The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-27
THE LATE ELECTION.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis journal:
You will indulge friendly criticism of some of our
scribes in their Introduction Echoes. The gen
eral impression to prevail that the Prohibi
tOniSts' voted the Dwiggns-St. John ticket at our
late unfortunate election thereby causing disaster to
the Republican State and national tickets The writer
believes this TO be serious mistake, and one calcu
lated to nure both the of constitutional reform
and good government propounded and maintained
by the Republican party in the past The post election
demonstrations showed most clearly, if actions are al
lowed to speak, that the so-caled prohibition move
ment in Indiana not designed to promote prohibit
ton, but TO promote the interest of the Democratic
party under a very thin disguise That some Prohibit
onists We're led into the trap is conceded; but that
was the hope and aim OF the movement The declara-
ton Of the candidate for Secretary of State made on
the day of their nominating convention IN the most
public manner, that they did not expect to do more
than defeat the Republican party and bury 1t under
10000 majority the true index TO their pur-
pose. This is what they evidently meant by the
catch phrase of the campaign, I'VE vote we pray
The party made OF disappointed statesmen and
women, who like their predecessors the independent
Republicans of 1872, the Greenback party, and the
aborreorm party Of later years were tired OF march
ing i'll the ranks since they believed themselves born
TO command AS party, it bears no relation TO the
great temperance reform, which looks to prohlolton
economic question and a needed safeguard to
public virtue as the public mind can be edu-
Gated to it, The writer believes these facts are per-
fecy understood and app eciaed by the bulk OF your
readers 1t be conceded that the disaster OF the
present year has led feeling of intense disgust
among the friends of temperance and there is danger
that the apathy likely to superveIe may give an I'M
mense license to the lawlessness of the drink tratlc
The remedy to lie in the direction of more wis
dom in our primaries; more universal interest IN the
selection of delegates nominating conventions and
in careful regard of the religious and moral
sentiment which secures success Marion county is
conspicuous example of how the Republican party can
invite defeat Let the Republican press Of the State ad
dress itself to the elevation of public sentiment and
its direction TO wise and honorable all pub
lie questions and to the selection of only the most emf
nenty fit for all Offices and the future can be
made secure. The work of every campaign that wins
such principles will be done. not in campaign dis
plays but in the earnest sehoohouse and social work
in which the high privates of the rear rank can par
tcipate. PRoHIBITIoNIsT.
UNION CITY, Ind, Dec %, 1884.
The above letter is from one of the leaders
of the temperance movement in Indiana
a man of years, character and standing, and
pronounced Prohibitionist. We accord it some
what unusual prominence, because it gives
the opportunity to say few things which,
probably, should be said although any dis
campaign may be well ruled out, under the
good Republican doctrine of aliunde. Our
correspondent confirms all and the worst that
has ever been said by the Journal, or by any
other Republican paper, with respect to the
third party prohibition movement. The Jour
nal has always been careful to make the
distinction between the few honest and sin
cere, but misguided temperance men who
were led off in suicidal following of men
moved either by corrupt motives or
by vanity or malice. We wish to
make this distinction now and at all times,
l. h tl,o taf hot tba
ment" originated and was prosecuted simply
and solely with the desire to injVe the Re
publican party and in the consequent interest
of the Democracy and the Liquor League. The
quoted remark of Mr.. B. F. Carter, third
party candidate for Secretary of State, made
in open convention, reveals the spirit and pur
pose so far us Indiana was concerned. That
it failed, failed ANONYMOUSLY, here-the tick
ct polling only beggarly 5000 votes while
the claim was of anywhere from 10000
to so. 000-is due, in the first place, to the
dominating good sense of the vast body of the
in the second place, to the instant and con
slant efforts of Republican temperance men,
such as our correspondent, who, believing in
both the principles of temperance reform and
Of theRepublican party were able TO see only
disaster and danger to both through the i'll
advised and petty course of oficious malcon
tents We have before alluded to the re-
markable fact that, while in Ohio, in 1888,
there were cast 1923 900 votes for prohibition,
i'll 1884 separate prohibition ticket
received only IL 900 votes; and that while in
Indiana in 1882 majority of the people voted
in favor of the submission of constitutional
amendment, only 3, 900 voted for third-party
ticket two years afterward. This is sufli-
cient testimonial to the good sense and undis-
turbed Judgment of the masses of voters,
while it also speaks strongly of the sincere
aud successful work of those men who loved
the cause of temperance reform too well to
wreck it upon the rocks of angry partisan con-