The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-17
COMMUNICATION.
Marion. O.. september Il. 1908

Marion, o., September II, 1908.
F., Editor Mirror
Believing the Mirror desires to be
| fair in the present local option agi-
tation. / would like to say something
, for the side that IL being so bitterly
assalled from the local option guns
For all those who differ with me in
opinion, ] have nothing but the kind
est of feeling. We are citizens of
Marion county, STRIVING for the COM
mon good, and while we may not
agree on what Is best at all times,
yet as loyal citizens, we stand ever
ready to give the very best we have
/ toward the building up of Marion
and the whole of the country. 1t is
not my purpose in this article to re-
feet on the motives which impel a
large and influential body of our
people, who in their zeal for right
eousness seek to overthrow long
established customs and usages, and
, set up a new standard of morality
, and compel it's adoption through
legal enactments.
If, in place of moral suaslon, good
example and home influence, we can
make men moral and virtuous by leg
isiation, then we have no need Of
preachers and the churches. don't
speak lightly of the church, "lease
remember. Liquor legislation is a
delicate and difficulty problem 20
settle by legislation. because it en-
trendhas on personal liberty and the
rights to individuals. but IL can be
solved as well as other questions, II
1t be approached in spirit of fair
What Is the purpose of the Amer
lean AntiISaloon league? The end
In vfw is absolute and entire pro-
hibitidp OF the manufacture and sale
of spittuous liquors. Many deny
this. int some of the more bold ad-
NIT It II the county goes dry. Ma
rion county will be h rd hit. The
banking interests and many other in
terests will suffsr. The loss on chat
tells and rea'ty will amount to many
thousands of dollars; yet this would
be cheap, indeed, II the promises
made bys our local option friends were
true. prohibition will make for a
higher andard OF living, for Al
sounder tmorality, a general upli@
ing of humanity as they win tell fhs
1t will, is cheap for many times
what 1t eosts. And none of us phust
deny thak the venture won't trove
costly toI the taxpayer and thef good
citizens n the county,
But viii prohibition do whit they
say It Viii do? Past experience,
present Conditions and sound common
sense viii say emphaticall$ ono"
Tell md where is there a prohibit
tion law At present in fofce in any
large or mall community which Is
not more recognized ink the breach
than in Tie observance2 wnere men
get it th ipugh mediumN or doctors
certificates and drug stores and ex-
press pack&ges-and where those who
never thought of itEwhen it was
within ea% reach, sNk for 1t and
dripIsgit Because N is forbidden
'fhit =" Y0 may m9derate and cor
rect the abuse of lidhor, but you can
never prevent its uk. Why, then, is
It not best to hayf intoxicants used
in an opeIS above Board way, under
the law. Il IAN to have them abused
in a secret steaFhy and unlawful
manner?
The objeaive pbint of all raids on
the liquor busf hess is the saloon,
because off conspicuousness. There
have, ! supposef been some disreput-
able saloonS inf the county, hut from
what knowledgt | possess, | am free
to say that }how many in the busl-
ness who aI'efable, honest and public
spirited citizens. NO denying the
fact that the saloons are well-guarded
'by legislation. They are taxed each
thousand dollars annually. That's
pretty big burden and more than
some OF them can bear; they are
forbidden to sell liquor to minors
or lnebriates under heavy penalties,
and they are compelled TO close at
IL p. M. which believe is a good
measure and meets the approval of
the majority OF the saloon men them.
selves. Is there not sufficient leg
islatdon to conduct the modern sa-
loon IN our county?
HAS II ever occurred to you that
not one-half Of the liquor consumed
in Marion county Is sold over the bar?
There are .loekers and larders filled
with 1t.
Extreme radical measures will
never win, lasting victory for any
cause in Marion county.
II A TAXPAYER.