The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-01-24


credit for a days labor In such sum
as measures their contribution to the
state. From this the cost of their
keep should be taken, and what re-
mains, certainly in all fairness and
right, belongs to their families. This
plan will in a short time reduce the
prisoners who must be kept in case
confinement, in such numbers that the
maintenance OF the old prison plant,
on ground now possessing great COM
mercial value, will be most impractic-
able The equipment in the old pen
itentiary used for lighting the state
buildings can be set up in any one OF
the other state institutions at the cap
ital, and operated there with equal
efficiency and economy l therefore
strongly recommend such legislative
action as will work the changes sug-
gested in the state institutions.
The Liquor License.
EleV enth-"The licensing of the
liquor traffic"
The endorsement Of this plan was
followed by suffrage ratification Of
the constitutions amendment on the
subject, by a majority vote sufficiently
large to form a safe index to the state
Of public opinion. II therefore be.
comes the duty of the legislature now
to carry into practical operation the
new scheme of regulating the liquor
traffic. For years this question in
Ohio has been the football of politics.
Not only has the so-called wet and dry
question been the means Of disquiet.
ing community life but it has formed
divisions in the legislature and occa-
stoned confusion in such measure as
to seriously interfere with the proper
settlement of strictly economic ques-
tions. The action Of the constitution.
al convention was a positive reflection
of the public desire to approach and
dispose of this subject on the base Of
common sense, having high regard for
the public welfare. The question has
been so interviewer with the politics
Of communities that expediency gem
Grated for years evasion on the part
of many public officials. The whole
thing seemed to hang in the balance
and it is my judgment that the con-
stitutional convention acted wisely
and well, not only in adopting a Ii
cense proposal but in so prescribing
the constitutional limitations as to
Keep within the hands of the people
the power at all times to deal effect
lively with this problem. The consti-
tutional amendment provides that the
liquor traffic shall be licensed where
the saloon now exists. Conditions are
in nowise changed where the people
have by suffrage expression removed
the saloon. No person not a citizen
of the United States nor of good
moral character can procure a Ii
cense. The most extensive investi-
cation has been made with respect to
the experience of Massachusetts
Pennsylvania, Illinois and Canada, and
this leads me to recommend this ba-
sic feature of the law, namely, that 4
license commission, consisting of not
less than three persons, shall be ap-
pointed by the governor and that this
body shall with the consent of the
governor, select the commissions in
the so-called wet counties. The sue
cess of this law and its operation in
harmony with public desire depend
not only upon the highest possible
personnel in administration but re-
sponsibility must be so centered that
the whole machinery of regulation
can be kept efficient. The suggestion
that the local commissions be elected
in the counties is to Tne unthinkable.
The whole underlying purpose of this
license arrangement is to lift the
liquor question from community poll
tics. The state plan IN some degree
keeps it in politics but Oh a wise and
better base. 1t can be safely assumed
that the people of this state will give
closer attention to the election of a
governor than to that of a county
license commission. There will be no
serious suffrage neglect in the cleo
ion of a governor. There might be
n the election of a county license
and this would develop
/ travesty out of a sche me of admin
government the details OF
which have been worked out up to
his time with most painstaking
are. If the license plany is correct in |
heory, it is entitled to test under the |
,og+ ta o,Ic1 ,innc II iC
natter of such concern. to the state
hat authority must not be scattered.
NE law should assess against the
raffic the, cost of all al lministration, |
n addition to the prese Mt tax. The
in expressed ter ms, says that
he license and regulatio n plan in no |
yay, Shall be construe d as to re- |
eal, modify or suspend. any such pro- |
ibitory or regulatory laws now IN |
orce." The Toledo platte rm endorsed
be license plank, and tn is should in |
ood faith be the only liquor law |
assed at this session. Otherwise a |
istinct wet and dry iss ue will be |
btruded to interfere with the adop- |
ion of an effective Ii cense code. 1t |
lay also by DIVISIONS create d, serious
2 embarrass our leg lslative program |
n other subjects, Preca ution is |
rged against ISLE epers" .so-called, |
-hich might confic with the intent |
the amendment, very broadly and |
lainly expressed, nj thus throw the
hole question into the courts. The
ate is entitled to- something ap- |