The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-08

ing the year ending Nov. Is, 1888, has increased
per cent over that Of the preceding year, while
the total cost of materials and labor comparing
the same periods, increased but a fraction over
per cent.
The Legislature is requested to provide suita-
bic legislation for putting into execution and
operation the judicial system as amended by the
adoption of the article of the constitution.
Recommendation is made that the Legislature
provide for the publication Of the report Of the
State Meteorological Bureau The mileage and
business of the railways has steadily increased.
The many accidents in Ohio during the past
year by reason Of a misplaced Switch is a mat
ter for serious consideration. Forty of these
have occurred during this time and have been
accompanied at times with terrible fatalities. 1t
is believed that if railroad switches opening
into the main track were so constructed that the
act Of opening the switch should move signal
danger at point sufficiently far out upon the
main track 20 enable the engine driver to come to
a timely stop there would be great relief OF
railway travellers from this constant danger.
OPERATIONS OF THE SCOTT LAW.
The receipts from the sale at retail in Ohio of
wine, beer, and intoxicating liquors probably
amounts to the enormous sum of seventy mill
ions of dollars That it entails upon the gen
eral public an enormous outlay of money, which
is raised by general taxation, no one pretends to
deny, while the annual profits of those engaged
in the business is more than forty millions of
dollars yet, until recently, this traffic contribut-
ed nothing to the burdens it imposes on the tax
payers of the State
And now, because the General Assembly has,
in obedience to the demand of an overwhelming
public sentiment, undertaken, in a conservative
way, to impose restraints upon it, and to require
it to contribute something to the cost it imposes
upon the people, this interest recently, through
its delegates gathered in convention, formally
demanded the repeal of the law. The law passed
by the last General Assembly entitled AN act
to provide against The evils resulting from the
traffic in Intoxicating liquors is the first seeking
to impose restraint upon the liquor traffic ever
passed in this State that has been successfully
put into practical execution. Under its prOvis-
isons more than 4, 500 saloons and places where
the traffic has been carried on have gone out of
existence. and if the law is permitted to stand
the number retiring from the business will be
materially increased.
A revenue of nearly 81, 900, 900 has been re-
ceived from the operations of the law and paid
into the various county, city and village treas
u1ies of the State. Under the 'local option
feature of the law number of villages have
by ordinance prohibited the traffic within
their corporate limits, but because of
the phraseology relating to tippling
houses the sale of spirituous liquors
cannot be prohibited, if not sold in tipping
houses. The law should be amended so as to in
clude spirituous liquors. the sale of which, as
well as wine and beer, may be prohibited by
ordinance, and the provisions of local option
should be extended to townships so that when
by village ordinance the traffic is prohibited the
people of the township may prohibit also, if they
choose, thus preventing the traffic upon the
border line of the village.
The General Assembly may rest assured that
there is an overwhelming public sentiment OPP
posed to the demand of the LIQUOR dealers and in
favor of giving the Scott law full and fair trial
before any serious interference with its provis-
ions is attempted. The fact that 323,0 600 votes
were returned for the prohibition of the liquor
traffic is evidence of the strong feeling of
people upon this subject If this is done the
law viii be found in principle the best ever
passed upon this subject in this country. With
perfect ease without cost, without friction,
without law suits, it silently and swiftly put out
of sight more than 1880 saloons signs, and
poured into the treasures of the State revenue
of nearly 50 000 900 with which to mitigate the
sutfer.ngs and evils due to the business.
The Governor recommends that authority be
granted the State Board Of Agriculture to pur-
chase and improve permanent fair grounds. He
also urges that residence be provided for the
Governor.
TARIFF AND CIVIL RIGHTS.
By the recent revision of the tariff laws of the
nation some industries in which the people of
Ohio are deeply interested are seriously injured,
and conspicuous among these are the woolgrow-
ing interest, the hoop and rod and charcoal
iron industries. Appearances indicate that a re
vision OF the tariff will be undertaken by the
present Congress, having for its object still
and other industries in which our people are vi
tally interested. That the position of the people
of Ohio may not be misunderstood it is import
ant that the General Assembly should not only
make formal protest to Congress against any
further reduction of tariff duties, but should re
quest our representatives. and instruct our Sen
ators in Congress to use all honorable means to
remedy the injustice done to our wool-growing
interests by restoring the duty on wool and to
remedy the injust ice done to other Industries i'll
which people are so deeply Interested
The recent decision of the Supreme Court of
the United States in which the law of Congress,
known as the civilrights law, is declared uncon-
stitutional, for the reason that Congress has not
the constitutional power to pass such a law, so
far as the States concerned has caused a
profound feeling of regret and alarm among that
class of our fellow citizens whom the law was
especially designed to protect, well as with all
good citizens who desired that all classes of our
people should be fully protected in their civil
rights.
The States alone, under this decision, have the
right to pass laws protecting the citizen in his
civil rights and it is a lamentable fact that
owing to causes it is not necessary here to emu
merate the civil rights of the colored people are
not only not accorded to them, but are openly
grossly and shamelessly refused and denied to
them in several of the States The remedy for
this denial of civil rights to any class of our
fellow citizens is to be secured by the adoption
of such constitutional amendment as will
plainly and unequivocally authorize Congress
to pass laws of a kind that will afford full pro
lection in the enjoyment of civil rights by all the
citizens of the United States without eX-
ception. l therefore respectfully recommend
that the General Assembly instruct our
senator's and ask our representatives in
Congress to use all honorable means to secure
the adoption of such an amendmentto the funda-
mental law of the nation l also most respect
fully recommend the prompt enactment of such
law as will give full and equal protection in the
enjoyment of civil rights to all the citizens of