The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-09-23
LECALIzED EVIL, NO. 101.
BY John Danner,

Buffalo, N. Y, had an article in the
Journal and Messenger, a religious
paper published every week in Cincin-
natl, O.. in which he said, prohibit
ton is made a partisan issue by the
Prohibitionists, and not by anyone
else"
Had Mr.. Culver known more about
our affairs in Ohio he would not have
made such a statement. Both political
parties that have ruled in this state
for more than 40 years have declared
in many instances that they are OPP
posed to prohibition; and declared TO
the world that they are tax and incense
parties. The Republicans went so far
as to say in their state convention.
I'VE point with pride to the Dow law"
1t is q fact that no intelligent politi-
clan will undertake to deny that both
the Democratic and Republican parties
have catered to the saloon vote these
many years, and many OF their eau
cuses and committee meetings have
been held In close proximity to the
saloon, and sometimes have even elect
ed saloon men to ot1ice. Geurge B.
Cox, Of Cincinnati, think, is now ON
the Republican state committee, and
this same man was at one time pro-
prietor Of saloon which was known
as "Murderers' Corner Saloon" and
was looked upon by the best citizens
as being very dangerous institution.
am informed that this same man,
George B. Cox, is now on the state
Republican ticket. People can draw
their own conclusions as to the tenn
perance position Of the Republican
party in this state.
1t is no secret that both the old na-
tional political parties have been
''courtinE the saloon VOTE" and do at
this time. The moral and religious SEN
timent Of our best citizens are opposed
to the whole saloon business; and
from the further fact that our state
constitution forbids giving a license
Tor permiD for liquor selling for bev-
erage purposes. 1t is an outrage upon
the citizens of Ohio that ever a legis-
lature could have been found to i'm
pose upon our people such an unholy
and unconstitutional law as the Dow
tax law.
Three attempts were made at this
unholy business before they succeeded,
and then It was sustained by a partisan
court, not Democrat being on the
bench at the time. The first was the
Scott and Pond laws. both OF which
were declared to be unconstitutional,
but finally the judges were Repubh-
cans, and then It was that the Dow
law was brought forth and sustained by
a Republican court; and that fact has
shown who were its friends. Up to
the time of the adoption OF our state
constitution the consumption of fntox-
icating liquors in Ohio was reported to
to be little over four gallons per
capita a year. Now 1t has inereas-
ed TO over 16 gallons per capita.
Does not this clearly show that our
liquor tax laws are trampling upon our
state constitution, ana have greatly
benefited the liquor interests, while
our homes, our young men, are e1-
posed to the ruin wrought by this
which now has a legal per-
NIT to carry on its ruinous business,
If 1t pays the annual tax fixed by the
Dow law?
What does our state constitution
amount to on the liquor question when
it clearly says, mo license shall be
granted for the sale of Intoxicating
liquors?" If permit to do a thing
is not a license then l do not know
what the word means; and we all
know that the Dow tax law does permit
the selling Of intoxicating liquors for
beverage purposes by the annual pay
ment of the tax required by the said
law.
Every Christian voter, and every
man should forsake a poll
teal party that will thus betray the
homes and manhood of our state.
While it is true that this daring act to
trample upon our state constitution
was done by the Republican party in
Ohio. the Democrats are just as guilty,
Tor they have since that time had the
power to repeal such an unconstitu-
tional and unholy law, but they did
not have the moral courage to even
attempt such thing; therefore both
parties are alike guilty in this matter.
The fact that the prohibitory clause
in our state constitution has been
twice sustained by the votes of the
people, and snat both the old political
parties persist in legalizing the saloons
by the payment OF an annual tax,
should make any Christian voter and
every temperance man forsake their
rum ruled political parties and vote the
straight Prohibition ticket, and thus
stand by our constitution and our
hresides. Fellow citizens, and friends
II home; knowing that the saloon is
The greatest obstacle to Christian CIV