The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-08-18
SECOND AmENDMENr ONLY.

During the great rebellion we did not
ask volunteers whether they were Re-
publicanS or Democrats, if, they would
but come to the defence of the Union
and the country. 30 now the common
enemy of intemperance is invading our
homes throughout the land, and we call
TO the defence Democrats, Republicans,
Greenbaekers and PrOhibitiOnists. Ali
parties are alike affected by the evils of
intemperance, and good men in the va
rlOus parties, as they come to see the
issue brought before the citizens of Ohio
this fall of license by the adoption of
the adoption of the first amendment, or
prohibition by the adoption of the sec
0nd amendment only. will unitedly vote
for the second amendment, although
voting their respective preferences for
offices OF. state and county. When the
| army for the Union was formed, VOlun-
teers for the navy, artillery, cavalry
and infantry were alike welcome; so
now we care not what political party
men may prefer, so they vote on the
great issue for the adoption of the sec
Ond amendment only. Party men, who
care more for party than principle, are
always crying mad dog" beware. In
the Republican party such men and pa
pers are charging the honest voters of
trying to help the Democrats, and in
the Democratic party the same kind of
men charge the workers for the second
amendment only as trying to help the
Republicans; while there are some of
the ultra Prohibition party who are sus-
pieiOus of both parties, and will have
| nothing to do with either of the domi-
nant parties. All these charges and
counter charges and suspicious have
nothing to do whatever with the naked
question submitted to every free and
Intelligent voters conscience as to his
duty to vote for the second amendment
only, because 1t is right and for the best
interests of society, without in any Way
being political question. ..'
The evils of intemperance have been
so often referred to that 1t is almost use
less to repeat, but as some men who
apologize for the liquor traffic try to
deny facts, 1t may be we'll to say that
GOVernOr Foster said that the actual eX-
pense of the liquor traffic to the cOnsum-
ers In Ohio Is sixty seven million dol
lars annually; and no other authentic
reports make it less than fifty-liVe mil
lion annually. This being the fact, it
Ill becomes the apOlOgists of the liquor
traffic and demagOgues to pTate about
two million of revenue got back from
the traffic annually, whether in the
form of "well-regulated graduated
license system" or tax. How long
would it take any of us to waste our
little fortunes by letting sos to $67 90
out for 81 received? And what is true
of individuals is true of nations. Some
OF these apOlOgists for the saloon say
that the general government has re-
celyed into its treasury from the liquor
traffic th' past eighteen years (since
the war; over one billion dol
lars but they are very careful
not to tell us that during the
same period it cost the people over
twelve billions for the traffic, and that
over one million persons have gone to
premature graves within the same per-
iOd as the result of intempeTance. A
greater sacrifice of treasure and life the
past eighteen years have been the result
OF the liquor traffic, than all the treas
ure and life expended on both sides dur
ing the great rebellion of four years.
The Indirect loss of time, the wretched-
ness of families, and the drunkard's
doom are not included in this dark pic
ture, and God has said, "nO drunkaTd
shall enter the kindOm of heaven"
Space would not admit to enumerate
the crimes and murders committed in
Stark county because of the liquor traf-
tic, but a few of the murders as recalled
to mind may be noticed. The first we
remember was while the Ohio Canal was
being constructed, a man by the name
Of Datus Kent, while drunk, and in a
quarrel with a man near MassillOn,
killed him, the name of the slain is for
gotten. Christian Bachtel, while on
drunken spree, killed his wife south of
Canton, for which he was executed in
Nov. 1888. Old man Gull, who recently
died in the Penitentiary under life
sentence had, while intoxicated, killed
man by the name of Fisher. in Bethle-
hem township. Farie, while drunk in
O9nAhnF0
Ored barber from Canton, whom many
of the old inhabitants remember as a
line fiddler and peaceable man. Fisher,
in Paris township, excited with liquor
killed Marsh, cutting him in a horrible
manner. Keefer, who killed Carey in
MassillOn, was regular visitor of sa-
looms. Holman, who killed his wife in
Canton, was man crazed when under
the influence of liquor. The Richard
son tragedy in MassillOn, where the wife
shot the husband, is we'll remembered.
They were prOprietOrs of a saloon. Had
there been no saloon it is generally be-
lleVed there would have been no hatred
and no murder. ZeigleT, who was no
tOriOus drinkeT, killed Cooper; McOusick,
who so brutally attacked Fisher in Per
ry township, was drunk at the time;
Ohr and Mann, who killed old man Wat
mOugh near Alliance, had just been on
was not to drink; Sammitt who killed
Spuhler in MassillOn, was also more or
less addicted to drinking; McMillen,
who killed his wife in Canton, was of
known Incorporate habits; Rice, who
killed tramp near the r. r. bridge,
was intoxicated. The almost murder of
Ray, in the south part of the city, was
a regular drunken affair. Others have
doubtless escaped our mind, but these
will suffice. Look at the city papers.
which keep a faithful record of
crimes as they occur in Stark county,
and see if the liquor traffic is not guilty
Of the vast majority of all the police and
criminal court trials and expenses. Who
can plead the use of single liquor sa-
loon in Ohio?
Citizens, freemen, voters, think, and
let no politician keep you from voting
for the second amendment only. No
difference what political ballot you may
prefer. COMPILER.