Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-04-04

organize the township polls, in an ad-
/ Joining room. The friends of the Demo
cratic ticket were on hand in goOdly num-
bers, and were alert and active through
out the day. The other side paid but lit
tie attention to the election.
Whisky was an important factor in de-
termlning the result. 1t was used boldly,
and with apparent contempt for law.
Notwithstanding all these things, the
result was heard with amazement. That
such an exceptionally good ticket as the
Republicans presented could be beaten 50
votes few people were prepared to believe.
The spectacle was a sorrowful one, and
the lessons it taught instructive.
The ordinance about which all this hull
laballoo was kicked up was enacted two
years ago. In that time no practical steps
were taken by its especial friends to Sc
cure its enforcement, while persons hos
tile to it adopted every method that the
ingenuity of men could devise to make it
imperative and odious. They succeeded.
As result very many men who favored
its adoption two years ago, realizing that
it has wholly failed to decrease the con-
sumption of liquor, and that the traffic
was more lawless and defiant than before
the adoption of the ordinance, favored its
repeal. That was the position of one of
the candidates, at least, upon the Repub
lican ticket, and of very many men who
abhor saloons and the liquor traffic. Does
any reasonable man fail to see the lesson
this state of affairs teaches? No ld1O aCiH
enforce itself. The officers Of the la,o can
not be depended upon to enforce legisla-
ton of this description. 1t can be sue
cesJilEly enforced only 10here upheld by
public opinion, and then only 1Chen its
friends organize themselves and decOte
their time and money to its enforcement.
Unless these things are done, such legis-
lation is positively hurtful. Not only
were these essentials lacking, but pro-
fessed friends of the ordinance, men who
have fought loudly with their mouths for
the suppression of the liquor traffic and
invariably sustain the political party the
liquor interest leans upon for support,
were and are more hurtful to the cause
of temperance and sobriety than all the
saloons closed by the ordinance.
The Republican candidate for Clerk
could have been elected if he and his
friends had made one-half the effort that
was made by the successful candidate
The latter tramped the streets day and
night for week before the election, So
liciting the support of men indiscrimin-
ately, and election day stood around the
polls under an umbrella asking for votes.
The Democratic voters were checked off
as they voted, and absentees hunted up.
Mr.. Gilmore nor his friends did none of
these things, and as result scores of Re
publicans, intent only on getting rid of
the anti-saloon ordinance, and thinking
of nothing else, voted the so-called Dem
ocratic ticket entire. 1t is reported that
the Clerk is greatly elated over his cleo
ton. Well he may be-. But for the de-
moralization produced by the saloon ques
ton and the stampede of so many Repub-
licans, the majority against him would
have been as great as that for him. If
he can derive any comfort over running
about thirty votes behind his ticket, in a
total of 280 votes, and about thirty less
majority than he had two years ago, he is
welcome to it. So far as his future is
concerned, the vote is significant.
There must be no nonsense nor mon
keying about this matter now. The boys
expect the statesmen in Council to act
promptly. A meeting should be held at
an early date. Formalities are not to be
tolerated. The business of the outgoing
members was the enactment of the anti
saloon ordinance. When that was done
their duties were ended. Last year and
this year men were especially chosen to
repeal it. When that is done, the duty
Council was chosen to perform will have
been discharged, and the body may very
properly adjourn sine die.
We live in grand and awful times.