The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-14
THE CITY

Dattle, ana IN so Tar seems TO pc a practlcal
triumph for the Liquor League. Mr.. Denny
is doubtless elected mayor by a plurality less
than 100, as the figures now foot up, while
Mr.. Breunig is probably defeated for clerk by
Mr.. Shields, due to the vote Of the Knights
of Labor organization, which adopted Mr..
Shields as their candidate. The Board Of AL
derrnen is a tie at the best, this depending upon
the election Of Mr.. Pritchard in the Second dis
trict, a thing that may not be satisfactorily set
Council will stand thirt cen Republicans to
twelve Democrats; but among the thirteen
Republicans are at least two who will not vote
for the 800 saloon tax, so that, in any
event, that proposition canno be carried
within the ensuing two years. In this
view of the case, the Liquor League may con-
over their apparent victory by the slender,
narrow pluralities which the figures indicate.
The Journal said, the other day. that if
the law and order ticket was defeated
in this election the triumph Of the "Sim"
Coy and SAM Dinnin Democracy would be
worse for them than a defeat. We desire to
repeat that now. 1t is a drawn battle as it
stands, but the influences arrayed against the
people yesterday, marshaled under the
banner of Mr.. Cottrell, were such
as to deepen the feeling already
existing that they must be put under control
at 10 distant day. There is no manner of
doubt that if the State law had permitted the
levy Of at least a fve-hundred- dollar tax
upon the saloons, the vote in favor
Of that proposition would have been much
larger than was polled against Mr.. Cottrell
yesterday. The margin of $48 was too small
upon which to predicate an issue that
appealed to the people with much
force. That the nex step will be to ask
the Legislature for such a law is as
certain as fate, and the Liquor League may as
well prepare to contest that, with their COR
ruption funds and their ~corrupter alliances.
Whatever may seem to be the result Of yes
terday's election, the time is coming, and that
not far distant, when the liquor power will be
compelled to obey the law, and to contribute
toward the special expenses which the evils Of
the traffic create.
The reasons for yesterdays failure to record
a sweeping victory for law and order are not
difficult to see. In the first place, a full vote
was by no means polled in those wards where
property-owners, and taxpayers, and those
who are opposed to liquor domination, are
in the largest majority. Some instances
amazing. In one northern ward, one of the
heaviest taxpayers delibera tely absented him
self from the city; another refused to come
out and vote, because he said he could not
leave his business, although a carriage was sent
for him fully three miles. These are but
sample instances, the like of which occurred
everywhere in the northern wards. Then
there were all sorts of personal chickering's, and
jealousies, and treacheries, to which is direct
ly traceable the loss of both the Council boards.
In the Third ward the interests Of
the party had been committed to a disreputa-
BILE, characterless dead-beat, "Bill' Floyd,
who rewarded the faulty that selected him
as committeeman by openly voting and
working for the Democratic ticket. In
the southern and northwestern wards
we were considerably injured. The boast of
the liquor bosses that they would buy up the
colored voters was not without some basis of
truth, and there were a number of them, as
there were of white men, who openly ex-
hibited their miserable meanness. I'm
fortunate nominations for Aldermen
and Councilmen contributed their share
to the result. The compact organization of
the Liquor League, the corruption fund they
controlled. the hard work they gave to the
election-these, aided and assisted by the bad
weather and the worse apathy and
Indifference of so many hundreds
of those mythical 'tgood citizens"
who are really the dangerous classes in all our
large cities, were the causes of the failure to
win a sweeping victory. As it is, there is no
decisive verdict either way; the fight is yet
on, and, except to delay the imposition
of an additional $4S for a period
of one year, or two at the furthest, the
Liquor League has expended its force and it's
money for nothing, while it has given add
tional strength to the feeling that is as certain
to force it under the control of law and COM
pei it to contribute to defray the special ex-
pense it creates as that the sun has risen to-
day.