The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-30
The City Election.
" Of the INDIANAPOLIS Journe.:

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journea
IL is none too soon to give serious atten-
ton to the coming city election. No we'll
informed man doubts that at a fair election,
with no undue local side issue, Indianapo-
lis is thousand Republican, if not twice
that No change has taken place in public
opinion on any national question since the
majorities ran up into the thousands that
justities any other opinion, and the Demo
cratic party has exhibited no new features of
honesty or capability that even remotely
suggests any better administration than that
from which it was so Indignantly hurled, q
few years ago, largely by the aid of Demo
cratic taxpayers who foresaw in another
term of official life the entire bankruptcy of
the city. But to secure such a result as
every good citizen must desire, regardless of
party predictions, a.few things are needful.
First-No man should be nominated
for councilman or alderman who has
taken sides against the people in the matter
of the city hall and the street railroad
Though each individual may be as spotless as
an angel in each of these transactions, there
is an abiding conviction with the people that
there has been crookedness somewhere and
we cannot afford to go into the city canvass
handicapped with the work of apologizing
for or defending single candidate for sin
gle office. The merits of either of these meas
ures need not enter into the election at ALL
1t might be safe to elect business men of
known honesty, and to entrust them with
these questions-without previous pledges;
but no man who has voted for the CITY hall
or against the peoples railroad, will receive
solid vote in either party, much less of the
Republican party
Besides nothing could be more suicidal
than to ignore existing facts relating to the
liquor traffic. The saloonists are a unit in
their purpose to repeal the ordinance which
imposes city tax upon their business, and
they will know no party ties in this The
liquor league has already distinctly an
nounced this purpose. We should therefore
be prepared to meet the question like men
We must take decided stand either for or
against the measure. There is no mistaking
the side the Democratic party will take If,
therefore, we would reclaim those lost last
year upon the liquor Issue by the Demo-
Gratis taking positive ground and the Repub-
licans taking no ground at all except apollo
getloally proposing to submit the question
to the people, we should be prepared to com
pete with The Democrats in fair and
honest fight for this important vote. Let us
make up our mind to this,
What is true of the Council is true of the
mayor and all other officers. No man will
receive single vote from the liquor interest
on either ticket, whose sentiments on the
city tax and all collateral questions are at
all doubtful. We should, therefore, be care
ful in our selection of candidates and see
that the Democracy does not stead from us
our due proportion of the vote that elects.
Let us fight the devil with fire if he comes at
us with fire. We have representative Re-
publicans who are solid with the liquor in
terest and can command not only the Re-
publican portion of that element, but make
inroads on the other party REPUBLICAN.