The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-08
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
A Word to Temperance Republicans.

A Word to Temperance Republicans.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
That the liquor traffic is a great evil, a sin and
a curse to the country, no fair-minded man will,
l believe, deny. Certainly, no one thing would
add more to the reputation OF our State and the
happiness Of our people than the destruction of
the liquor traffic. But does not the success of
all the great industries of the State, its benevo-
lent institutions, its public schools, reformato-
ries, etc, also depend, in a very large measure,
upon legislative enactmentsl Suppose, there
fore, a certain class of Republicans demand of
the party that, in its several conventions, it
nominate for Office candidates who favor a radi-
cal change in the public school system of the
State and refuse to vote the ticket unless they
are promised that in the event of the party's
success their demand shall be complied with?
Suppose another class demand that no one be
nominated who will not pledge himself to work
for a reduction of the fees and salaries of public
officers and of taXes} Still another class de
mand that none be nominated for office who will
not favor legislation in the interest of the labor
ing classes, and so on. Dors not every one see
that such a policy would accomplish sim
ply nothing but the defeat OF
the party! What do resolutions
and promises amount to, anyhow Don't we
all know that political parties are in the habit
of resolving in favor of everything. in their
platforms, that they think will catch votes?
What are these resolutions worth. unless we
have men of principle in Office to carry them out!
What is the promise of the average candidate
for office worth! Absolutely nothing. There is
only one way to effect reforms in civil govern
ment and that is to elect men of integrity to
office. The man who cannot be trusted without
Il promise is not the man that we want to vote
for. The only reason why our State is.
to-day, cursed with the LIQUOR traffic
and other evils that are a disgrace to
our Christian civilization, is simply because we
have elected men to office. by our votes, who
have refused to do that which they knew TO be
right and for the best interests Of the people.
The man who makes up his mind to get office
will, nine times in ten, make any promises asked
OF him and violate them as often as made. But
let men of principle be elected to Office and we
shall not only get temperance legislation but
other needed legislation as well. And the only
way to get such men into office is for the voters
to attend the nominating conventions and
work to have their best men nominated. Two
years ago the Republicans in johnson county
determined to do this, and the result was the
nomination for representative of Mr.. Orlando
Furn&S, an honest, moral. upright, hard working
citizen, and for State senator of the counties of
johnson and Morgan. Mr.. q. NJ. Overstreet, an
able lawyer of unquestioncd integrity, who,
though over sixty years of age, had never held
an office. Neither of the gentlemen was an as
pirant for the honors conferred upon him.. Mr..
FurnaS declared that he could not take the time
from his business, and Mr.. Overstreet had twice,
IN the last ten years, refused the office of circuit
judge. Mr.. Furnas overcame a Democratic ma
iority of over six hundred in the county. and
Mr.. Overstreet a Democratic majority of from
two to three hundred in the district. No prom
Uses were eXacted from either of them. for none
such men in our last Legislature the people
would not now be clamoring for temperance leg
iSlation and other reforms.
w. c. SANDEFUR.
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