The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-02-02
LOCAL OPTION.
MIR. BAxrER's sPEEcH.

Nh BA&TER'S SPEECH. 4
SHALL LOCAL OPTION BE SUPERSEDED s.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY wM. RAxTRR IN TIN
SENATE, JANUARY d, 1875.
Much as j dislike to treSspass upon the
time OF the Senate. should be recreant to
tne noDleet instincts of manhood as well as
10 the best interest OF the state, we're to re-
Iraih nom expressing my views on the qRes-
tion now under consideration.
Inc other dsy,while participating i'm dis
cussien on the subject OF Bsury, the senator
IRON Montgomery said with Rrea. force
tnat that question was OF the greatest ina
portance, that 1t lay at the bottom of all our
dltnculties. While 1 fully recognize the
lorce OF his remarks, the1ght there was q
still greater evil in our midst, and am in
ciined TO the opinion with all due respect
10 the honorable senator, that II he had
studied II with as deep and persistent inter-
est as he has done the usury laws, his honest
heart and candid mind would agree With me.
1 refer TO the drink trsfficp This surely il
apparent from the fact, that there have
probably been five times as many bills pre-
sented TO the general assembly to restrict
ana regulate this traffic, than have been pre-
sented on any other special question.
take 1t for granted that every gentleman
on tins floor is here with an earnest desire
20 DO All In his power, by proper legislation,
70 restrict as much as possible, The evils re-
soitlng TO society from this traffic, that he
Viii Dring TO bear an impartial and unpreju-
uiced mind In the Investigation OF the ques-
Ilobi SO that every one msy be willing TO
auoPC Whatever course seems most likely to
conouce TO the end seek, even If that
course may be opposed to his own precon-
ceived opinions.
The question before he Senate is /: ssShsll
the local option provision of the present law
ne sustained, or shall il be super seded bv
the old system of license placing tine power
exclusively In the hands OF the county COM
mlssioners to grant or to refuse liceuse7"
The object OF all Legislation on this SUBJ
lecs should be, to restrain as tar possible.
the evils falling upon society by this traffic.
Ii this be cur intention, then, Ia order TO ar
rive at safe conclusions, we should turn to
the lamp OF experience and try to ascertain
rom IT, whether history and facts are In
Iavor OF local option, or a so called license
law, 70 see which has tended most to restrain
the traftic and protect society,"
In 1859 the general assembly passed what
has latterly been called by supporters of the
trafnc, '.judicious, well-regulated license
law" That law provided, that 1t shoald be
unlawful to sell intoxicants without q
license. That in order to procure a license
the applicant should advertise his intention
IN newspaper in the county % days before.
the Commissioners Court, so that persons
might have an opportunity to appear and
show cause why he should not have license
granted him. That after such notice had
been given and the time expired, he should
come before the equity commissioners and
prove to their satisfaction" that he was "a
man OF good character and 1t to be trusted
with said lic5nse.v After proving that he
was such an honorable and Trustworthy per-
sonage. and giving a bond payable TO the
state of Indiana, with at least two freehold
sureties in the sum OF $500, conditioned that
he would keep an orderly and peaeeable
house, he should be entitled 10 license on
the further condition that be should pay a
Zee OF $50, which license fee was TO be placed
in the school fund and thus form q
SORT OF "sUGAR PLUM"
to compensate for the known evils which
would. result to society from the traffic.
What buriesque, nay, what a disgrace
to our boasted civilization, that our chill
drea's education should thus be made de-
pendant upon the license Of traffic which
tends more to the ignorance, BaupeFisln and
crime of the people than any other easel
This judicious, well-regulated license law
provided futher, that the person so licensed
should be debarred from selling to minors,
or on Sunday, or on election days, or 20
person in state OF intoxicstion. In fact,
this law of 1859 was probably rs stringent
law as any license bill row pending before
this general assembly. It is, therefore, fair
to presume, that it operated just as well in
regulating the traffic in drink as would any
license law now sought to be passed.
Now let US see what was The results OF
that law upon the public veal. Did il re-
strain the trsfhc7 Did it lessen or feariully
tend to increase the public evils-necesss-
rily attendant upon that suicidal businessf
invite the senators on this floor to refer to
the United States census reports for 1860
and 1870, touching this state of Indiana,
covering period OF ten years. during which
time this judicious, well-regulated license
law was in full operation. What does that
census reveal? Why It records the astound-
ing fact that while the population Of the
/ state ;r10roQ zoA 81 nQr f&1rino thaua
years, the manufacture OF intoxicants in
creased 3OS per cent, more than twelve times
| faster than the populationl This is regulat-
ing and res. raing the traffic with ven
geance! This is protecting The interest OF
the people TO purpOsei no wonder that
every saloon keeper i'm the state is elamor-
Gus for "iudicious, well-regulated license
lava license law that will protect the
dear people aEdsdd large revenue to the
school fund,
As a legitimate result OF this stupendcus
increase in the traffic in drink, we find by
further reference to the United StStes
census report, that during these same ten
years insanity increased As per cent, idiocy
so, pauperism 100, and persons actually In
prison 30 per cent! So that side by side
! with the product Of intoxicants increasing
II times faster than the increase of popula-
ton, insanity and idiocy Increased twice as
fast; pauperism nearly six times and crime
nine times as fast. / ask the senators how
long under judicious, well-regulsted license
law at this rate will it take to make the
state one E.and halacsust of psuperism,
crime aud INSANITY defer to gentlemen
who are adept IN Arithmetic to calculate.
That pauperism and crin,e oD.sln just IN
proportion to the increase OF On, nking ss-~
looms, there is surely no gentlemsfi On tnss
floor will undertake to deny. In the %
counties of this state containing the largest
number of licensed saloons, the number OF
voters Is 81, 100. There is one saloon to
every ~ voters, and one convict TO every
$50 voters. The criminal and pauper expen-
ses are So 72 per voter. In the q counties
where there are no licensed saloons, with
81, $50 voters, the pauper and criminal ak
penses are 81 81 per voter, not Co e-balf the
amoupt of the % counties with Loss sa-
looms. Thus establishing the fact beyond ;
NIL rnnA