The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-11

This is an opportunity that should not be lost.
The sum of $4,000 is enough to endow a
faith-cure chair in some college, or to build
church for that faith.
THE PROHIBITION MOVEMENT IN THE SOUTH
The question of prohibition, which has cut
such a figure in politics in Northern States to
the cost Of the Republican party, will soon ap-
pear to trouble the Democratic camp. From
present indications Georgia is about to become
involved in political prohibition, as has been
Iowa and Kansas and with the same result,
though with the factors reversed. In Iowa
the Republican majority has been greatly re-
duced by so many of the party voting for a
third ticket or even going so far as to unite
with the Democratic anti-prohibition party.
Georgia is now treated to like experience,
and the overwhelming Democratic majority
there is threatened. A special dispatch to the
Louisville Courier-J Journal represents Atlanta
in blaze of excitement over the prohibition
QucSiiOuJ WulCu Ids OcCOLuO SuDJCOp Va
conversation at public places almost to the
exclusion of all others. 'The streets are
nightly paraded by professions, headed by
brass bands; Democrats salute fellow workers
of color as brother women are holding
prayermeetings for the success of prohibition,
and all distinction between Democrat and Re-
publican has been for the moment forgotten"
So runs the account.
For several years the interest in the ques-
ton of prohibition has been growing, until
now of Georgia's 1877 counties eighty five
are committed to total prohibition, thirty to
partial prohibition, and but twenty remain as
before the agitation began. Under local
option law Georgia is practically as much a
prohibition State as Iowa is. But the prohi-
bitionists are not satisfied, and are moving to
capture the remaining towns and counties.
The immediate cause of the excitement at
Atlanta is an election to be held on the 25th
inst, on proposition to prohibit the sale of
liquors in that city To secure the election a
petition was prepared, bearing the names of
$500 registered voters, requesting the same.
1t is apparent from this that the saloon men
will have to make desperate fight to hold
their own. The temperance men and Prohi-
bitionists Of Georgia have been wiser in their
day and generation than have been their
hrof bror in tho Mouth TnctaoA Of cfa
third party and putting up ticket made up
of old hacks hungry for notoriety and Office,
they held aloof from politics and made
friends in both parties. They had but
one object in view, and made no raid
upon offices nor questioned mans politics.
Under the leadership Of able, and prominent,
and respected men they moved slowly and
carefully. AS they were interested in
churches and schools, they took care that
new institutions were judiciously located, so
as to make prohibition territory as contiguous
as possible under a law forbidding the sale
of liquors within so many miles of rural
schools and churches, Then step further
was taken. johnson county, far removed
from railroads and civilization, asked that her
citizens be permitted to vote upon the exclu-
sion of liquor The request was granted, and
so remote was the county that when it event
dry" in local parlance, the outside world
never heard of it. Then militia districts here
and there asked for the privilege of local OPP
ton, as they called it, and occasionally an
other backwoods county would come in. This
was kept up until, as shown above, nearly the
entire State has been captured without the
firing of gun. General local option thus
emboldened, a movement was made to pass
general local-option law, providing for cleo
tons anywhere upon petition of a certain per
cent. of the voting population, and this law
was passed only few months ago. Just be-
fore the Legislature assembled the prohibi-
ton people held State convention in Atlanta
for the purpose of advancing their cause
''There was presented upon the stage a scene
never before witnessed in Southern CITY
the most hated of Republicans and the most
ultra OF Democrats shook hands in common
cause. White people did not scorn to sit
upon stage where sat negroes as invited and
honored guests. The contest over the bill in
the Legislature was long and bitter, but
finally local option won the day."
Thus writes Democratic correspondent of
a leading Democratic paper. The same writer
details how the interest awakened involved all
classes and races of people. He says that
white Democrats suddenly began to affiliate
neglected to afford encouragement to colored