The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-26
Temperance in the Next Campaign.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal
The question as to what position the Repub-
hcan party should adopt on the question of tenn
perance is of vital Importance, not to the
Republican party alone, but to the public vel
fare generally; and especially is it so to temper
ance Republicans, who are more than anxious
that the party should announce its position in
such plain and distinct terms as will enable
them to heartily support the party of their
choice, as well as to draw largely the better
element from other parties. How to attain this
position and satisfy the diversified views of the
party on the question of temperance, is the
question 1t is admitted fact that there is a
much larger temperance element in the
Republican party than in the Democratic
party; yet there are thousands Of
prohibition Democrats who are anxiously
waiting the action Of the Republican
party on the question of prohibition, having
given up all hopes of their own party adopting
anything favoring the welfare of the people or
the rights of the electors to be heard on so vital
an issue as is involved in constitutional prohi-
bition. They believe their party WILL as it did
two years ago, espouse the cause of the liquor
league of the State. They say the saloons fur
nished the campaign money for their party, and
it was successful, and the party will do so again.
/ write you as Prohibitonist. / am not only
in favor of prohibition, but am in favor of the
abolition, complete of the liquor traffic am
not in favor of the Republican party of this
State, at this time, declaring in favor of prohibi-
ton. know few of our ''new party" or sep
arate political action people ask, why not9
l answer, it would be detrimental to the cause of
constitutional prohibition. 1t would make it,
a party question, which it is not, should net and
cannot be made such, without dividing the tenn
perance vote The amendment of our constitu-
ton should no more ee party question than
the adoption OF a. new constitution. Both are for
the welfare of the people-all parties-and can
not in the nature of things be the exclusive
measure of party. The time may come
when constitutional prohibition may, as in the
State of Maine, be the measure of all parties
am not in favor of it, because it matters not
whether the Republican party, or any other
party for that matter, declares in favor of pro
hibition not, the question will be for the next
two sessions of the General Assembly, and, con-
Sequently, in the election of the members to these
General Assemblies, the passage of the amend
ments and the reference, or submission, if you
Rlease, to directvote of the people.
What will be the question our temperance
voters will ask the candidates for the 1egisla-
ture at our next electionl 1t will be, will YOU if
elected use your influence for, and vote for, the
passage of the amendments? 1t is then simply
and plainly question as to whether OF not the
people, the temperance people, have right as
citizens of Tree government to be heard at the
ballot-boX on the question of constitutional pro
hibition. They have demanded it by petition
and otherwise The people are the constitutional
law makers of this State, and should, by all
means, be granted the privilege to express their
wishes by the legislative department Of our State
government.
The Republican party should not hesitate at
its next convention to declare in most positive
terms Gin favor of the passage of the amend
ment by the Legislature, that the people may
decide for themselves This will satisfy nine
tenths of the temperance Republicans of the
State. 1t would give general satisfaction to the
temperance people of all parties. l know
there are few temperance men who will not be
satisfied with anything short of declaration in