The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-09
The Saloon in Politics.

TO the Editor ol the INDIANAPOLIS Journal:
While can congratulate You on the courteous
manner Of your leading editorial OF last Satur-
day, unlike Brother Goodwin, 1 see more than
one mistake in it. Indeed, the entire super
structure of the argument rests on the assump-
ton that the saloon is not in politics. Now,
when anything is subject OF legislation, the
question of how we shall legslate is a legitimate
theme of political discussion in the choice of
those who shall make our laws. There is no
other subject so completely under government
control as is that of making and selling intoxi-
eating liquors. From the time alcohol appears
in the mash-tub, the law takes charge of it, and
it is under the surveillance of law, either national
or State, till it gets into the stomach of the con-
sumner; and even then the law assumes TO con-
troll it if it does not behave itself in an orderly
manner. The divorce between this subject
and politics can be reached only by the
unconditional repeal of all laws concerning
the manufacture and sale of intoxicants; and
this you will not consent to. We must, therefore
continue to legislate in the interest of the
saloon, or against it. Now which of these two
things we shall do, is a question that the intel
ligent, Conscientious voter will inquire into,
and when he has reached conclusion he will
govern his vote accordingly.
All laws on this subject are, of necessity, pro-
tective or prohibitive in their character
License laws are protective in their operation
They create the saloon and give its business
legal sanction and consequent responsibility.
License is the string to the kite which seems to
restrain it, but is really the only support il has
IF IL is the avowed purpose of the Republican
party to sustain license they must come square
y up TO the question of the value of a dram
located. You cannot smother this question
-you cannot drown it i'll a flood of
political fears. The moral and conscientious part
of the American people are awake on this ques
ton, and will sleep no more. They have seen the
enormous evil OF the system, and till you show
the counterbalancing good which is to be cred
tied to the salOon they will demand that it shall
ne placed under the ban of law. They really be-
lieve that the saloon is IN antagonlsm To the
home, the school, the church, and to the purity
ana stability of our republican institutions; ana
with these firm convictions resting on the con-
science they will no longer give their support to
a party who sustains this iniquity by law
Now, 1t should not require argument to
convince any one that the Republican party can
not succeed while losing this class of voters So
much of the Liquor League formerly acted
with the Republicans are hopelessly lost to them
now. They can never reclaim them. Besides
the open and uneqnivOcal avOwal of
course of prohibitOry legislation, there
remains hut one possible means of holding the
consc entious Prohibitionists in the Republican
ranks-and that ls not ParsOn Goodwin's COM
promise, either. 1t is to bring out yOur best
men, your strongest writers, ana let them show
tine good siie of the saloon that entities il to
the government patronage ana our tolerance
Dennnciation will not win us nor empty as
sertions convince us. Give us facts. Show us
the community that has been made wiser, bet
ter, more prosperous ana more happy by the
erection OF saloon among them, and then you
can approach us. great library of literature
showing the evils of the saloon system has
grown mp within this generation, but not one
book, to my knowledge, has been printed on the
other slde9 Has it no other side7 1 propose
Mr. Editor. that you treat the readers OF the
Journal every Saturday to IA column devoted to
a.staIcmeht "f fHots shaving the good influence
OF saloon ON society, and especially on