The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-03-15
THE SCOTT LAW,
columbus naily Times !

lNNNHWNHN AfNNN 'H'l'"fI
Within fortnight tho adjournment
Of the Legislature nlay be expected with
some reasonable baaa for tn occurrence.
Thus TAR the Scott law has n mained un-
touched but the clamOr for some flterR.
tl0n, and the anxiety 0Yel ,allure 10
m0leal II grow stronger M toe session
neafa lta close, What would be wise
legislative actiOnY A review Of all cir.
Oumatances connected with this reliQue
OF Republican legislation must inspire
the notion that, Obacurlng party adyant-
age, the logic OF the ease and the social
peace demand that IL he left unTepealod
and unamended. The party declarations
against itwere founded upon itR viola
tiOn OF the n0'llcenae clause OF the con-
atitulOn, upon The subsidiary grounds
that lta local option feature was lmpOll-
tic, and that ila ungraded tux was un'
Just, The party doctrine relative TO q
substitute was q graded lcenno when an
amended constitution waa secured 10
permit H. The arguments Of the cam-
paign proceeded upon these pOstulatea,
and never was there party pledge 10
repeal ~, or even 10 ncQuleacG In n ana'
pectOd decision In favor VI ila validity
by dealing with itin the way Of amend
mont.
There has been no wayerlng In the
conviction that the Scott law la uncOn.
atitutiOnal Az unconstitutional iegls'
latiOn must be unjust and oppressive u
straight cut 10 glory might DO found In
its absolute repeal, hut " must not DO
overlooked that all tho eilnellye laws
regulating the liquor tratllc were ro-
pealed and re'enacted ~ portions OF the
Scott law. lta abrOgaliOn would be the
signal for a riot Of debauchery IN The
State without law 10 aubdne II, Public
order then prevents ita repeal unless
something could he enacted IN lta stead
within the letter Of the States organic
law, and responsive 10 the strengthening
popular demand for Increased regulation,
How can II be- amendedy COnceding ltb
validity, the elimination OF the MeC0n
nellayille ordinance would not impair IT,,
That feature ~ distinct from all other
sections OF the bill, aud ita provisions
do not 80 blend with tho remainder ~
10 assist IN making II valid, or 10 be NJ
all connected with its validity, IL could
be- aafely repealed. lllt what danger
turks In the attempted ongraftlng upon
the bill n graduated tax achemeY The
Supreme Court mailrity m NJ present
constituted will decide thp cold law Of
any issue presented before II. Partisan
bias will not disturb It, No provision
Of their Judicial holding can be had,
The Scott law, n re'RubmittCd 10 this
court, might be- upheld upon the doe
trinO Of stare deClsIg II w possible that
that legal principle might control "A 70.
affirmation Of it9 validity. Perhaps its
lnvalldty ~ 10 palpablo that nothing
could rescue Il from rejection But
were u graded tax system tU be- lucOrpOr-
aled, might not thi7 new matter fcmuye
tho case from henenth The canon Of the
court and this altered Scott law, the
product Of Democratic tiukering, he de-
carpd unconstitutional Again, ign0r'
ing whatever might bh the party diAnt-
Ter, the burchanlllnn urgios that would
disgrace Ohio would have no law tO
suppress them.
II there is dilemma lt N not pOrty
one, but Oun between H0hIiHty and dis
sipatiOn. IL there uHod 10 heiiMeY No
party pledge can bo produced 70 10
maud further action than the submig'
si0u ~ the people Ol mn amendment
whose adoption viii permit the eiirciu.
ating Of Che Democratic license doc
trinp. An the opposition tO tho Scott
law in thO campaign hut Involved thn
clear announcement Oi what would he
done when the time arrived, II cannot
he argued that the party lH hound 'o
permit u reign NJ dfuuFpnnns4 Wihrr hy
a total repeal, or 10 gtHl'i'y iurit by the
N o INV invalid because,
though omhodynR its principles, II Ia
Leave The Scott law alone,
Or II the Senate delay causing the
present agitation requires some attCu'
tlou, remove the McConnelsyille ordl.
nance feature,