The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-19
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
he Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal

| To the Editor or the Indianapolis Journal
| There are well-grounded complaints about the
/ jail accommodations of this county-the Jail is
too small for the number applying, 1t is not
modern in style, and the food is not BETTING a
first class clearinghouse. What is to be done
about IL? few years ago the commissioners
took many preliminary steps to build a large
and commOdious one, with all modern improve
ments, a heavy bonded debt included, but d
howl came up from the taxpayers which
caused temporary suspension. But something
must be done. 1t is iuhumau to contne so
many in such quarters. The commissioners say
that they win not build a new jail soon, but that
they will build a work house early next spring,
costing about $4,000. AS to it's defraying its
own expenses, that is deluslon 1t will not pay
half of its expenses. Nevertheless, let us have
the work-house and all that it implies, unless we
can do better 1t will be better than new Jail,
at all events.
But is there not better thing than this2 In
1855 our people tried an experiment that worked
admirably. Why not try it again? They simply
shut up all the saloons in the city. The law
went into effect on the 18th day of June. On the
18th there was not saloon door opened, but
Grape was tied on several, in token of bereave-
ment, and there was not an open saloon in the
State from that day to the 9Th day of the follow
Sentinel, of the 18th, said: 'The temperance
law far has been universally and faithfully
observed. We hear of no disposition to violate
it's provisions" and the local editor the same
day, said: "The new liquor law has knocked
police items into a cooked hat. Not single item
is TO be obtained on account of John Barley
| corn" Recurring to the same subject the
28th it said: During the past fifteen days there
has not been single commitment to the county
Jail for the violation Of city ordinances, and
in the way o; arrests by the city police there is
little or nothing doing" The Locomotive of
June %, saii: There has not been a single ar
! rest commitment to prison since June IL.
The mayor sits quietly in his official chair and
the night watch doZe on the store boxes" The
same paper, on the 21st of July, sad "The tenn
perance law has nearly abolished riOting, drunk
enness and rOwdying, and the taxpayers re-
ducing expenses. having reduced the police force
one-half." Speaking of this reduction the Jour
nal. of July "a, said: 'The reduction of the
night watch was on account of the d1miuution
OF disturbance and drunkenness from the
forcement Of the prohlbltofy law" The Even
ing Republican, OF June 20, said: Rum
mics no longer perambulate the streets,
making night hideous and the watchmen have
but little to do" The Journal, of Aug, 30 said.
"Ihe law diminished crime, reduced drunken
ness, saved money, and emptied jails." These
are only few testimonies as to the economy of
| prohibition. There thousands of living wit
nesses who remember these results. For Uwen-
ty-seven days the Marion county jail had not
single prisoner in 1t, and for seventeen other
days IL had but one.
Now, Mr.. Editor. how would it do to suspend
the building of that 900 work-house until
we Try pfOulDltlon aSalnE me present cost IOr
boarding prisoners Is about S25, 900 per year.
1t would Oe hard Sheriff Hess To lose this, bat
the people could stand it, and lie would not de-
cline second term if this
were cut off. We have tried high
license and low license, and these years without
any law at all, since 1855, and the result is
constant increase of crime and expenses. Now,
let us try prohibition. at least two years. If it
doesn't work well we try something else.
Nothing can be worse than present method
OF making criminals, and making new and en-
larged jalls a necessity. Let me say here that
prohibition doesn't prohibit. 1t never in
tended to. 1t is only the name for a system of
regulation which reduces crime and taxation
account of crime to its minimum. There Is not
all old citizen OF Indiana, be he temperance
topper, but will tell you that during the five
months of so-called prohibition they could get
all the liquor they wanted, but some
how the law regulated the traffic
so that crime was diminished aud jas
emptied and expenses saved Please, Messrs.
Commissioners, don't spend that $4,000 for a
work-hOuse yet The people resolving to
try prohibition again even il il doesn't prohibit
any thing but crime and expenses. 1t is good
thing as far as it goes. Aud inasmuch it
does not interfere with any mans rights the
people are concluding that the few who fatten
on the traffic can afford to grow lean awhile
and let the tax payers fatten. Again | say, don't
spend that $40 600 until after the next election.
Let tramps keep out of our Jail if they don't
like our accommodations. T. A. GOODWIN.