The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-14
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
Mr.. Bundy Wants Local Option.
,e Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal
My greatly esteemed friend, Col. Cum
back, submits in the Journal OF the 9th inst.
an article purporting to be reply to my an
swer to his complaint. The reply is bad be-
cause it neither confesses nor denies the truth
of the matters ] alleged; and l suppose,
strictly speaking, 1 should ask for judg-
ment against him for the want of sufficient
reply. Let US see. l distinctly alleged that
il was not expedient for the Republican
party to adopt prohibition as an article of
faith because prohibition wherever tried, had
been failure and was especially so in Kan
sas and Iowa, to which he referred. If pro-
hibition does not in fact prohibit there, could
1t be made to do so in Indiana? l also
stated liz effect that the Republican party, if
unanimously agreed upon prohibition, had
not OF itself strength enough either to pass
or execute generally such a law in this State.
My TREND does not controvert either of
these propositions Why, then, l ask does
he insist that the party shall fool with a
buzz-saw and get hurt every time it touches
it. Prohibition everywhere has proved a
/ boomerang which, every time it goes Off
, wounds those who hold it, and nobody else
The Colonel insists that the conscience of
>
shall adopt this as an article of faith. Tenn
perance is a moral question, and good peo-
pie of all parties are in accord,
and say that the sale OF Intoxicating
liquors should be regulated by law.
but they are not willing TO go further, and
mainly for the reason | have stated and
which he does not deny. There are other
moral questions besides temperance and why
not invoke law to aid them also. 1t is gem
orally believed that people should attend
church and contrib butte to the support of the
ministry according to their ability; but as
matter of fact large numbers of people in
TINS Christian country do neither Nor
should the law compel them to do these
things. Such laws have been tried but are
regarded as inconsistent with our institu-
tions and are abandoned. There is good
ground for the belief that people cannot be
legislated INTO temperance or Christianity.
He says: Taxing saloons will satisfy neither
the saloon-keeper nor the temperance man"
L am not anxious to pass a law which will
please the saloon-keeper, nor do | expect to
satisfy what he calls the importance man."
by which term [ suppose he must mean Pro-
hlbtlonisr. He is generally a theorist and
schemer who demands of his party or the
public what he knows will not be conceded,
and then, out of revenge, votes the saloon-
Keepers ticket, as he did in Ohio at the late
election. He scolds and talks, but usually
folds his arms and allows the saloon-keeper
10 nave MS own way. We now have laws on
the statute-books which, if enforced would
go far toward breaking up every saloon, but
the Prohibitionist takes very little interest
in their execution. He has a theory, and if
he cannot get that he will have nothing.
Now, let me call the attention of my friend
to something that will serve the cause of
temperance much better than his plan, and
want him to cut it out and paste in his hat
for future use on the stump. 1t is local op-
ton for the country and villages, and high
license for the cities / would grant no Ii
cense for less than $500, and should prefer
$1,000. Local seif-government is principle
dear to the American people, and when a
community votes against the liquor traffic.
We may reasonably conclude the law will be
executed. This plan would take the liquor
question out OF party politics, and this is what
desire, because no party OF Itself is strong
enough, without the help of others, TO en-
force such laws. The good people OF all par
ties must concur. NJ. l.. BUNDY.
NFW CASTLE Nov 10