled soldiers and poor
widows who have kept an ordinary place
and tried to support their families hon
estly, were forced out of businesss and
left to the mercy of the public, because
they were not able to pay the amount
required by law. l say, gentlemen Of
the convention, since every sane man
knows or should know that prohibition
will not prohibit, let us make the busi-
ness legitimate which can only be done
by graded and judiciOus license law,
and separate from the houses Of bad re-
pute, and you will make the saloon bus
iness respectable (applause). -
The two constitutional amendments
we are called to vote upon next fall are
the most important questions for this
convention to consider. You are we'll
aware of the nature of these amend
ments, and to let either one of them be-
come law would be dangerous to the
Fundamental principles of free govern
man and patriotic citizen will see the
danger to which he must educate his
neighbOr in order to whirl back the In
suit we are called upon to endure.
But, gentlemen of the convention, we
must not allow the Republicans to con-
fine us alone on this issue, and give
them no chance to hide under the pre-
tense OF morality. We must refresh the
minds Of the people with the countless
array OF scandals peTpetrated during
the number OF years they have been in
power. The election of a Governor in
the state OF Ohio this year is Of national
importance, and the people all over the
Union are watching our proceedings A
Democratic Governor in the state of
Ohio means a Democratic President In
1884 Capplause). As the Republicans
are well aware Of this fact, you will
find that money and talent will be
brought to bear to carry the day. They
will fight as desperately as their cause
is unjust. But we have shown In the
last two elections that personal liberty
and honesty are supreme, and as the
Republicans have not improved any in
their actions since, and no indueement
is offered to our independent element to
return to their ranks, their chances are
slim and entirely hopeless if we keep a
vigilant agitation of all questions of
interest to the public.
The Scott law is not the main issue
in the canvass. The purpose of the Re-
publicans is to make this question
screen the bad record of their party
They will endeavOr to make the Demo
Gratis cOnfine their talk to whisky and
beer, and drop the subject Of maladmin-
istratiOn, We must follow up the enc
my, and "a we have the good will of the
public and justice on our side, have no
doubt as to the result Of the coming
election.
At the afternoon session the Commit
tee on Resolutions made their report.
1t was as follows:
Resolved, That there are rights in ev-
cry free government beyond the control
OF the state, and that a government
aaka L.. I.