The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-12
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The True keynote.


ago, and the Journal has rendered valuable
service in publishing it. 1t sounds the true key
note in the following sentence: Let the friends
of temperance vote for no candidate for the Leg
Islature in 1885 who will not openly pledge him.
self to vote for advanced temperance. legisla-
ton" That is The exact thing for the hour. 1t
is not probable that in fifty years the friends OF
temperance will harmonic in advance on the
details of Expressive or suppressive enactments,
while every thinking man must agree that 1--WE
must have something more severe and restrictive
than the present liquor law" No wonder. The
present liquor law was written in saloon in
Indianapolis, to suit the BUSINESS and
its restrictions are few and unimportaIt
and they are enforced by penalties
wholly inadequate. There are thou
sand pet crotchets on the subject, varying
from unscreened saloons to abolute prohibition.
Now, let all these harmonic on Mr.. Stotsen-
berg's platform, and something valuable will be
done. Even those who are called Prohibition
lists differ widely as to what they want while the
saloon element class all who ask for any modi-
fcation Of their law with the Prohibtionists.
just as twenty five years ago, everybody who
did not bow down to. the slave oligarchy was
called an Abolitionist. Mr.. Stotsenberg will find
himself in tine ranks of Prohibitionists lence
forward for the able and manly protest that he
has uttered, and all the odium that attaches to
the name will attach to him hereafter.
But let us start right. Mr.. Stotsenberg be-
lieves in high license law, with severe checks
and penalties" But don't let us go into the can
vass on that, for there are thousands who do
not believe in license at all, and they
are not all of the ultra school
of prohibition, either; but let US
rally to the bugle call of that keynote cad
vance Temperance Legislation" and let the Leg
islature thus elected determine how much of Ii
cense, and how much of prohibition shall be in
the law. but let it be an advance" on the pres
emit law. 1t will have to be if it is anything
Personally, have very decided views on the
subject and they are not for high license at all,
nor yet for prohibition. in the popular sense of
that term but am willing to hold these all in
allegiance and join Mr.. Stotsenberg and all 9th
ers in anything that will array the sober, Chris
tan, tax-pay.ing element against the saloon ele-
ment, the present political bosses of the State
for they will fight the least advance as relent
lessly as they would fight prohibition in its most
hideous form. But there is an important queS-
be made in this direction. Mr.. Stotsenberg is a
Democrat of the first water, acknowledged
leader in Floyd county, if not in the
State. If the Democratic State convention
shall adopt its ''time-honored resolution and
declare against sumptuary laws, will Mr. Stot
senberg vote for Republican for the Legislature
who may announce his purpose to labor for and
vote for advanced temperance legislation|
believe he will, personally and quietly, but will
he boldly declare that he regards the matter of
a. do tn Stadu tam
perance legislationg He may be sure that no
Democrat can be elected in Floyd county who is
a Prohibitonst, unless such Democrats as he
come boldly to the front and defend them, for
all advance legislationsts will be called Prohbi-
tionists from this on. / believe there 80, 600
Democrats who will, next year, vote for Repub
licans for the Legislature, notwithstanding the
pending senatorial election, rather than vote for
a slave to the saloon power, and at least as
many Republicans who will vote for Democrats
on the same condition, if they are properly led
by such men as Mr. Stotsenberg The party
yoke was never less binding than now But
who shall lead themt
Mr.. Stotsenberg is not wholly at fault when
he speaks of the methods of the so called Pro
hibitionsts" as misdirected but how can that be
helpedl The wise and discreet leaders" of
whom he speaks, refuse to come to the front and
lead thus leaving this most intense conviction
of "a great majority of the people of Indiana"
to exhaust itself in schemes in which the ma
. II
SO much to blame as these, who could lead but
will not9 But this thing will never be remedied
by papers read before diocesan conventions, or
resolutions passed at conferences, synods, or
yearly meetings. Somebody must get down to
business, and there is no man in Indiana whose
age, and social position, and general influence
more entities him to front rank in this move
ment than this same John H. Stotsenberg.
There should be some concert among those who
sympathize with him, and believe very large
e I'D
advanced temperance legislation leaving the
details to be settled by the Legislature to be
elected On this platform. Though not of them
think [ know enough about the ''so-called Pro-
hibitionists' to assure Mr.. Stotzenberg that
seven tenths of them, if rot all of them would
at once wheel into line and hold their organiZa-
ton and special views in allegiance while they
make common cause for any advanced legislation
that did not, in advance, commit them to the
Endorsement of high license as temperance
measure. If high license comes in any shape
that will lessen the evils of dram shops, no set
of men will be more loyal in giving it fair
trial, while holding themselves ready to go further
if that proves unsatisfactory. The truth is, they
were driven to their present organiza-
Il. ton because nobody ,..;s else proposed
now we are confronted with this irresistible
calamity: Unless somebody comes to the front
and honestly proposes to antagonize the AFRO
gance of the liquor traffic by some form of legis-
lation that will hold it somewhat in check, this
prohibition organization will play havoc with
existing parties at the next election, and post
pone indefinitely all legislation this subject
that promises any relief from the thousand evils
Of the saloons Of the State.
And why not begin at once2 Mr.. Stotsenberg
has the ears of large class of temperance men
to-day, with thanks for his paper. Why may he
not propose a meeting for the appointment of
that committee of wise and discreet leaders,"
They will not appoint themselves, or if they
do they will have no following And what plan
so hopeful as the National League. non partisan
and non-sectarian, the platform of which was
published in the Journal a week agol 1t is a
league of honest, earnest men, who pledge their
faith to each other to secure advanced tenn
perance legislation" without prescribing the ex-
act kind, and yet without forming temperance
party, nor yet interfering with their
respective parties any other issue. If Mr.
Stotsenburg will sign a call for such a conven-
tion accompanied by dozen other promi
nent citizens of New Albany, of different politi-