The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-02-19
OPENED
Anti-Saloon League
Seeks to Control
THE NEXT LEGISLATURE
Circular Letter Is Issued at
COlumbus.-.Slap at Liquor
Element.
From a staff Correspondent.

From staff Correspondent.
Columbus, Feb. 15.-The Anti-Saloor
league has opened its batteries against
the liquor element In the fight to se-
cure control of the next legislature.
The following circular letter was Is
sued today and will be distributed
throughout the state:
The Republican politicians have de-
cided upon the following division of
labor for their next state campaign,
namely, General Charles Dick is to
conduct the campaign for the state
ticket and Mr.. Charles L. Kurtz has
assumed direction of the legislative
campaign, ostepsibly in the interest of
Senator Foraker's candidacy for the
United States senate, but in reality
principally in the interest of the brew.
ers and saloonkeepers of the state.
This means that the next legislature,
II Of Kurtz-Republican, as distinguish.
ed from temperance Republican con-
struction, in addition to being favora.
BILE to the election of Senator Foraker
is to be especially friendly to the sa-
loon and brewery interests of the
state, in return for which friendliness
the liquor people are to furnish to Mr..
Kurtz as in the past, large campaign
and corruption fund.
We are Offering no protest against
candidates favorable to the reelection
| Of Senator Foraker, but we do appeal to
| all friends of reasonably advanced tenn
perance legislation to see to It in every
county and senatorial district that
such pro-saloon policy in the nomina-
ton Of candidates as that contem
plated by Mr.. kurtz is not carried out.
Mr.. Kurtz has record on this ques-
ton; consequently we are not left in
doubt as to what he will do. He prac-
tically controlled the Seventy-second
and Seventy-third general assemblies.
In the first the Harris bill was defeat
ed. Mr.. Kurtz was the middle man
between the brewers and legislators
in securing the defeat of the Harris
bill. We have ample proof now in our
possession of his doings from January
30, 1896, when he said to his hench-
men. in Speaker d. L. Sleeper's room
in the Chittenden hotel, in this city,
l 1--WE must beg, borrow or buy ten more
|
cost" until the evening of February
5th, following when the bill was de-
feated, and he returned to Mr.. Sleep.
er's room with his fellow-conspirator
to express his pleasure at receiving
some unexpected" votes against the
bill, which unexpected votes were
clear gain and did not cost anything"
Mr.. Kurtz, by the aid of the brewers
and saloon people, under the guise of
defeating Mr.. Hanna for the United
States senate, organized and controlled
the Seventy-third general assembly.
This general assembly practically res
pealed two of our prominent temper
ance laws, one of which, the Adair law.
was,originelly the best on on the stat
ute books in this state. That Mr.. Kurtz
was the direct paid agent OF the brew.
ers in accomplishing this work, we
cannot prove. but that such was the
case. none familiar with the whole
affair thinks of doubling.
Mr.. Kurtz has always ueed his influ>
ence to defeat all temperance meas
ures the Anti-Saioon leagve has cham
pioned, and IL he Is permitted to car'y
out his present plans, another legisla.
ture will be elected that will co his bid
ding. 1t is high time that every man
who is interested in the moral b~ter-
ment of the state make himself foh in
the selection of the members 81 the
next general assembly.
GEORGE T. BLAKE.
|