Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-08-17
CRITICISM
Of Akrons Police Authorities For interfering
With Prohibition Meeting.


the Mayor invites them in his under
officials stand ready to kick them out
unceremoniously! Has it come to this
Has Akron fallen so low? Has she
become so vile and degraded that de-
cent, wellknown, well-ordered citizens
cannot discuss publicly the public well
fare, and strive for better laws in be-
half of our boys and our girls and
other unfortunates, but must be in
suited and kicked off our streets by a
policeman who pleasess thereby the
liquor lords? The reason is plain:
We want to 'obstruct' the saloon while
he and his friends protect the saloons.
If this be not SO, why do they
not enforce the many laws
which the saloons daily defy
{ see section 342c city ordinances; also
the Sunday laws. Every day these
saloons violate both statutory and mu-
nicipal laws and this dear, good, faith
full officer and his superiors, have never
yet gained any such reputation for
"obstructing" saloon illegality as they
have for trying to break up this large
and respectable Prohibition meeting,
a meeting that was In every way or
darby nd In Oh tir,er
travel or business. And the editorial
in local Republican paper which put
up weak, driveling defense of the
officer, was in keeping with the roor-
backs which 1t knowingly and will
fully published last spring against our
party and which fact we cast into its
teeth without denial on its part
We also call attention to sections
2640 and 444 city ordinances in relation
to streets, and to cars on cross walks,
etc. Look in every direction you will
and these policemen who turn pale at
the sight of a Prohibition meeting and
tremble lest the wicked Prohibitionists
shall obstruct travel or business, can
flourish their bllies day after day,
night after night, and week after week,
If not year after year, in sight of the
violation of these city ordinances and
never be guilty of a. thought, nor the
shadow of thought of their enforce
ment.
But reader, we are proud of that
meeting. l am glad we have grown as
a party, so we can obstruct the street.
Usually the Beacon bclittles the size
of our crowd, but now it owns up that
we had crowd big enough to obstruct
Market st. If the Beacon tells the
truth we are bound to poll much
larger vote this fall than ever before.
And that's what is the matter with
Han-I mean the Beacon; it abominates
big crowds at Prohibition meetings.
That fact strikes the Beacon with ter
ror to the very heart-if machine pa
per can be said to have any heart.
But one thing Is sure, that assemblage
on Market st. did have n heart and it
throbbed in behalf of fair-play and
had that policeman attempted TO move
us on In the face of all the facts, that
meeting would have done some lively
protesting. Thank God for the men
outside of our party who yet stand for
truth and justice and fair-dealing.
The idea that great political party
of more than a quarter of century
of honorable history behind it, and an
organization in forty (40) States and
represented by some Of the .grandest
reformers Of the world and among the
hest minds of the world, should always
have to go through lot of genuhec-
tlons and red-tapelsm to hold a meet
ing to discuss public matters or be
required by the infamous Pugh law
to petition our lords In the Legisla-
ture to know whether they will permit
us to exercise the right of franchise
which the constitution of both State
and nation guarantees to us--I say the
very idea is repugnant to true Aneri-
can principle and is against the genius
of our American institutions, and
shows to what a depth OF depravity
American politics has descended. And
we appeal to the citizens of Akron to
know what organization has SO good n
right on our streets to discuss public
questions as have those people who ara
devoting their time and energies for
the public welfare, trying to save our
boys and our girls from ruin, and not
FOR the spoils OF office? l am perfect
ly sure that the good people of Ak
ron viii not long tolerate such base
injustice and discrimination, We need
return OF the spirit of '76; we need
an infusion of patriotism instead of
demagogism We repat: We are proud
OF that meeting and the men who stood
by aud demanded fair-play. Had they
not done so, we surely should have