The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-04
n Democratic Party and Temperance.

10 the EditoF OF the InulalapOll6 JOu rual:
In the State platform of the Democratic party
of Indiana it is declared that the party believes
in leaving theinnocent creeds, habits, customs,
and business, of the people unfettered by stump
tuary laws that the Constitution should not be
changed $50 as to invade the rights Of property
and personal liberty" that they are opposed to
any legislation which interferes with personal
liberty as to what they shall eat or drink" and,
that they are opposed to any constitutional
amendments relating to the subject otthe manu-
facture and sale of intoxicating and malt
liquors. and they also declare that while
standing faithfully by the rights of property and
personal liberty, they are in favor of sobriety
and temperance and all proper means for the
promotion of these virtues" and that they be-
lieve "a well-regulated license system, and rea.
sonable and just laws upon the subject, faith
fully enforced, better than extreme measures
and that private property should not be taken
without just compensation"
Any one, looking candidly at these expressions
of the platform, knows that they refer to the
temperance question, and that only; that the
property spoken of in these several clauses is the
property invested in the liquor traffic and manu-
%facture; that the personal liberty spoken of, 50
often and 50 pathetically, is the liberty to sell,
manufacture and drink Intoxicating liquors;
that the innocent habits, customs and bust
ness are the drink habit, the customs o fsaloons,
dram shops, and their f~requenters, and of the
business of manufacturing and selling intoxicat
ing liquors; and that the proper means for
promoting temperance and sobriety are only
such as the whisky league may indorse and pro
pose, and such as viii tend to make their bust
ness respectable
The national platform says: owe oppose
sumptuary a which vex the citizen and in.
terfeie with individual liberty" We all know
that the sumptuafy avs referred to are those
that restrict or prohibits the manufacture and
sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage But
who are the citizens whom such laws vex. and
with whose liberties do they interferel Why, ev.
erybody knows that these laws can only vex the
half million whisk y-mnkers and sellers, and the
million or two of hopeless, confirmed drunkards
who do not wish to reform; while, on the other
hand, at least forty-eight millions of our people
are yexed, aye, sorely vexed and wronged, for
the lack of such aws--not sumptuary laws, but
laws restricting and prohibiting the traffic in
liquors. Only the liberties of these dealers in
and makers OF intoxicants-the liberty of max
ing drunkards and criminals, paupers and luna
tics-is interfered with by such legislation as is
Endorsed blythe platform
Six times does the Indiana platform speak of
personal and individual liberty" and FIVE
times of private property or the rights of
property, . in this connection. 1t saws that t.the
government should be administered in that way
best calculated to confer the greatest good upon
the greatest number with which sentiment,
thus far, we agreed without sacrificing the
rights of person or property" and then, for fear
that il might not be readily seen what was meant
by this deelar alton, it proceeds tosay, as already
quoted, 'tand leaving the innocent creeds. hab-
its, customs and business Of the people unfet-
tered by sumptuary laws" Here we have the
Democratic party assuming that the
whisky traffic is an innocent business;
that the habit Of drinking and the customs Of
saloons, drinkers and liquor dealers are
and should not be fettered. The Indiana plat
form further assumes that extreme measures
by which we must conclude they mean high
license, local option, or prohibition-.hare sub
versixe of personal liberty and in conflict with
public sentiment that such laws would not be
effectively executed" and that, thereby, the
law would be brought into disfepute; and that
the people would, therefore, become t.sneaks
and hypecrites.p In view Of these declarations,
what are we to understand when they tell us
that they are in favor of temperance and sobri
ETY." and 'tall proper means for the promotion of
these ~virtuesnl Certainly they will not permit
any law to be enacted that will interfere with
the innocent business of making drunkards.
criminals and pa1perS; they viii not allow any
law that will interfere with the Innocent habit
and custom of tipping and wife-beating; they
i mAAA 4OG4 afOh a1I A4lLGA1ClVlAN% III 1IClT DG1SO1Hl
liberty, either to sell or drink liquors, or to do
any of the many things directly connected with
these ilalienahle rights. The laws to be enacted
by them must be such as public sentiment, espe-
cially the sentiment of those engaged IN those
innocent habits, customs and business an
proves and such as can be readily enforced.
without the requirements of screens and back
rooms, so as to avoid the making Of sneaks and
hypocrites. They must be laws that in no way
Interfere with the liquor interests, either in the,
MATTER OF making SA11inp or 1pinHin0
Could the whisky league have drafted a plat
form that more perfectly and completely meets
their wants and requirements 1t is broad
enough for every whisky seller. every liquor
dealer, every tippler and drnnkard in the
Land to stand upon; but where is there
any room for q temperance mani
Is it possible that any temera1ace man
can stand on such a p~latform2 Is it possible
than amy Prohibitionist can dc aught for the
success of a party puttiHg forth such a plank rs
its temperance piatferma
give great credit to the Democratic party for
their bravery in SO squarely aud firmly deelar-
ing where they stand on this great question of
temperance reform. There can be no uneer-
tainty ON this point They are abundantly,
overwhelmingly. solidly, practically allied with
the hqucr interests, and opposed to ali pfohibi
ton aud restriction of the innocent business
as they style the liquor traffic. They have. ia
the interest OF the whisky league. east behind
them. and out of their hearing and sight, all the
crime and wretchedness, the wee and heaft
aches, the poverty and disease of mind, soul,
and body, the meanings and sobs Of the stricken,
heart-broken wives and children, the enorOmous
costof over twelve hundred million dollars per
year to onr government of the liquor traffic. lest
they "vex the citizen, and interfere with tndi-
vidual liberty and for fear they might become
"sneaks and hypocrites.n
Certainly we can have no confidence in ihe
temperance professions Of any sensible man who
can indorse such a platform. The Republican
party, at heart, Is = temperance party, yet has
upon this subject. and, 50 far, / am not satisfied
with the platform. But l believe the party can
be yet trusted They have not declared IN favor
Of the Liquor League; they do offer us a means
people OF the State are in favor Of it They have
given us all the Temperance legislation we have
ever had The large bulk Of the Temperance
sentiment of the State, especially the
Influential elnnent ie IN 4hat na,tu-