New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-26
THE OHIO SALOON KEEPERS.

The Voice and other Prohibition papers
denounce the Dow law on the usual fantastic and
impracticable grounds which commend them
selves to that kind of journals. The best proof
that the Dow law is in the interest of temper
anee lies in the fact that the Ohio saloon
keepers or many of Them are furious against
it. In their rage and disgust, moreover, these
people have done very foolish thing, as the
telegraph inform ed THE TRIBUNE's readers on
Saturday. The liquor men of Logan have cent
Governor Foraker so insolent and ribald
petition that it must stir the indignaton.nOt only
of all the friends of temperance, but Of all the
supporters Of decent government. The signers
of this petition have written themselves down
blackguards and loafers, but that is after ali
very small consideration. The significance OF
their brutal outbreak lies in Its bearing upon
the Dow law, the real merit OF which such
conduct testi6es to in the strongest way.
Perhaps the Logan run-dealers ale among
those who have ground for fearing that the
Dow law will take away their occupation. Ii
50 they have taken a course to convince the
public that the statute is a thoroughly benef-
cent one.
1t was said at frst when the law was decided
TO be constitutional, that the liquor interest
was altogether satisfied with it, and that the
tax would be paid cheerfully. But inasmuch
as the law operates to the elimination of the
worst class of saloons, it was impossible that 1t
should be thus calmly accepted, and as matter
of fact it is now announced that the dealers are
about to make effort to carry the question into
the Federal courts, in the foTlorn hope OF
getting favorable decision there. Temper
ance men who are not narrow minded ard
one-ilead bigots will be glad of the enforce
ment of the Dow law, because it is clear that
the law tends directly to the diminutiOn OF
rum-seling and puts the business under greater
restraint, and further enables small towns and
villages to get rid Of it altogether. Sensible
temperance men know that this is more than
can be accomplished at the present time by any
prohibition law, for all such know we'll that
attempts to crush out liquor consumption
summarily are and in the nature of things must
be comparative failures and that the efforts
of the Prohibtionists to produce belief that
they are not failures only serve to screen the
liquor traffic, which always exists under such
circum stances.
The getence of the Prohibitonsts that they
are the only genuine Simon Pure friends OF
temperance is empbatcally false pretence.
The truth is that the blind fanaticsm of these
people has repeatedly led them to help the
rum power directly and indirectly, on the ridlcu-
lous plan of stunning compromise. AT this
very moment they are doing all they can to help
the Ohio liquor men by abusing the Dow law
and declaring mendaciouslv that it is not a
temperance measure. The Voice and its fellow
journals are really about half the time making
the fight of the saloon, while pretending to
have no other object than its destruction. 1t
is because this is realized more clearly every
| year by sober and sensible people that move
ments like the Anti-Saoon organization are
springins up everywhere and taking the wind
out of the prohibition sails. The utter illogi-
calty and unreason of these extremists tire
out the patience of practical advocates of
temperance. People who prefer no bread to
half loaf will never accomplish anything in
| this matter-Of- fact world, where compromise
and concession are the mansprings of progress.
The Dow law promises to be a good law for
| Ohio but it is significant circumstance that it
is being equally abused by the saloon keepers
| and the PrOhibitionists.