The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-29
What Shall We Do with Itg

TO the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal:
Do with WHAT The inevitable Temperance
question. 1t will not down. 1t is old and worn
out, and we are tired of it. But it Is here and
here to stay. The best temperance men-the
men who do not desire to make the question
hobby-may labor to keep it out of politics, but
it won't stay out. The Democracy won't let it.
Since 1853 they have forced the question upon
the people by distinct issue in their platforms.
For the cause of humanity this is we'll At first
their demands were tolerable and worked to
their advantage. Now the demands Of the liquor
interests are intolerable and tend to their de-
struction. The people submitted to the demands
of the pro slavery element until they became un
bearable and accomplished the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise This was the mad
ness which the gods send before destruction.
But what shall we temperance men, Republicans
or Democrats, do about it, | know the manly
utterances of 1.-THE friend of my youth'-B +.
Spencer-and the zeal and courage of my later
friend E. 2. Whallen but there is law ofexpe-
diency as well. 1t may be laid down as truisn
that the people of the State will never be salts
fled until they that4he liquor traffic is lin
course of ultimate extinction" in the State
Slavery abolished in a day. But
that day was not the day on which the first cru
sader buckled ON his armor. 1t is the advance
places are soon filed.
The wise Abolitionist was he who enlisted in
the ranks of the Republican party, and marched
under its banner, fighting in the advance. The
ranks of the grand army were not up with them,
but they were steadily moving in that direction;
and when the battle was forced upon them, as it
is now being forced upon temperance people
they were already in line. and ready to march
by the left flank" And they marched to Ger.
tain victory. But why insist on bringing on the
haU 70
coming from the valleys and the hill tops, three
hundred thousand strong" But the strategic
points must be carried first. The Emancipation
Proclamation was not issued in April, 1861. We
demanded it, but the man up at the wheel could
see further than we He was right ana we We're
wrong. Study the outlook for moment.
The Republican party is not the Republican
party if afraid to enunelato its principles. The
vast majority of them are opposed TO the liquor
traffic. But law that has not the moral sup
port of the people and can not be enforced, is
worse than no law at all. 1t is only where
a law can be reasonably upheld by the people
party declare itself in favor of an amendment
which secures local option. With this every
IDLE temperance man ought to be salts
fled. In every city, county, town or township
where prohbitory law could be enforced it
would be adopted and enforced Then the eff
fects of this and that would be plainly visible,
and as one community gave evidence of an in
creased prosperity another would follow its ex
would be kept up. Give us a strictly prohibi
tory law and we will depend on its rigid enforce
ment. MEMS views are hard to shape by legal
machinery. 1t is easier to pursuade than it is
to dictate. Then there are ten chances to one
that the arrogance of liquor dealers
would hasten such a state of affairs
as would warrant the issuing of complete
emancipation proclamation. Such a law is
emnontly fair and reasonable, and appeals to
the common pride of the people. No man can
say why the people of one city county shall
not say whether man shall or shall not have
license to sell or manufacture liquors in their
borders. No party can stand which will make it
part of its political creed that a community
may not determine this question, if the other
party shall plant itself on that ground. The
Republican party, as party, have done more
for the cause than temperance men give them
credit for. Liquor men know their friends, as
well as the ass his masters crib; and around
that crib they eOngregate. If we have not the
same instinct let us from them borrow wisdom.
BEDFORD, March &c. ASA VIEHE.