Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-04
Local Option in Ohio.

To the Editor Of the GlobeRe public:
Under the heading. Can Town. Town
ship and County Local Option Law be en-
acted Next Winter" there appeared in one
of our city papers, very significant state
| ment of facts. which has led me to give a
| further examination ia the case and write
| this article for the information of the true
| friends of local option, or rather to counsel
with them as to ground of expectation that
there is any hope of successful action of
our present legislature in the direction of
local option next winter. There are peti-
tions in circulation over the state. request
ing such action by the present legislature
With the following facts staring me in the
face. | hesitate to sign such perition. and
for these reasons:
By reference TO the "OhiO Statutes of
lSS5," | find that there are five counties
which give very small democratic majori-
ties, and these five counties have placed SIX
democrats in the legislature where there
should be six republicans-Stark county
having two members.
Here | give the democratic plurality in
each of these tiye counties, and also the
prohibition vote, at the election in 1885.
elec'ing the present Legislature:
Clrrmont cOunty-demOcratic plurality.
20, prohibition vote, 307; Knox county
democratic plurality, 20, prohibition vote,
357; Morrow cOunty-demOc-atic plurality.
l03, prohibition vote, 255; Stark county
democratic plurality, $50, prohibition vote,
534: Wayne cOuntv-demOcratic plural
fly, 322. prohibition vote, 594;
and pursuing this matter TO the Senate. am
aStOuished Ia find five senatorial districts
electng six senators the same way as in the
house, viz: Ninth district, Dem. plurality,
1876: prohibition vote. 413: Twelfth district
Dem. plurality. 62O: prohibition vote. us;
Fifteenth district, Dem. plurality. 1879, pro
hlbiIiOn vote, l,OS2; Sixteenth district
Dem. plurality, l2s: prohibition vote, l. 1.0s2:
Thirty-third district, Dem. plurality. l.496;
prohibition vote, l.9OS; Thirty-third dis
trict. Dem. plurality. LIES: prohibition
vote. l.SS2. Thus, the house of repressn-
tativeS has lost six republican members by
III ri party manipulation. My information
is that had these six republicans thus defeat
ed. have been elected. il would have given
six votes in the house TO local option. The
NdIllf III lllt ltll ltludpN u SlIlklG
exception. Now what is the use of sending
petitions TO the legislature favOring the pas
sage of local option law, when we know
the facts above stated? In my opinion it is
Just impossible to have such a law enacted
by the present legislature. The members
are not there who will vote for such a bill
The place Ia make votes in the legislature
is at the polls. Elect the right men. But
4 in ha third --a in, al
drew OFF a sufficient number of votes
from tine republican party 10 defeat six re-
pubicans for the house and five at least for
the senate. and place other six and five
all demOcrats-whO will vote against local
option: and when such bills fail of passage
the leaders of that party will raise the cry.
Il told you so-that there is no dependence
in the republican party" We know how
unScrupulous they are in Misrepresentation
If we shall petition for the passage of 10
cal option law. and fail. as fail we must.
under the state f facts as above stated,
the welkin will ring with delTunciatiOns Of
the republican party. And this will be
given rs proof that nothing can b. eX-
pected of the republican party in the way
of Temperance legislation. Possibly a bill
might be passed to increase the tax on the
liquor traffic. In Illinois the tax is $3.50 to
$500. with authority to city councils to in
crease the tax without limit. And that is
about to be dOne-doubling the tax-in
Chicago, and several other prominent
cities. think we would better ask for a
law of this nature for the present, and take
care at the next election of members of the
legislature, that in the five counties above
named, and the five senatorial districts, re-
publican local option members shall be
'lected, in spite of the opposition of third
party prohibs. L. G. Fl.