The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-05
The Fight with the Saloon Interest.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal.
A saloon keeper in the city the other day,
when discussing the question of special tax on
the business in which he is engaged, said that
there was no more reason for a special ta1 on
liquor-selling than on selling bread or potatoes,
and that the property used in the traffic had the
same right to be exempt from all taxes as
churches or school-nouses. Stranger things have
happened than the open avowal of this doctrine,
and attempt to apply it. For generations
slavery existed by mere sufferance and under
many disabilities. It's most ardent friends
claimed nothing else for it, but little
by little it encroached upon its restrictive
bounds, until it claimed everything Not content
to enjoy what had been conceded to it. it claimed
the right not only to go into territories long
secrated to freedom, but to come into India a
and be protected. And. strange to say, it found
political party ready to grant all this, through
It's party leaders But the rank and file of that
party would not consent to the contract, and
that party was relegated to the rear for a
quarter of a century, and slavery persisted for
ever in its insane attempt to become absolute
master
We cannot doubt the final result CT the con-
fiict which the liquor traffic is forcing upon this
Nation of which, according to their own theory,
the contest going on in Indianapolis. is mere
preliminary skirmish. Nothing important can
be settled by the coming election beyond a YER
dict for or against the arrogant assumptions of
the traffic. 1t may furnish an linking to the
readiness of the people to bow down to or to re-
sist it's authority but little more A fight on
the skrmish line is never decisive but is often
prophetic If the taxpayers are defeated next
week, it will only lead to more thorough organ
ization and more determined resistance. The
liquor interest could hardly be better organized.
1t can gain encouragement by success, but it
will not abandon the field if defeated
We repeat that We do not doubt the final re-
suit. TO doubt would be to lose faith in the
right This land cannot go into the hands. per-
manentlv. of such business as the drink traf-
ic. 1t is undoubtedly there now to fearful
extent, just as it was for decade or more in the
hands of slavery only to be wrested from them
forever; but the traffic cannot foreclose its claim
without struggle. That struggle has begun.
The question of a hundred dollars tax il the i'm
mediate objective point in Indianapolis; but be-
hind that lies the question which must be set
tied and it is not difficult to foresee. from the
violence and intimidation already developed, that
the traffic intends TO die in the last ditch In
less than decade from present Indications it will
not be merely question of special tax, as
now but the saloon keeper above quoted
unwittirely disclosed its probable de-
mand to be placed by the side OF
churches and schools on the exempt list. 1t has
already become "a leading industry" having
vested rights" and many similar things. In
short, no election has ever been held in Indian
apos with more farreaching results than the
one which comes off on the 18th inst. G.