Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-01-07
OHiO'S CAPITAL.
The Buckeye Legislature Meets and Hoad-
ly Reads His Message.

The Buckeye Legislature Meets and Hoad-
ly Reads His Message.
COLUMBUS, O., January 6.-This after
noon the adjourned session Of the General
Assembly convened, but no business was
transacted except the reading of the Gov
ernor's message. The document was ex-
ceedIngly long, yet it contained many good
points, and touched upon all matters OF in
terest to the State. During the last session
of the Legislature there we're many i'm
portant measures introduced, which failed
of passage before the adjournment, and
these, it is predicted, will be brought up at
an early date Among the new bills to be
introduced will be one to do away with the
election in October, change the time to No
vember and provided for system Of regis
tration. The recent decision of the Su'
preme Court declaring the Scott law un-
constitutional has made it necessary for the
liquor question to be again agitated, and
some of the leading members think there
will be an effort madeto have an amend
ment providing for q license submitted to
vote of the people.
The Liquor Question.
Upon the liquor question the Governor s
message said Believing that the Execu-
tive Department owes the duty Of implicit
obedience to the decisions of the Supreme
Court in all cases, and treating, therefore,
the act of 1883, commonly known as the
Scott law, as constitutional, moreover, per-
ceiying in it some of the beneficial features
of license law, | recommended, in my last
inaugural address, that the taxation i'm
posed by 1t should be graduated in proper,
ION to sales so that the burdens it imposed
might be better proportioned to the benefits
njoyed, and the practical working of the
Jaw be brought into consonance with justice
ard natural equity. Since the delivery OF
that address the Supreme Court has reversed
its former decision, and held that the law
is not only in substance and practical
eject but also in letter and form,
a license law, and therefore in contravention
of The constitution The important ques-
ZION whether the sale of property which has
pad taxes, or is legally for taxation, may
be taxed in addition TO the tax upon the
prcperty itself. was not decided by the
court, but the Supreme Court of the United
States has twice decided that taxation oi
The property itself, and inssmuch as the
constitution of Ohio requires all property to
be taxed by uniform rule according TO Its
true value in money it would seem to follow
hat the taxation Of sales, or Of the right to
sell, at arbitrary and non.disctiminating
rates, the double taxation oil liquor, or It's
axation by n rule different from that appli.
cable TO other property, is forbidden by the
constitution.
A Ceange.
The people of Ohio demand a change,
and three plans are proposed:
First-Prohibiion, to be accomplished by
constitutional amendment and subsequent
egal enactment. Believing that the evil
against which We have TO contest is in the
abuse, not in the use, in excessive, not mod
crate use OF Intoxicating drink, ! would not
vote for such an amendment and cannot
advise its Submission to popular vote. lts
adoption would be an invasion Of individ
ual liberty, which no majority has the mora
right to prescribe to an unwilling minority
Secondiy-The repeal of the schedule
section eighteen, which forbids licenses and
empowers the General Assembly to pro
vide by Law only against the evils resulting
from the sale OF intoxicating liquors. Such
repeal would leave the General Assembly
free to prohibit, to license. or to adopt free
trade In short, to fight the evil in any
way or let it alone. The objection to this
plan of action is: first, that it equally per
mi,s free trade and prohibition; and, sec
ondlv, that it settles nothing. On the con
,rary, it makes the temperance question the
controlling issue in Ohio politics for the
utrre. Doubtless this would be better than
10 adopt prohibition as a permanent system
by constitutional amendment forit does
leave the people free to contend biennislly
against the interference by sumptuary laws
with their habits of life, and to sustain the
power and purity of individual self control
but | respectfully submit that there is still
wiser plan OF action, viz:
Thirdly, the submission to popular vote
of constitutional amendment providing
for a license system with graduated taxa
ZION. The choice is really between license
end prohibition. Doubt cannot be enter
tanned that if we fail TO secure an effective
system of restricted license and taxation
prohibition will follow. The advantage o
a license system are obvious. The relle
furnished 10 the taxpayers in 1883 BY the
Scott law may be cited as one OF Its bene
fits. 1t supplies the money required to pay
expenses caused by the Commonwealth BY
excessive drinking. Il does more. Saloons
can be kept away from situations whert
ihey give oifense, the hours and methods o o
the traffic can be remedied and generally
this business while protected in this Lawful
.--s-o;.a con ha kent within that strict con