The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-12-30
Asst Dairy Commissioner
RANDOLPH.
Correspondence

correspondence.
RANDOLPH. Dec. 26, 1856.
FRIEND HARRIS We see that by a
late decision of the Republican Su-
preme Court of Ohio, that the Dow
law has been declared constitutional.
This is no surprise TO the Prohibition.
lists, for the Republican members OF
the Legislature from Hamilton county
made the law to suit the whisky bum .
mers of Cincinnati, and they have de-
clared all the time that it was consti.
tutioral, and the Republican Supreme
Court simply indorsed what the whis
ky league of the southwest had already
decided. The Commercial Gazette, a
Republican paper of the city of Gin.
cinnati, has many interviews with
saloon keepers. of which the follow
ing are specimen utterances: Chas.
FIeshmau. distiller, Best law ever
passed. and people ought to be salts
fled. J. &. Huribrink, would prefer a
| license law and tax tn be- $500. Chris.
Spreen, treasurer of Saloonkeepsrs
Protective Association, Satisfied, $500
in favor of the Dow law. Jake IN
gehaner, Am perfectly satltied with
Dow law. Matt Halke:, | favor the
law on general principles and hope it
will he allowed to stand. Aug. Wit
teufeld, Would he perfectly Statistic
| if the law is allowed 10 remain as it is.
| Il. Moormnn, Am heartily in :avor of
the Dow law. John kenner, IN z lad
to see the Dow law is constitutional
| Pm in favor of license, and would lik c
| to see it higher than the Dow law.
| VIM. ROdemer, Prefer The Scott law,
but an. well satisfied with the Dow
law, its measures are in the main
| equitable and should receive 3 hearty
| endorsement from all interested in the
saloon business.
The Commercial Gazette says: The
law will in our Judgment. commend
itself to good citizens more and more,
and stand for long time as the fixed
policy of the State.
We find in Gov. Hoadley's message
to the legislature, dated Jan. 1, 1886
the following: "It is claimed thai
license is permissible under the pres
ent Constitution. if only the form be
disguised and it be called tax. What
ever the effect of the Scott law in
name, or even in techical legal effect
it is i'll substance and moral conse
quence, license law. | quote from
an eminent statesman noted for hi!
careful language (Senator Sherman
the following sentences, as expressing
my opinion better than any form o
words L can myself Frame"
81 can not see how you can have ,
tax law without its operating as Ii
cense law. A license is permit by
legal grant. A tax on trade or occu
patton implies permission to follow
that occupation. We do not tax :
crime, we prohibit and punish it. W.
do not share in the profits of larceny
but 10y tax we do share in the profits
of selling liquors, and therefore allow
or license it"
TO us simple minded people it il
quite mystery how our gr, at mel
should disagree so much on II question
that is very simple. The constitution
says that no license shall be granted
to sell Intoxicating liquors i'll thi
State, and we supposed that settled tn,
question. But the Republican Su
preme Court says that if you chang
the word and call it tax in place o
licence, it is constitutional. Tweedl,
dee and tweedle dunn.
w. H. BETTES.