The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-01-17

followed BY Suffrage ratification Of
the constitutional 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
traifc. For years this question 10
Ohio has been the football Of politics.
Not only has the so.called wet and dry
question been the m, ans Of disquiet.
ing community life but IL has formed
divisions IN the legislature and occa-
stoned confusion in such measure as
10 seriously interfere with the proper
settlement of strictly economic ques-
tions. The action Of the constitution.
al convention was positive reflection
OF the public desire to approach ami
dispose Of this subject on the base Of
common sense. having high regard for
| the public welfare. Tho question has
been so interviewer with the politics
Of communities that expediency gen.
| Grated for years evasion on the part
Of many public officials. The whole
thing seemed to hang in the balance
and II is my Judgment that the con.
stitutional convention acted wisely
and well, not only In adopting II.
cense proposal but In 80 prescribing
the constitutional limitations as TO
Aeep within the hands Of the people
the power at all times to deal effect.
lively with this problem. The cousti.
tutional amendment provides that the
liquor trafiic shall be licensed where
the saloon now exists. Conditions ars
In nowise changed where the people
have by suffrage expression removed
the saloon. No person not . citizen
Of the United States nor Of good
moral character can procure a Ii.
! cense. The most extensive investt
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 \
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 it's 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 me 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 II in politics but on a wise and
better base. II can be safely assumed
that the people of this state will give
closer attention to the election Of a
governor than to that Of county
license commission. There will be no
serious suffrage neglect in the elec.
ton Of a governor. There might be
in the election of a county license
commission. and this would develop
a travesty out of a scheme OF admin.
istrative government, the details OF
which have been worked out up TO
this time with most painstaking
care. II the license plan, is correct In
theory. 1t is entitled to test under the
most advantageous auspices. II Is a
matter Of such concern to the state
that authority must not be scattered.
The law should assess against the
traffic the cost OF all administration.
in addition to the present tax. The
proposal in expressed terms, says that
the license and regulation plan in no
way, shall be construed as to re-
peal, modify or suspend, any such pro-
hibitory or regulatory laws now In
force" The Toledo platform endorsed
the license plank, and this should In
good faith be the only liquor law
passed at this session. Otherwise 4
distinct wet and dry issue will bo
obtruded to interfere with the adop.
tion of an effective license code. 1t
may also by DIVISIONS created, serious
ly embarrass our legislative program
on other subjects. Precaution is
urged against "sleepers'' so-called,
which might conflict with the intent
Of the amendment, very broadly and
plainly expressed, and thus throw the
whole question into the courts. The
state is entitled to something ap.
preaching, at least, final settlement
of this matter.
ciassifies Amendments.
The governor then takes up the
various amendments that were adopt.
ed. classifying them as mandatory and
optional Where the amendment was
mandatory, stating that the legisla.
ture shall pass certain laws, he makes
specific recommendations He deals
at length with he removal from Office
of officials and calls attention to the
thousands of dollars that the state
examiners find is now owing to the
state. He recommends that prose.
cutting attorneys and city solicitors be
required to bring action for the recov.
cry Of the same instead Of requiring
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