The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-10-22
In Keeping With Promise
Made In Campaign
Is DemonstratedlBy The Ac.
tiOn Taken


remained any doubt as to the meaning
of the McDermott law in the matter of
law enforcement or the lack thereof
that doubt is set at rest In the official
statement Of Governor Willis. The
significance is that Cincinnati, or any
other large city that wishes it, will
have the open Sunday in keeping with
q promise made to them last cam
paign, 30 long as the play suits a Ger
tain political clique.
Taking Cincinnati as example, for It
was Cincinnati that put Willis across
the plate while Republicans there vot-
ed for home rule" the matter is
plainly viewed. For 20 years and more
Cincinnati had the open Sunday ga.
loon and paid little attention to any
regulatory laws until the passage of
the Greenlund liquor license act. I'm
mediately after the Greenlund act be-
came law, then Governor Cox let it be
known that he stood behind the law
and would call out the militia II neces-
sary to enforce it, and Cincinnati sa-
looms closed on Sunday. And they
stayed closed until the McDermott act
was passed and Cincinnati saloonists
thought that the Greenlund self-en-
forcing law was dead letter. The
violators were little previous in the
matter. however, thinking that mas
much as the Democratic organization
had ignored the referendum there was
nothing to it. They awoke when GER
tain Republicans took up the work,
when the members of the legislature
repudiated their own act, and when 1t
became evident that the McDermott
act would likely be rejected.
Now here is what Gov. Willis says
in defense of the McDermott act: ut
provides more than ever before for the
enforcement Of the Owen Sunday clos
ing law, passed more than 20 years
ago. 1t redeems the platform pledge
to the people and am for It."
Did Cincinnati saloons close under
the Owen law or under the Greenlund
license law, which the people demand
ed by constitutional amendment after
nearly twenty years Of Owen law fail
ure? Why did the saloons begin to
open there on Sunday as soon ~ the
legislature passed the McDermott oct,
and close again only when referendum
petitions were perfected against the
"decentralizer" Of authority? There ID
only one answer. The McDermott act
is designed to give and viii give 'home
rule" in law enforcement and will per
NIT the keeping Of the promise made
in the Cincinnati deal in behalf Of
the to-be Willis administration.
| In public statement Arthur Gar.
ford, who last fall ran for governor on
a straight out prohibition platform, de
clares for the Greenlund liquor II
cense act as the best possible license
system, and condemns the McDer-
mott act as the worst. Inasmuch az
!, Mr.. Garford can speak on the matter
as one with authority, this answers
completely the Willis loosely-made
charge that only certain vets are
against the McDermott act.
The Republican state committee qus
last fall $4,000 in the hole. But Chair
man Jones has been able to finance {
campaign for the Sprague act when h
couldn't lift the Willis campaign bank
ruptcy. Evidently the money nov
comes from sources outside the state
Further proof that 1t does is in the 81
guments for the Sprague act aenins
the policies of President Wilson ant
for special interests striving by Nigh
and main to control the next congress
These interests can well AFFORD tina