The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-11
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.



10 the Editor OF the INDIANAPOLIS Journas
In your issue of the 7th you have an ex-
tract from letter written by W, w. Dud-
ley and printed originally in the North YER
non Psaindealer, in which that gentleman is
suggesting what, in his opinion should con-
stitute the pIatfol m of the Republican party
in the next political campaign, and among
the issues suggested is high license"
Now, permit me to say that no policy
could be more suicidal than this There is
no considerable portion of the rank and file
of the people demanding that the party shall
take any such position, and the moral
and religious conscience of the State
are uncompromisingly opposed to any move
in this direction, and thew will be found ar
rayed in most determined and unrelenting
warfare upon any party or set of men who
undertake to stand upon this platform, and
seek to get others to the same.
Out of the fifty years of agitation and ex-
perience with the licensing system, the tenn
perance people have evolved prohibition as
the remedy, and have united upon it with
the most gratifying and encouraging unan-
unity. Nowhere is there in the ranks any
friction as 10 this being the instrument by
which the dreadful evil of the drink traffic is
to be suppressed. 1t is true there are some
honest differences of opinion as to the best
way of securing prohibition, but not as to its
being the remedy. And being firmly con-
WINGED that the way to reach the given end
| is prohibition by constitutional amend
| ment and the submission of the same to n
direct vote of the people. They will not be
driven from this conclusion by the cry of
holding the postoffices or getting them, or
OF tariff or no tariff, hard money or soft
money, polygamy or anti-polygamy, internal
or non-internal Improvements; but to the
support OF these two grand ideas they have
pledged their lives, their fortune and sacred
honor"
No position the party could take would
be so renugnant to the temperance element
as that of high license, or, as to that, any sort
of license. 1t woUld ALLEVIATE at one blow
thousands of its best and most conscientious
cause they were men of profound conviction,
and would compel the organization
OF prohibition party in twenty days after
| such election. And the formation of party
| of this character, under these circumstances,
means the overthrow OF the Republican Or
ganization; for it cannot succeed without
| this element, and tits folly of the most stu
! pendous character to drive it away. Let the
! party steer clear of high license and stand
squarely and nanfully by its position oflast
| year-that of submission" There will be
undoubtedly demand made upon the party
to indorse prohibition as a principle in its
next State convention. IT. however, it de-
| clares in favor of the right of the people be-
ing heard upon the question by direct vote,
and in this convention dominates fair men,
not those who talk about the folJ
of the Republican party monkeying with
the temperance question" or who are declar-
ing in favor of high license, ninety nine
out of every hundred OF the temperance
voters in the ranks of the Republican party
will support the same in the next general
election. 1 am minglng pretty freely with
this element all the time, my position call
ing me among them, and 1 think know
whereof I speak; they are all heartily in
favor of prohibition, but say since submis-
sion must precede prohibition, if it is to be
secured by constitutional amendment. they
will be satisfied with this policy if Endorsed
by the party. But nothing less will be salts
factory. VIII the leaders be wise enough to
see the question in its proper light, and avoid
that dangerous rock of the licensing system
upon which some of the leaders seem deter
mined to drive the party to destruction?
E. b. REYNOLDS.
| HAGERsTowN, Ind, Dec. 8.