The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-31
,TTERS TO THE EDITOR.
, Temperance Question and the Duty OF
the Republican Party.


rhe Tegislatures of the several States have
r law treated the regulating of intoxicating
1uors as beverage, as a criminal business.
! mattered not what was the political COM
ilexion of the Legislature, the conscience
md common sense of their constituents so
Npmanded, and laws have been enacted al
avs and in every State, putting the criml-
Ssal brand Oh this kind of traffic. No Legis-
5ture has ever been bold enough, even If so
Tsposed, to so insult their constituents by
knowing all restraint and recognizing 1t as a
legitimate, honest business. While the
raffic has been held up to view with all its
inormities. and the denunciations of an out
aged people have been hurled against it,
ct no political party has had the co urage to
ONE to the rescue and openly defend it,
d declare in favor OF removing all restraint
md allow it to be carried on as
.her business, free from legal regulation.
he right and duty of regulating this bust
less being thus conceded, the right to pro-
libit cannot be denied. Regulation is pro-
libition as far as it goes, for all who cannot
comply with the restraining laws are pro-
iibited from engaging in the business
1t is idle and senseless any longer TO say
hat this question must not be made po-
itical question, but must be settled some
,ther way. 1t may be unfortunate that it
las to be dragged through our political cam
,aigus but it is not the fault of the temper
nee people that such a necessity exists.
rhe men who are engaged in this business
nave made it a political question, and are
low undertaking to play the role of political
posses. They not only boldly declare in
heir public conventions that their votes and
nfiuence will be given to the party which
gill interfere the least with their business,
but they threaten determination to any
party which will enact strin-
gent regulations, or which will
sttempt to enforce them when enacted.
That they openly violate any law that IS
made, however mild, will hardly be denied.
We have now at Indianapolis the disgraceful
exhibition of an agreement between the po-
lice authorities and the saloon-keeper as to
how much of the law he may obey and how
much he may disregard. The authorities
here and elsewhere make the dangerous con-
cessiou that there is a power stronger than
the law. The average saloon-keeper has no
politics. He will be a rampant Republican
to-day and a roaring Democrat tomorrow,
Just as he may promote his traffic. His
politics may be sealed to be the unrestrained
right to sell cents worth of beer for a nick
dime. No other qte ton in politics inter
ests him beyond that 1t would be uni ust
to say that there are no exceptions; speak
Of them as a whole That mldest and tam
est of all restrictive laws the Scott law of
Ohio, he demands shall be repealed.
A little more exhibition of cowardice of pol
iticians and political parties and the saloon
keeper will demand that every sort of re-
straint shall be removed so that he may sell
10 n IN frGT m
the front door (as lie does now from the back
door, on Sundays may sell on election days
and public holidays; in short that there
shall be no barrier enacted to protect society
from the evils of ms business.
In Kansas and in Iowa the Republican
party has accepted the challenge of the sa-
oon-keeper and made the fight and won. The
Republicans of Indiana can do the same
thing if they will accept the issue the Liquor
League seems so anxious to make. Let us
nave no more halfway measures or half
hearted contests. Let the Republican party
IN this State, at their next convention, say
TO the Liquor League that, as party if we
have the control of the Legislature
we will pass all the restrictive legis-
ation that our constitution will allow
US to do; that as a party we will
resubmt to the people an amendment to
the constitution prohibiting that business
that as a party We will rally to the support of
such amendment and try to secure its
adoption by the people of the State. If the
Liquor League are to have the full benefit of
Democratic organization, if they are to have
the help of party ties and party drill, let the
cause of good order and happy homes have
she same advantage
| want plain, open fight Let us have no
more shulfling or covering the question, Let
rs not try the foolish and dishonest expert
ment of blowing hot and cold at the same
time. | have uubounded confidence in the
integrity and good sense of the people. Party
lies are not strong enough to hold them to
the wrong when the question is fairly and
honestly put. Let the Democrats espouse
.he cause of saloons in that kind of contest
Il they dare AS a charter member of the
Republican party, one who has never faltered
n devotion to party interests, who has ever
been proud of the triumphs for the right in
all the glorious victory of the past l
I'm modestly demanding that our
party shall meet the demand of the con-
science of the good men and women of the
State and make this open fight against the
Liquor League.
l am glad to concede that our party has
yiven to the people of the State all the tenn
oerance legislation that has been of any force
n regulating the traffic We have simply
zone far enough to offend the Liquor League,
md they have left us, and we becoming
,ized. l have thought and still think these
ears are groundless. l have but little doubt
hat with an open fight against the saloon
keepers the party that champions the saloons
will be defeated by the people. We could
nave won last year if we had had the courage
70 so shape the issue as to compel the Demo
,rats to defend the saloons.
Party lines will nor hold men in such
conflict, and the Liquor League will find it
put when the fight comes But he that as il
nay as a Republican, am not only willing,
put anxious for such contest. If we are
defeated we will resume the battle, as we did
On the slavery question, until We win-not
for the sounding brass and tinkling GYM
oaP ofmere party example, but for the pro-
notionio OF the best measures of humanity.
GREENsBURG, Oct. %. WILL CuMBAcK.
Temperance i'm Politics.
70 the Editor the indianapolis JournaI
Nothing could be more misleading than
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