The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-03-14
THE REPOSITORY HAPPY .

The action of the Ohio House Of Rep
resentatives on last Thursday relative
to the liquor question, was in the ma
ture of a pleasant surprise: first, because
definite action upon the subject was not
further postponed; and second, because
the propositions IL was decided to sub
NIT to the people, while to some extent
compromise and not just what was ex-
pected, provide on the whole, rational
way out of the difficulty.
The propositions, which were publish
ed in full in yesterdays Repository, are
clear, and cannot be misunderstood.
they will give TO the people, the source
Of all power, the opportunity demanded,
and il either OF them Is adopted, or both
are voted down, a step forward Will have
been taken in the solution Of the veXa-
tiOus problem. II may at least stop much
Improbable agitation. After all, when
the House gets down to plain business,
the job of constructing and adopting
suitable propositions or amendments,
was not so very difficult. It ought to
have been finished long ago, and, in
deed, if il had been decided upon year
ago, some disasters might have been
averted, and the political situation
would not have been half so cOmplica-
ted as it is nOw.-RepOslIOry, 10th
So, it was the liquor business that up
set the Republican party last fall, and
brought "sOme disasters" that might
have been averted." Strange the disas-
ters were so universal; not confined to
Ohio by any means, but included Cali
fOrnia, Colorado, Michigan, Massachu-
setts, New York, Pennsylvania, SC.
The propositions referred to are those
offered by Mr.. Pugsley in the House,
and If the first is approved next 0cto-
ber by vote of the people, license or
special taxation will be allowed; and if
the second is adopted, it will be prOhibi-
ton. They are as follows:
l. "The General Assembly may by
law provide for levyiDg special taxes or
assessments on the traffic in intOXicat-
ing liquors, and shall by law provide
against the evils resulting LherefrOm."
2. "The manufacture and sale of in
tOxicating liquors in the state, to be
used as beverage, Is forever prohibit
ed"
The substitute Of Mr.. Pugsley was ad-
opted by the HUuse-yeas 6B. nays %
Those voting in the affirmative were:
Alexander, Allen, Beman, Bloch, Bower
sOx, Brooks, Card, Carlisle, CONRAD,
Cooper, Dunham, Ellsworth, Frame,
Frese, Gest, Gordon, Graham, Green of
CuyahOga, GTeeneT. Hadley, Hall, Hath
away, Highlands, Hopkins, Huntington,
Hughes, Jones of Jackson, KOOns, Kurtz
Laird, Licey, Linton, Littler, Locke,
Love, Mccullough, Mcfarland, McGav-
ran, Moore of Pike, Moore of Washing
ton, Patterson, Peet, Pollock, Poor, Pow
erf, Price, Puhsley, Rarey, Robinson,
Ross, Russell. Scott, Sheppard, Smith,
SNYDER, Stanbury, Stevens, Swayue,
Strong, Tyler Van DOOran, Walker, War
req, Weitzel, WetmOre and the Speaker
SO.
Those voting in the negative were:
MessTs. .Bargar, Bell, Brady, Bren neT,
BrOwnheld, Bruner, Cory. Caryell Cum
ningham, Green of Shelby. HolbrOOk,
Jones of Delaware. Kahle, Maury. Nc.
CrOry, Neglpy, Puckrin. Rees, Sharp of
Fairfield. Sharp of Holmes, Stillwell,
ThOTp, Vallandigham, WagemHn and
Wright-25.
Mr.. ThOrp voted no for the purpose of
moving "a reconsideration ia case of its
failure.
And the matter is "a pleasant sur-
prise" to the Repository! And the Re-
pOsitOry thinks If this had been done
year ago, it might have saved the Re-
publican party. 1t is too soon to pro-
claim which proposition "the grand old
old Republican party" will get astride.
This will be done, however, before Oc-
tober next, and then ''the grand old Re-
publican party" will march tO'death, or
Victoryl
1t should be remembered that in 1875
the people of Ohio voted down license.
as they did also Ia 1851. Prior to 1851
we had license in this state, and those
who remember, we'll know what farce
it was, and how little heed was paid to
it. The fact is, under the old license
system, it was persons who paid no Ii
cense that retailed most Of the liquor.
1t is not now, however, called license,
but ito provide for levying special
taxes, or assessments on the traffic."