The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Temperance oaes.ion-what Next?

The Temperance Qaestion-What Next?
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal
So far as temperance reform through political
action is concerned in this State, the last elee-
ton is very suggestive One wing of the tenn
perance advocates. who believed in separate
party action, and the other who held to the
constitutional revision plan, made gallant fights
for the cause, but putting the votes together,
they were badly defeated. Not only so, but
strong pro-liquor Legislature was elected, and
Mr.. Voorhees,, who fought temperance on the
rugged issue went to the United States Senate,
Endorsed on the crest of the Indiana wave for
free liquor What followed is also very conclu-
sive. The Constitution of the State provides
that no amendment of it can be proposed or
acted on by the Legislature while any are pend
ing. The late General Assembly proposed and
passed an amendment on trifiing subject, and
that is pending so the question of submitting
an amendment on the subject of prohibition can
not be made an issue at the next general cleo
ton. 1t is we'll understood that the Democracy
put this barrier in the way in order to rule this
question out Of the next political canvass. Now
what nexta / am prohibitionist but believe
In doing something, and If not what want to
| do. then what can DO
By universal consent, not statue, men engage
in selling dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes.
and in all the other legitimate callings Why
don't they also in selling liquor by the retaill
| They did for hundreds of years. Why not still!
| Well, it is because in the advance of thought,
/ the development of the moral sense, etc.. people
| said no. But they never quite agreed what
| ought to be done. What they did do is history,
| and that was in putting it on a different basis
from the legitimate pursuits. So for century,
the lquor-trafc business unlike legitimate call
ings, has been hedged about by law 1t is in
the same situation slavery was under the acts
| of Congress forbidding it's extension north of a
given line Anybody may sell dry goods, but
anybody may not sell liquor: Beyond certain
line, or class, it can not be sold because:
l. Of its dangerous character
2. Economic questions involved.
To large class it seems that it ought to be
prohibited outright. I belong to that class. But
while l would still advocate that, and indoctri-
nate to bring it about, there stand the facts of
| the last election. For the present, in Indiana,
prohibition is quite an impossbility., But be,
cause that is so it would be folly to abandon all
restrictive measures Because slavery continued
| to exist. we didn't tear away the bar of 36o 30,
and send it north as well. We held fast grip
| on all we had against the system of inquity.
| Now il this is wise policy while the main ques
ton is still under debate, it is not less wise to
increase the restrictive measures all we can
| Hold on to the $52 tax on the business, and make
it still stronger by increasing 1t to $500 in this
city under the law, and fight in the next cam
|
| higher, and thus to make the business more
odious. Tax and license in essence is one and
the same thing. One need not abate one jot
| of his belief in or advocacy of prohibition, but
he may fight, front and flank, and bide his time
for the development of his own views in this as
on other subjects.
1t is said that taxing the traffic is but taking
money from the drinker to pay it. Suppose that
is true, shall we repeal all restrictive measures
| and put the business on the same footing OF
other businessl But remember that in Illinois
| when they raised the tax from 800 to $500, the
price of drink was not raised, though it was said
the difference made up in ''watered stock,
which in this particular case is good thing
The drinker received less hurtful ration, and
| at the same time the State was the gamer il
triple the amount Of revenue to pay the expense
| occasioned by the traffic. Not only so, but a
| large per cent. of the saloons We're closed ur
under the high tax, which was another good re
suit But one of the best things that is TO come
out of this fight is that while struggling for
high tax the traffic. like slavery, will fight it
rebel, demand everything, and out of this will
come better developed public sentiment AMI
finally a consolidation of all the opposition, whc
will demand the obstruction of the whole bust
ness. The next thing for the liquor traffic il
| Indiana is HIGH FAX.