The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-22
A TEMPERANCE SYMPOSIUM.
Letter from j. d. Mitchell.
To the Editor of tile Indianapolis JOurnar

To the Editor Of tile Indianapolis JOurpar
You are having much said in the Journal
by your correspondents on the temperance
question, some for constitutional prohibit
ton, some for high license, and others for
local option for the villages and country,
with high license in the cities. Now, the
Republican party must be consistent in deal
ing with all these questions in making up
its platform for next campaign. We, do not
want to make the mistake that Ohio did.
The Republican Legislature of Ohio passed
the prohibitory amendments and submitted
them to a vote and at the same time passed
the license amendment and Endorsed it in
convention. The Scott law was also passed
by the same Legislature, and was good law
as far as it went and was quite an advanced
step for State which had been
under free whisky for over thirty
years. The party in Ohio wanted
make believe that they were for everything
on the temperance question, as well as for
the saloon and hummer element, but in
reality they were for nothing in particular.
The hot-headed Prohibitionists did very
foolish thing in running State ticket They
simply helped to beat the party that had
given them the prohibition amendments. 1t
was very unwise in them to help to kill the
goose which laid the golden eggs, and it
was equally unwise in the Republican goose
to lay the golden egg and at the same time
lay an egg or two that would fill the nest
and keep the golden egg from Matching out
the golden gosling. And now the old goose
is off the nest and the eggs all spoiled, or will
be as soon as the Democratic ganders get on
the nest. The Republican party of Indiana
must speak plain. They must say what they
mean and mean what they say on the tenn
perance question. Prohibition has come to
stay. They must not forget that There are
many Prohibitionists that are in favor of
new party, with State ticket in the field
But this move is being pushed TO the front
by old impatient workers, the restless ele
ment and new converts to constitutional pro-
hibition; the steady-going and more consid-
crate element of all parties, who are for pro-
hibition, do not favor the new party move
only as last resort. What is desired is that
the Republican party-and all parties for
that matter-declare in favor of the passage
of prohibitory amendment by the next
Legislature, and the agreeing to the same
by the succeeding Legislature, and
submission to the electors at a special cleo
ton. The Prohibitionists would be pleased
if all parties would do this or that all parties
would declare for prohibition as a principle.
But they know that all parties will do
neither. But its passage to the electors is
demanded as their sovereign right in free
government ana should De non-partsan
question High license or local option will
not be concurred in by the temperance peo-
pie as a substitute for constitutional prohibit
ton, and the party that attempts to make it
substitute will lose the temperance vote.
The temperance people will not oppose di-
rectiy high license law or any other law
better than the present law. They will
simply cling to their own prin-
ciples and let the Legislature pass
as many restrictive laws as they please
pending the question of prohibition, We
can't be worsted in liquor law.
tits useless for the Republican party to be
counting favor with the saloon and hummer
element. That element belongs to the
Democratic party, and will stay there for
all time. They won't he satisfied with high
license local option or any thing else.
TERRE HAUTE, ]. D. MITCHELL.