The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-08-21

The N. I. independent, whatever
may be said about some of its political
inconsistencies, has always been an
earnest, consistent temperance paper.
In considering the platform of the
Prohibition party, it says:
Zone plank is as follows:
"'That the collection Of revenues
from alcoholic liquors and tobacco
should be abolished, as the vices of mer
not a proper subject of taxation
"On the contrary there is no more
proper subject of taxation. Why, it
is an established principle in public
justice that a money tax, or fine,
is as proper punishment for certain
offenses as Imprisonment. These
taxes, or fine, imposed on vices, are
recognized portion Of the public rev.
enue. They help pay the expense Of
the courts and of the prisons. Just
so if a. man engages in business
which the people already recognize
to be something less than respectable,
but which they have not yet con-
cluded to abolish. they can properly
put fine, or tax, which is in this
case the same thing under another
name, upon it. For our Government
to abolish the tax on whisky and give
US free whisky instead-and the Gov
ernment cannot suppress the manu-
facture Of whisky-would be great
evil. 1t might please the ultra pro-
tectionists, but we record our earnest
hope that these taxes on vices, on
liquors and tobacco, may not be abol-
ished, even in the interest of the
sheep husbandry or the steel industry.
Another plank gives US the basis
on which the Prohibition party claims
the right to be national party. 1t
reads:
"'That Congress should exercise its
undoubted power and prohibit the
manufacture and sale Of Intoxicating
beverages in the District of Columbia,
in the territories Of the United States,
and in all places where the Govern
ment has exclusive jurisdiction; that
hereafter no state shall be admitted
into the Union until its constitution
shall expressly prohibit polygamy and
the manufacture and sale of intoxicat-
ing beverages"
All these powers, it is true, belong
to the general Government So far
as intoxicating liquors are concerned,
we are very much in the condition in
in which we were in reference to
slavery before the War. Then, under
the Constitution, we could not, through
Congress, touch slavery in the states,
but we could forbid it in the terrific
ries; and on that issue was organized
the Free Soil Party. On the question
of the prohibition of Intoxicating
liquors in the District of Columbia
and in the territories, a national party
can be started. Yet the two cases
differ in this, that when the Free Soil
became national party, more than
half the country was already free soil;
while now only two or three states
have adopted prohibition. At present
the conflict is in the states rather than
the territories. 1t is folly to think of
prohibiting liquor in the District of
Columbia or in the territories until at
least half the states shall have for
hidden it in their own borders. The
hot fight must be first in the states,
and we are not clear that the time has
come for national party.
The nomination of Governor st.
John for President, is a strong one
much stronger than would that of the
Californian candidate have been. Dr.
Nc Donald may be an excellent man.
but really it would have been almost
farcical to have nominated one whose
chief recommendation was his wealth,
gotten by selling 'bitters," wrapped
IN temperance tract.