The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-06
LAW N LIQUOR.
years agog


LAW AND LIQUOR.
The position in which the city Democracy
has put itself by supporting the lawlessness of
the Liquor League, and adopting as its repre-
sentative and candidate an officer whose only
distinction is his acquiescence in the defiance
of law asserted by the traffic in drunkenness,
is one that the organs begin to find it painful
to keep and impossible to escape. They
say that their platform declares "the party
in favor of law and order now, as it has al
ways been" Precisely ttas it has been;" for
there has been no time since the inaugura-
ton of the new police system that the party,
in the main, has not been the supporter of
the policy of winking at the violation of the
Sundaylaw and the regulation of the hours
of liquor-selling. The declaration is no lie,
in so far as it affirms the consistency of the
present attitude of the party with the past.
1t is against law and order now, and has been.
There have been respectable and honorable
Democrats, and there are now not a few who
do not believe in giving special privileges in
violating the law to a class Of business that
does more mischief and makes more
expense to the community than all
others put together; but these SEN
sible and honorable men have
no more control of the present Inns of action
Of the party and the issues made in the pres
ent city contest than they have of the and is
sue in Ireland. TIL Liquor League is mas
ter, and has made the city contest on a line of
battle to suit its own scheme of strategy. And
and lawlessness, and the Democratic organs
are CALLED by the knowledge which they can't
conceal, and the exposures that they can't
suppress.
They would like very much to make it APP
pear that the contest is on the usual assertions
of ECONOMY" and Glow taxation and 'hon-
est administration, but they can't do it. Thu
issue can't be forced out of its natural form
into any adjustment to party necessities. The
POWOI III CI1O OClIOCIQOf tOOdH u
tanned the lawlessness of saloons aslong as the
police board was so constituted as to leave a
light hand on it. When a change came, the
only resistance came from the man that this
same liquor power has adopted as it's repre-
sentative. He wanted the sale of liquor to
60 on as before, breaking the law with impu-
nifty, and laughing at the remonstrances Of
those who hoped for peace and sobriety one
day in the week, under legal restraint. Be-
ing up his hands, and exclaiming against the
injustice of suppressing the traffic in drunken
ness and crime, and leaving so many oc-
equations unrestrained. What folly" said
one of the organs, 'to talk of en-
forcing the laws when so many laws
are not enforced at ALL" AS if liquor, an out
law in all civilized lands, and held under spe-
cial restraints, were as harmless as soap or
-four The plea was to let liquor be lawless
with impunity, or relieve it of the ~restric-
tions that made it lawless. The one man
whose official position gave him some infu-
ence in carrying out this policy used it to en-
courage the o%ffense, and his reward is his
nomination by this same liquor power for the
highest Office in the city. What is common
sense to make of such action, in such condi-
tons, but a fair and square issue between
those who want the law obeyed and those who
are determined that it shall be defedg TO
clamor of party organs or sophistry of eau
tious managers can change that issue. 1t is
fixed by the history of the city for two years,
by the consistent and unchanging conduct Of
both parties to it, and it will be fought out at
the polls in just that form, and no other.