The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-09-03

Gus Protest-RepubIicans Proud to
Defend Harris.
There is ruction in the Democratic
ranks over the alliance between the
state organization and the Personal
Liberty league. formed by the brew
ing interests to spread the liquor
propaganda The Personal Liberty
league has been sending out most of
the literature used so far in the cam
paign by the Democrats and immense
amounts Of money! are said to be In
process Of distribution to Influence"
liquor arguments and appeals for sup
port for the Democratic state ticket.
At the head OF the Personal Liberty
league is one John Schwab, with the
appelation of Judge" derived from a
term of service on the police bench
Of Cincinnati. Schwab recently made
speech in German to a Piqua audi
ence in which he grew exceedingly
bitter toward Governor Harris for the
6ONClA AOI dlIIluuS ION uIu IelHpSl-
ance legislation. AS a sequel to this
attack. Henry Kampf; secretary of the
Democratic state committee. printed
an editorial in his paper, the Piqua
LeaderDispatch. Strenuous efforts
were made by the leaders at his po-
litical headquarters to discourage him,
but the editorial appeared as follows:
'If this man, John Schwab, with
the appelation of Judge, would deliver
in the English language before an
audience of representa- Americans,
such an abusive TRADE as he unloos-
ened here he would be hissed from
the stage. Under the pretense of de-
Tending German customs. he assailed
American institutions and officials to
an extent that was simply reprehensi-
Bile. If the men behind the personal
liberty movement expect such bra1en
demagogues to achieve their ends,
county local option will sure come on
apace. He attacked the governor of
Ohio in such language that 1t was re-
pellant to even the most partisan
Democrat and If for no other reason
he should be denounced as an abusive
and disrespectful defamer"
This protest Of Mr.. Kampf shows
the real motive of all that is associ-
ated with the Personal Liberty move
ment. The printed matter 50 far sent
out by the league makes it appear the
most beneficent and unsetlsh Of in
stitutions. The effort is made to
show how harmless alcoholic addiction
is and what life-save the saloon
may become II regulated by the brew
that the brewers and the various H.
quor interests will be glad to take the
control Of drinking places away from
the community and the promise is
made that under brewing supervision
all the abuses of the liquor traffic will
be done away with. This promise is
interesting in view of the fact that
the vast majority of saloons are now
owned by the breweries and the man
who is known as the proprietor is in
reality the employe of the corpora
tion.
The argument of better regulation,
stricter supervision and an elevated
tone to the saloon as a solution Of the
temperance problem is made especial
ly to the intelligent American; the
element whose instructive preference
is for the least possible amount of
personal restriction; to the men who
are in the local option ranks because
Of the example of evils rather than
by any process of theoretical reason.
ing.
But Schwab, with his prefix of
Judge, presents the other side of the
picture; the side that is not polished,
not retouched, not decorated with all
the alluring figures of word painter
Schwab illustrates the real Personal
Liberty league. He is the president
and active head. His Piqua speech
offers enlightenment to one who
would know the workings of the
league. He attempts to make his
German audiences rally to his stand
ard through belief that the temper.
ance movement is an assault on their
nationality. He seeks to stir up race
pride and play on their love for the
customs of their fatherland He hopes
to set nationality against nationality,
and he heaps abuse on an honest and
upright governor merely because the
governor approved an act of the legis-
ture giving the people the right to
abolish the saloon from their neigh.
borhood If they do not want 1t.
Democratic leaders are saying now
that the temperance fight is one en-
tirely within the Republican party.
The Republican platform stands for
enforceable temperance laws The
Democratic platform ignores moral
issues. Judson Harmon, Democratic
candidate for governor, has been ad.
vised by his state committee, it is
said, to remain silent on the liquor
question In his speeches. But can he
remain silent? And If he does, what
construction will the public place on
his silence, knowing that the Personal
Liberty league has made him its can
didate and is supplying share of the
money on which his campaign is run?
AS for the Republican party, 1t is
proud to defend its governor who had
the courage, in the face Of threats and
intimidations, to approve a measure
RivinG the greatast amount Of homa
rule the statutes would permit.
Taft and Harris--a combination