Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-07-12
Judge Hoadly at Hamilton.

Democrats, including q large delegation
from Cincinnati. Aftera few prelimi-
nary remarks of personal character
Judge Hoadly announced himself as
the candidate of the living, progressive
and aggressive Democracy, for the high
est Office in the gift Of the Empire State
of the West. The contest i'm Ohio in
1888 was but preliminary skirmish to
the great National battle of 1884. Per-
sonal interests, or the fame or promotion
of man or set of men, were of utter
insignifianee compared with the infiu-
enee for veal or woe upon the masses of
American citizens. The campaign can
not be made upon personal petty Leg
islative issues, but it was really broad
issue, involving the merits, principles,
policy and moral status of the two rec
ognized political parties. The Republic
can party represents no principle that
appeals to the moral forces of this peo-
pie, or any National policy, or inter-Na-
tionai policy that can be formulated in
words or illustrated by example. 1t is
nothing to-day but consolidated ag-
gregation, whose only incentive to ac-
tion is an organized appetite for the
spoils of office, or the panoply of power.
1t Is controlled by monopolists, whose
instruments, sitting in the Senate, in
Executive offices, have grown fat and
stupid and constituencies with service
only to the instrumentalities that made
them. 1t is no wonder that the best
and brightest intellects in the Republi-
can party are respondent when the road
to place and power is shut up to all hon
Orable methods of travel. Is it any
wonder when political service is recog-
nized as the only criterion for public hon.
or, that the second greatest crime of this
generation was committed by Repub-
lican crank, under the party craze that
made all men mad in Washington?
Garfield's death is but the legitimate
logic of events, liable to follow such an
Infamous campaign as the banquetted
Dorsey made in Indiana against one of
the purest and noblest soldiers of the
Republic, Winfield Scott Hancock.
Judge Hoadly took up the position of
the Republican party on the tariff ques-
ton particularly.
On the Scott tax law, he claimed that
tax illegal and constitutional operated
the same, both in fact and law, as a Ii
cense. III a tax is constitutional, as de-
clared by our Supreme Court, the leg
islature can impose a moderate tax,
equal to agraded license, and the result
is the same, to the dealer, the vendor,
the tax payer, and the temperance re-
former. Either of necessity is a legali-
zation of the traffic. The Republican
politicians who now defend the present
Scott tax law are really occupying the
position to all practical purposes as
those who favor a license of equal
amount. The difference, however, is
great, or may be, i'm view of the future.
Ii it is legal under cur present eonstitu-
ton to tax the liquor traffic as o bust.
ness, there is no legal limit to be placed
on the amount of that tax, and the next
Legislature may legally impose q 81 900
tax on every saloon in Ohio, and practic-
ally inaugurate prohibition without the
aid of the proposed prohibition amend
ment. [ am now discussing the legal
aspects of the Scott law. What / favor,
is well regulated license system, simi-
lar to the one now in operation in
Michigan, which is working satisfacto-
rily, and which has reduced the evils
growing out of the system to the mini
mum, and which is regarded in that
State as the permanentand satisfactory
adjustment of the whole question on the
best possible basis.
| AS an attorney in the practice of my
profession, l argued before the Supreme
Court of Ohio that the Scott law is un-
constitutional. I need not add that |
still think, as a lawyer, that it is uncon-
stitutional, and in that opinion there
are but few respectable lawyers in Ohio,
or in any other State who will dissent.
OF course the decision must stand as
the highest judicial Interpretation Of
our Constitution, but it is q fact we'll.
known that the Supreme Court of Ohio
only about twelve months ago decided
the question in different way. How
the liquor traffic shall be regulated is
entirely Legislative question, and as
the Governor of Ohio is not clothed
with the veto power, his control of that
question amounts to the same, and n6
more, as that of any private citizen o.
the State. should be wanting in self
respect, wanting in appreciation OF the
high trust committed to my care By
the triumphant and still coming tri'
umphant Democracy of Ohio if | al
lowed question of this character te
absorb or in any way shadow the great
questions of public policy and Execu'
tive and Administrative reform which
now SO sharply divide the two parties.
All the signs of the times indicate
the crumbling and decay of the Repub'
lican party. 1t is trying to live on the
dead past and ignore the living, vita
questions of the hour.
| appeal to that large and growing
element in our population, who believe
that Ohio is fit to lead that reform, who
oppose Capitalization, who oppose the
purchase of the ballot of the citizer
with money filched, either from ia,
vored corporations or from the United
States Treasury, to rally in Ohio under
our banner in 1888, and be ready in line
| for grander and more sweeping victory
that, as sure as the fight of time, il
coming in 1884.
The Democratic party, true to the
traditions of the fathers, anchored OF
the solid rock OF Constitutional liberty
and law, gathering into its ranks thu
best intelleets of our young manhood
full of hope, and promise and robus
determination to rescue this great Re
kpublic from the hands OF its despoilers
Is the only party to-day having any
valid claim for the suffrage of the patri-
otic citizen.