The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-03
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
The Liquor Question.

Inc question.
To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
With your permission, desire to discuss
briefly in two letters in the Journal two
phases of the liquor question-to-daY as it
addresses itself to the consciences of most
temperance people, and tomorrow more in
the concrete, as it is now presented to the
people of Indiana.
During the siege OF Veksburg in 1868
there were some outer redoubts upon which
we had to concentrate our fire and forces,
and destroy them before we could get at the
citadel and heart of the enemy. This work
was patiently done. This was the
work that consumed the time of
the siege. We all knew that the
destruction of the outer redoubts was not
taking Vicksburg; but we knew also that
they had to be destroyed before the main
works could be reached. The capture of
New Orleans Mobile and Atlanta were but
steps in the programme in suPpressing the
rebellion, and not the object of the war.
And so it is with the half-century's struggle
with the liquor question. The subjective
steps first TAKEN in the Washingtonian move
ment and other personal-pledge movements,
eliminated in such objective move
ments as discriminating by law be-
tween selling dry goods, ETC., and selling
liquor; this latter movement finally result
ing in prohibition of the liquor traffic except
under license regulation. But none of these
movements were the ultimate object and
end. The first redoubt to be taken required
subjective, preparatory work, and the next
objective and aggressive toward the enemy
not captured in the first, II all men had,
during the steps of all suasive movements
become alike moved and subject to the prin-
cples involved, L suppose there would have
been nothing to suggest law against wrong
and crime. In this instance as in
most moral movements during the
evolution of the race, some men, out of dew
iltry, or more likely pure greed said: mo;
we will continue to pursue this business"
And so that act invoked law against the
wrong. Now, it ought TO be understood by
this time that conscience is in this move
ment, and has been in all its steps And
when men are impelled by conscience in
movement against that which all civilized
States have by law said was wrong, as in this
matter, it is worse than idle to suppose that
the people will allow the question to rest
awhile" The politician purely, both
North and South, said that up to
the eliminating period of the anti-slavery
agitation. But above the din and clamor of
the Union-savers-w slavery rang out the
true philosophy-this country cannot exist
half slave and half free; there is an irrepres
sible conflict between freedom and slavery.
1t was the voice of a nations conscience, and
we know the result.
Now it must he plain to most men that
| the period OF regulating the liquor traffic by
Ioc ,1,,,s, TOD yha, h. ofc 80
that traffic them elves are permitted to draft
the law by which 1t is proposed to regulate
it. 1t is well known that this is the exact
state OF the question in Indiana, as
well in other States, and has
| been for years. The present law was drafted
| by well-known advocate of the liquor
| traffic and passed at the instance of the
| liquor interests. Just so was the old Mis-
| souri, Compromise drafted by the slave power
| and passed at the instance of that power.
| The conscience of the nation permitted the
| question to rest awhile" but the fugitive
| slave law was the last feather of forbearance.
! The people have borne as they could with
| the statute drafted by the patron of the Grim
inal to regulate the liquor crime. But the
| people were at last invited to exercise their
right to a voice in the matter, and forbear-
ance ceased when that same GRIM
| inal with his mysterious power
through legislative action forbade it. We
are now in the midst of an evolution to re-
suit in prohibition, in the whole, whereas it
is now only in part through license. The
public conscience is thoroughly awakened to
this. The question cannot ''rest awhile"
any more than the slavery question could
after the slave power had invaded free States
and outraged personal rights as well as the
public conscience with its infamous fugitive
slave law. AS with the slave power, so the
liquor power has brought on this conflict
There was wonderful exhibition OF patience
under statute of their own drafting but
that must cease when a voice in the form of
government, the highest right of the citizen
is fatty denied. That was the act of war;
and the gage of battle is accepted in Indi-
ana we have had our Bull Run; that is all.
INDIANAPOLIS, April 2. ]. B. CONNER.