Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-10-22
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condition in Ohio this year The most
prominent issue was by all odds the
temperance question. That was pushed
to the front by Governor Hoadly. In
Ohio there is neither prohibition, license
nor taxation of liquor dealing. Every
man can sell who cares to. This con-
dition of things is not satisfactory to the
great majority of all parties. The people
of the state demand that the liquor traffic
be regulated in some way. Both tax laws
and license laws have been passed and
declared unconstitutional. This year the
Prohibition party was, of course, for pro-
hibition; the Republican party de-
handed taxation and promised 10 pass n
law taxing liquor dealing If given
the legislature. Although Governor
Hoadly attempted to demonstrate that
Judge Foraker and the Republican party
were trying to dodge the question, and
though they were trying to eyade it, yet
their position was n pretty definite one,
and the people pretty generally under
stood what il was, viz; That on obtain
ing control of the legislature tax law
would be passed that would not be I'M
constitutional. To be sure no Republican
attorney was able to explain how law
could be drawn that would not be pro-
nounced unconstitutional, still the people
understood very generally that tax law
would be passed Mt once, which would
regulate the traffic and yield handsome
revenue to the state. This was popular
measure. 1t was popular among farmers
and taxpayers. Governor Hoadly was re-
sponsible for the position the Democrats
assumed. He deliberately departed
from the state platform, and announced
himself in favor of submitting an amend
lnent to the constitution providing for n
license law. Now license law does not
differ materially from high taxation, but
| a shrewd appeal WINS made for the liquor
| vote. 1t would take at least three years
| under the most favorable circumstances
| to submit an amendment and pass o law
i under it. Thus for ut least three years q
| continuance of the free traffic was assured.
This argument was used unblushingly
and openly by Democratic papers TO catch
| the liquor vote, while it was hoped and
expected that the promise Of ultimate Ii
cense would capture the temperance sen
timent. Democratic expectations were
not realized for two reasons.
First-Ihe promise of license was toe
vague and uncertain to hold the temper
ance sentiment of the party, and thu
obvious effort of Gov. Hoadly to secur,
the liquor vote was distnsteful to tn,
masses of the party. II repealed the TEN
perance sentiment which exists 80 gener
ally, and it is safe to say that $4,000 o
the II, 900 increase the Prohibition vot
came from the Democratic party, and tina
at least II 900 of the total $4,000 Prohi
bition votes were cast by Democrats
There is hardly doubt of this. Foraker
position attracted all Republican temper
ance votes, while Hohdly repealed openl
all Democratic. The tone of the Demo
cratic press was such that no DemC
cratic Prohibitionist could consistent
7 vote the Democratic ticket. This was
mistaken policy to pursue; all the MOI
5 mistaken since it did not result in secul
{ ing the liquor vote.
a Second-Governor Hoadly failed
a secure the liquor vote partly because h
I proposed license, while promising fri
traffic for three years at least, was nj
o very acceptable to the trade; and then Il
= recent Democratic Legislature passed son
Q laws exceedingly distasteful to liqu'
d dealers. Unfortunately, Governor Hoad
q and the Democrats were cursed for som
n thing they hal mover done. Back i'll Isl
or 1856 n Republican Legislature pass
an net to prohibit tho selling of liqu
within two miles of county fair. II
II nearly 80 years this has stood n dead Ii
III ter. Everybody had forgotten il. Il
rs the laws of the state were recently coz
re fed. This brought the old statu
lg to the front. Temperance peol
,g discovered it and insisted upon enforci
ly it, and this last fall, right in the heat
in the campaign, it was generally enforc
cd throughout the stnie, and saloons w
at closed in all places during fair week, j
A when they expected to make money.
in nslnuch MS il had been n dead letter he
tofore, every saloon keeper laid the law
the recent Democratic Legislature, /
could they he made to believe il Y
nj otherwise. II is safe 10 shy that this {
81 factor cost Governor lIoally two-thi
of the votes of the saloon keepers
places OF 10000 inhabitants and less.
In the cities of Cleveland and Cine
~ natl, which have given such mnjorit
for Foraker, new registration laws HI
lust passed into effect. Heretofore /
~ man could vote in those cities.
a. man could swear i'll his vote, and til
." were no adequate means of prevent
him. This year the new registration
cut all these oil, While ordinarily
W, much illegal voting has been done by
zen party as another, this year the regist
II, ton helped the Republicans, since
hrt poorer classes, who are generally De-
OK Gratis, did not understand the law
failed to register. Republicans were '
ON, generally registered.
lay Another very important factor of
ven Democratic defent was the selection O
son United States senator which will be M
ear by the next legislature. The election
md II Democratic legislature meant the rel
Jim ment OF John Sherman. John Sherl
The is not popular. The people do not
him. He is cold and distant. But
d.. look upon bin ms nm able man, and
, in would get the full Republican siren
ail- No man i'll Ohio except Thurman CO
ort- get the full Democratic strength,
,re- Thurman said he was not candid
To This left it between John Sherman on
fine side and some Democrat on the OF
ait. The people would rather take John S
man than run the chances of getting s
~" man they did not know. If the DE-
III crafts had gone into the campaign
w. pitted Thurman as their choice aga
Sherman the fight in the state would
, ~ been between Thurman and Sherman
In" stead of Hoadly and Foraker, with
,S chances in favor Of Thurman.
very important issue made agi
NO the Democrats WINS the extravnganI
'on' the last legislature. This was diff
issue to meet. For the last four !
Gen. | the APPROXIMATIONS have run: