New-York tribune., 1874-03-16
THE MOVEMENT IN INDIANA.

AIMS or THE woMEN's MOVEMENT IN INDIANAP-
| oIIs-A sALoON-KEEPERs CONFESSIONS.
| fPRoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF TBR rRIBUSRl
| INDIANAPoLIs March 9.-It must be admitted that,
so far as the cities are concerned the Baxter law of
Indiana has not been successful in represslng
lntemperance than the Adair law of Ohio; nor is
either of these laws effective than the Prohb-
tOry statute of Massachusetts. 1t is easy to get
drink of whisky in Indianapolis as in Cincinnati
and in Boston IN New York; and it costs not one
cent more in one Of these cities than in any other
There is difference, however, in the way
of getting it. In Boston the actual drinking must
DO done behind screen in private paror; that
is if a raid of the constabulary has recently taken
place In Indianapolis it is safer toibuy 1t In one OF
| the ounce vias which tho barkeeper scrupulously
displays above the tray Of glasses; but this will not
be insisted unless you are Ia suspicious stranger
and not a all if there is danger of the loss of your
custom But in Cincinnati people would laugh at a
saloon keeper who should make even pretense OF
keeping the law. Barring these local distinctions,
saloons flourish alike under Baxter law, Adair law,
and absolute prohibition.
FEATURES OF THE BAXTER LAW.
The Baxter law requires that no saloon shall he
licensed unless it is pcttioned for by majority of
the voters of the ward in which it is to be located.
Heretofore no difficulty has been found in getting
the requisite signatures. Amau wishing license to
sell liquor hires sharp fellow to carry around pets
ton and rarely does the emissary fail to get names
enough for his purpose. 1t is true that the sigma
tures of minors Jail BIRDS who have been dead 70
years, and men who have never hved at all, appear
on the paper, But the County Commissioners can
not scrutinize every name on three or four hun
dred petitions; SO q permit nearly always fol-
lows the application. Thus it happens that it some
times costs less to open saloon than 1t did un
Jor tha oil law which rpouiled "A license: for "A
license was annually taxed $50. whereas the sigma
tnres to petition for permit may not cost more
than go The proceeds from tho license tax used
to bo appropriated to the support of the public
school system, and Sl50,OOO year was thus raised
Tbs sum is now lost to the State, and the school
fund is so much short unless the deficit is filled b.
! taxation OF another kind.
But has not the number of saloons dccreased1 In
the villages and smallest towns, yes in the ciles
no. The records in the Office OF the Auditor OF TINS
| county which have examined, show that In the
nine months which have elapsed since the Baxter
law went into effect the County Commissioners have
granted permits to 235 saloons and now have about
! 40 more applications under consideration, with
probability In favor of their being granted. At this
rate over jS permits will have been granted when
| the first year Of the BaXtoT law expires, whiie
| the number of saloons licensed in the pre-
ceding year was only 335 The difference IN number
il not great but it shows that the authorized liquor
dealers are not fewer. but probably more numerous
| under the new than under the old regime. The diff
ference in favor of the old law is still more apparent
however when il is stated that fair estimate from
n friend of temperance places the number of un-
licensed liquor stores no@ publicly doing business
quite as high as the number of those that
licensed Truth requires that 1t shall also be stated
| that the other provisions Of the Baxter law
| are not complied with. It is required that
the saloons shall be closed at D. m, but
| they are, nevertheless, open until midnight or
as 1such later the proprietor may deem expedient.
The bonds required of the saloon keeper readily
given but when the bondsmen arc called for they
respond in name but generally with property insult
Gcient to meet the demands OF the wife, widow, or
| orphans who sue for damages Indeed, there Is
hardly q provision of the law which can be pro-
nounced as effective as its benevolent author de-
signed
| no SUPPORT FROM PUBLIC SENTIMENT
The great difficulty with the Baxter law, as with
other laws of prOhibitory character has been that
| public sentiment does not sustain 1t. Many good
people are its partisans, others are willing that it
sbonld have fair trial. but the majority of every
| community NAV be found in the two other classes.
viz those who are indifferent on the subject, and
those who are opposed to any kind OF prohibtory
legislation And now come the ladies with prayer
as an adjunct organized and at work. not to pray at
saloon doors but striving to create just what is
| needed to put the machinery of the Baxter law in
| motiOn-a public sentiment which Will compel the
State and city officers to enforce its pro-
Visions Here AS elsewhere in Indiana, the first to
move in the matter were Quaker ladies' Ever fore
most in good works. they were quick to take adyan-
aoe of the excitement on the subject Of temperance,
| cansed by the women's movement in Ohio. They
| were soon reinforced by other Christian ladies,
nrominent alike in church and society. and the re-
| sult is a numerous and influential organization,
known as the Women's Christian Temperance Union
The following are tho officers of the Union:
| president Mrs Detha Harvey; Secretary. Miss Au-
retta oyt responding Secretary. Miss Gertie Hoi
day; Treasurer, Mrs Carrie Evans. There are also
! nrominent An the work Mrs. Hannah T. Hadey Mrs.
Elizabeth Jenkins, Mrs. j. Truebood, Mrs Bartlett.
| Mrs Bayhss Mrs. wingse, Mrs. Boggs Mrs Townsend
Mrs stagg Mrs. w. A. Holiday ana Mrs lsraei Taylor
Under the auspices of this Association prayer
meetings and massmeetngs have been held ana
the fact that ntemperance has been on the increase
and that the laws of the State are not enforced Ia
| kept constantly before the public But they have
| mt stopped with prayer. Committees have been
| aDpointed and counsel employed TO watch the per-
sons making applications for permits to open
| ,ew saIoons and to scrutinize not only the
| notitions ACCOMMODATING such appca t0ns but
| those upon which permits have already
! bccn granted. When the County Commis-
son,r sit TO hear APPLICATIONS the ladies attend the
session IN body and the lawyers representing theih
eee that ,he law is complied with IN every rehpect
The iesult wae arp ueinglJ lut tut"LiIy stated ny