The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-08-01

gies, explanations, or excuses to offer.
We do not claim thatit is perfect. Legis-
latiOn seldom is"
Well, Judge Foraker, what will make
1t perfectp That Is what l want to
know; that's what the people want to
know.
If it is imperfect something will
make 1t perfect. What is that sOme-
thingp Higher taxes, or lower taxes, or
prohibition in lieu of taxation, or what? ?
DO let us know what it is; in what re-
saect it IL imperfectY We are all blind
creatures and cannot see our way very
far, and the candidate for Governor on
the Republican ticket ought to be able
to tell us wherein this Law is imperfect,
aud what is necessary to make it per-
feet. Again | ask: Are you in favor Of
jumping over the fenae, into the prOhi-
6itiOn party, and prohibit entirelyp
Please answer, and do not wait until
the 10th of October. My opinion is that
there are no more honest and good citi-
zens than the pTOhibitiOnists in Ohio,
but do not agree with them. They
have learned lesson from MOhammed,
and their faces are turned to Mecca and
Medina. with their backs to Cana and
Galilee; but respect them, and will al
ways cOncede their sincerity and fidel-
ity. 1t is admitted all around that the
constitution has fully manifested the
right of prohibition, as if the amend
ment proposed by the Legislature was
adopted.
Why are you following after this
amendment? Why don't you question
the candidates for the legislature on
both sides and find out where they
standp Step up to the rack, gentlemen
candidates for the Legislature, and tell
us. L want to know, If the prohibition
lists do not. If they have no curiosity,
Democrats have. Are you for prOhibi-
tionP Gentlemen candidates for the
legislature, will you exercise the pow
ers of the Supreme Court of Ohio, which
it has decided you possess and prohibit
next winter, or will you stand on the
Scott bill as a finality Notwithstanding
Judge FOTaker's denunciatiOn of it as
being imperfect? Are you going to ac-
cept any perfect tax bill or license bill,
or are you going to question the candi-
dates for the legislature whom the Re-
publican and Democratic parties nOmi-
nate, and lnd out where they stand,
and vote for those who agree with yOu2
Find out where the candidates for Gov
ernOr stand, find out where the candi-
1ates for State offices stand, and let us
know what we are about.
This thing of fOOling around and
cropping in the dark we Democrats do
not believe in. Let the daylight in; no
dark lantern proceedings for us. We
are for license law. Judge Foraker
says: "WhO knows better than Judge
HOadly that license system is prOhibi-
ted by our constitution, and that an
amendment of our constitution, so as to
authorize 1t, is absolutely impossible.
The people of this State have twice de-
feated license by overwhelming majOri-
ties, and to submit third proposition
would be nothing short of absolute
trifling." Absolute trifling, is it that
the Republicans engage in, when they
submit what Governor Foster calls the
Legislative control amendment, Now
do not like that amendment, because
do not understand it. l have stated my
reasons in my Celina speech for dislik-
ing it. Everybody agrees that If three
fOurths of that proposition be adopted
by the people a license system can be
established in Ohio.
Now, Judge Foraker, tell me, do you
agree with Judge West, my humble self,
that the first proposition submitted by
your party will permit the establish
ment of license system. or do you
claim that it would nOtP If you claim
that it would not, 1 am afraid Brother
West will not think you as good law e
yer as | have been heretofore in the
habit of considering you. But if you ad-
init that it does, as you will have to, tell
me, does your party use that proposition
by way of absolute trifling?
What was the great Republican party
engaged in when it undertook absolute
tritling as an OccupatiOnp You know,
Judge Foraker, perfectly well, that the
Republicans and Democrats in the Senate
unanimously, or almost unanimously,
adopted fair and square license amend
ment, and sent it down to the House for
concurrence.
You know that in the House the Re-
publicans refused to pass it; that every
Democratic member in the House voted
for it; every one, Judge Foraker, and
that it was defeated by Republican
votes. And that what you now call alb
sOlute tTifling, was adopted. Why was
it defeated, Judge FOTakerP Is it be-
cause your party is in favor of prOhibi-
ton, and were afraid license system
would be adopted by the peOplep You
say it has twice been defeated by over
whelming majOTities. Not Overwhelm-
ing and large. The majOrities in 1851
and 1874 were not overwhelming, and
they were not even large, and you know
the conditions of the problem have all
been changed. The saloon keepers and
the temperance men are not In
partnership today to defeat a Ii
cense amendment. Today in my Opin-
ion, a license amendment would carry
the state by 100000 majority. Maybe
am an enthusiast and put the figure too
high, but believe the majority of the
people who are for graded, rational Ii
cense system would be immense. Do
not misunderstood me, Judge Foraker.
am in favor of graduated system, tax
alton according to the measure of pro-
lection. not an arbitrary exactiOn on
every man the same, whether he deals
to the extent of $500 OF $4,000.
What ls Judge FOTaker's next prOpO-
sitiOn to which 1 call your attention,
w-citiZensP Why, the good judge
thinks the only questions involved in
this campaign are the tariff and Scott
law questions. 1 beg pardon. | have
forgotten. 1t is involved in this cam
paign, seriously involved, that l must
not provoke him to righteous wrath.
"0h, miserable man that am, who shall
deliver me from the body of this deathP''
How shall l flee from the wrath to come,
this fearful antagonist of mine; this
man, who, for my sake, must not be pro-
vOked. Great heavens, if Judge Foraker
is such terrible man as he manifests
himself in this speech, what will he be
when, provoked by me, he let's himself
loose in all the activity of his destruct-
i've energiesP Let me tremble for my