The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-28
THE LIQUOR LAW.
Mr.. Murphy Condemned by Democratic Pa
per-0ther Comments in the State.
REFLECTIONS OF A RURAL STATESMAN.

| REFLECTIONS OF RURAL STATESMAN
| Shelbyville Democrat.
Murphy is straight-Iaced fine-haired, we'll
| fed Presbyterian gentleman, is the president of
! the board, and believes in running politics on
the high moral idea, and consequently keeps
himself and his party associates in hot water all
| the time. Through Murphy the police at In
| dlanapolis are now attempting to enforce the Ii
o'clock provision of the liquor law in that city,
aud have all the saloon men and thousands of
others on their backs. The travelling public who
| get up early in the morning to catch trains, and
who like little nip to drive away the malaria,
are among the most prominent kickers.
! Murphy pretends to be Democrat. and when
| he thinks that his party has nominated decent
me he supports the ticket, but he always con-
| stitutes himself a committee of one to judge of
| their fitness for position.
| Murphy is to be congratulated for being a
moral man and Christian, and would not be
understood as saying a single word to his detri
| ment on that account, but are free to say that
! his character in this respect should be emuated.
| What we are objecting to is his attempt to mix
religion and politics together.
/ This thing of men bowling themselves hoarse
| about putting into execution every odlous law
upon the statute books is downright nonsense,
| pure and simple. If all of the criminal laws
| now in existence in this State were rigldly en-
forced, but few men would escape penalties
| during the year.
| The State officers in whose hands lies the APP
| pointing power have labored under tue mistaken
| idea that the police commissioners should be Of
| the Murphy stripe in order to give high tone
to the Board. They have fanced that the De-
| publican press of Indianapolis would not assall
board made up of men of Murphy's calibre but
| Democrats always make mistake when they
go fishing for Republican compliments. Mr..
| John FrenZel, one of the Democratic commits
/ sioners having become thoroughly digusted
| with president Murphy and the surroundings
| generally, has resigned. Frenzel understands
the spirit of the metropolitan bill; he was one of
! its originators and is entitled to speak for 1t.
ne ., believes in using 1t for the oen rent
we. AS rural statesman" say amen!
Whatever mistakes are chargeable for the COM
| position of the commissioners none Of them must
be plaed at the door of Governor Gray as he was
not in office when Murphy was appointed, but
had he been Governor we have hesitation in
predicting that Murphy would never have been
clothed with the robes of Office. Isaac p. Gray
would never have made such a blunder.
A PRIVILEGED CLASS.
| Peru Republican.
class, enjoying more rights and privileges under
the law and police regulations than dry goods
dealers, grocers and other citizens. The privi-
| legged class some of them at least, claim that
! immunity from the penalties of the law was
fairly earned by them in supporting the Demo
| cratic party They had the assurance Of Dem
ocratic politicians that they would be permitted
| to conduct their business in open defiance of the
| law. NOW III the bargain IS not carried out, IN
accordance with the evident wish Of Mr. FrenZel,
| the privileged class will be under the painful
necessity of appealing to the Legislature to re-
peal that odous restriction of the liquor law
which requires saloons to be closed at II O'Clock
PTM~
| how IT WILL ALL END.
| Hancock democrat
| The retail liquor dealers OF indianapolis are
| getting somewhat excited because the people of
that city want the temperance law enforced.
There is no room for grumbling by any dealer.
| his license was granted under the express slip
ulation that he would obey the law He knew
its requirements If he thought they were rig
orous and unjust, he was not compelled to apply
fora license The liquor dealers of Greenfield
obey the law without complaint and the Demo
crat has we'll settled opinion that an Indanap-
oils dealer is no better than Greenfield dealer
The law ought to be enforced against all offend
ers. especially when purposely and deliberately
| violated. This effort of the indianapolis dealers
will end in well-digested high license law at
no distant day.
THE ELEVEN O'CLOCK LAW.
| Evansville Courier (Dem).
! The provision of the LIQUOR law requiring
saloons to close at IL o'clock is a good one, and
ought to be strictly enforced So far as our in
| formation extends, q large majority OF the sa-
loon keepers themselves are in favor of enforc-
ing the lazy, provided it is thoroughly enforced,
| and without favoritism. A large majority of
| them already observe the IL O'clock provis-
occurs long after that hour. With the repeal of
| the Sunday clause the law, as it stands, would
be about right. 5
WAIT AND SEE.
| lebanon Patriot.
| What this spasm of virtue. on the part of the
! police board means is hard to tell, but we do
not think the liquor dealers of indianapolis need
be very greatly alarmed. They will not be in
| terfered with to any great extent Some dealers
| Who have little, if any influence may be given
hut ho ~ lox
the present regime will not prevent the thirsty
and hungry visitor from getting his hip or cold
lunch at any time he may want it
MIsCHIEvoUs BILL
Hancock Dem crat.
Representative Schmidt of Marion County,
has introduced a bill to amend the liquor law.
| He wants to strike out the words "Said appli-.
cant to be a fit person to- to be intrusted with
the sale of intoxicating liquor and make it read
that the Commissioners shall grant the
license unless it IS shown that the applicant is
an unfit person to be trusted with license. The
bill ought not to pass. The law is good enough
as it is. =
THAT ENDORSEMENT OF FRENzEI-
| Madison Courier.
| MIR. Frenzel refused to remain on board that
| proposes to do what each member solemnly
| swore he would do, j. g., uphold and enforce the
law. Thus far the case is bad enough for Fren-
| Eel and the Democracy but to pile Ossa upon
] Pelion next come the Governor Gray and the
other officers of the State, and indorse Mr..
Frenzel for his contemptuous refusal to keep
his oath and sustain the statutes of Indiana
OF DOUBTFUL PROPERTY.
| Hancock Democrat.
| Senator Bailey, of Hancock Marion and Shell
! by has introduced bill to repeal the clause in
the temperance law requiring saloons to be
| closed from lip. NJ to B A. NJ. That is a propo
siton of doubtful propriety. If the law is to be
amended the license by corporations should be
| placed in the school fund instead of the corpora
| ton fund as at present