New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-25
ISSUES IN INDIANA.
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION PREDoMI-
NANT


THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
trpou A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRlRuNEI
IVDI,XAPoIIs. Ind, Sept. o. will say one
Thing TO you" said the Hon Joseph L. Mcdonald,
nj the end of half hours chat about Indiana poll
tics: there will he great landslide in either
direction Judge Mcdonald is chairman OF the
Democratic state Central Committee, and the
faircst leading Democrat in Indiana. The meaning
of his remark was that notwithstanding tue ~
ported large accessions of strength TO the Dehoc-
racy by reason of the liquor dealers action or the
loss OF temperance votes Indiana, consistent WIN
her record remains in his opinion doubtful state
A study of the situation and Of the uhderlylnB
influences at work leads to the impression 'iat inc
Republicans will enter the battle with slight Dut'
n they believe sufficient advantages. Inc prom
bilon question: which is the most confusing Oh 'ne
Issues is slowly working to their advantage anu
time is their best canvaSser. The temperance move
ment i'm the State is not the work CT Its POLITICIANS,
INIT comes from the people. Forty-six thousand
VOTERS with twice that number OF non-Yotlne resi-
dents by their petitions TO the Legislature gave
the question its first impetus. Their demand was
for prohibition" pure and simple. There was no
talk of cense local option or taxaTon no PROPOSE
ton to stop at intermediate stations; but demand
to press on at stage to the end 1t Is singular
fact that some OF the Democratic stronStolds IN
this State were the centres of this movement. 1t
was non-political and no third party was threat
ened or contemplated means OF securing the
end sought. Recognizing, as of necessity move
ment so Formidable the Legislature took the initla-
tive step in accordance with the prayers OF Its
petitioners. They framed and passed prohibitory
amendments to the Constitution asfollows;
SECTION 1.-The manufacture. sale and keeping Tor
sale in said state spiIituOus Niuous. malt liquors or
u,S G' nrrGoricaI or wines for sacramcuia pur-
I Ice is
sac 2." The General Assembly Of the state of In
diana shall provide by law in what manner by WHOM;
and al what places such liquors shall be manufactured
or sold for medicinal, scientific, mechanical ana sacla-
mental purposes.
BY the provisions of the Constitution already
existing providing for its own amendment. these
amendments must be submitted to the next Legs
latu1e, and if passed must then be submitted 10
the people. Up to tie passage OF these amendments
the subject had not become political, although ny
far the largest proportion Of the votes in favor OF the
amendments was cast by Republicans. Now,
however. the liGuOr men, as in Ohio under somewhat
similar conditions became alarmed and organized
TO save their business from threatened destruction.
Instinctiyely they sought aid from the Democratic
party, and in return formally rendered their best
services to secure Democratic victories. Matters
were thus precipitated and the subject became one
of partisan politics. The responsive Democracy
frankly declared its adherence of the principle oi
prohibition and sought Join the issue upon that
question alone with the Republicans
"NO' replied the latter; " this question had
non-politcal origin, and non-politlca 1t must re-
main until 1t is worked out to a conclusion. VIC
will send the question to the people of the state. TO
be decided irrespective of party pTedilecuons' ana
at Il special election
We, too" answered the Democrats, "are IN
favor of submission to the people; but" they
added equivocaly let the people decide it at
the Ginning election by sending legislators who shall
be instructed to vote tor or against the amendments
as the case may he. at their second stage
"Not So" rcjoincd the Republicans, "one-haf
the Senate holds Over-a large balance Of power
and in the nearly equal divisions of the newly
elected, these may decide the question adversely
to the verdict of the people. Moreover there are
other amendments to the Constitution passing
through the stages of enactment side by side with
the prohborv sections, and 1t is impossible for the
voter to express his wish upon several propositions
by casting q single ballot, unless he IS IN favor of
all or opposed to all. We will instruct legislators
10 vote for the amendments anyway and thus let
the people decide inally."
Again said the Democrats crafty in their plat
form and their key notes: d" We are in favor OF
.submissionI Of coarse. but let the question come
on two years hence when a President of the United
States is to be elected and not at special election,
when perhaps not half the voters Will 20 to the
polls"
"Nor answered the others emphatically. " That
is a trap We are not pruhlbitiOnists as party,
and we decline to make this question an issue To
help a Democratic Presidential candidate into
powor. We demand the right for ourselves and for
all cite of the state to vote upon the subject
according to individual convictions, and this can
best be done at a special election. IL concerns our
Sta.e alone aud not the Nation
"Thcn," reioincd the Democracy finally, being
opposed to prohibition aud in favor OF the cOntinu
ance forever OF the present state OF things, will
try at every suage TO kill the question. We will
seek to elect members of the Legislature instructed
to defeat the amendments next winter, 80 they
shall not come directly before the people; failing IN
which our efforts shall be directed to securing a
| postponement of the question until the next Presl-
dental election. when local-opton and anti.prohi-
btion Republicans may be expected to join us aud
help us elect our President while VIC help them do
/ feat prohlbtior.'
LEAGUE OF DEMOCRACY AND WIIiSKEY.
| 30 the issru Is joined upon submission alone.
The temperance people, Republicans and Democrats,
are hard AT work preaching their prohibition doc
trInes and holding enthusiastic camp meetings. Poll
tics is not usually touched upon a. these gatherings.
but tie union o. the liquor leagues and the DemOc-
racv being the most 81 kncant Of recent events is
fraitful subject with many CT The speakers. Men,
/ it must be admitted, who have remained democrats
since the beginnIug of the Rebellion are so because
I they were born So and neither preaching
fghtful examples will he likely to affect their al
! legiance to the besotted old party OF their youth.
But there is an element of the Democracy which.
being brought under the influence OF the temper
ance or prohibition movement, cannot fail TO take
notice that between the political party which says
Give this movement full liberty to work out lis
own results and that which plants itself inerty IN
| the nath. Aeclnring. al Tie lilllnc oil salOOn-