The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-01

THE ISSUE MADE BY THE LIQUOR LEAGUE.
The people of Indianapolis, or that portion
of them that believes in the equal enforce
ment and fair distribution Of taxes, have
greater reason to take active inte rest in city
politics than ever before. The Republican
party has taken no new departure in pledging
itself to good government and the economical
administration of affairs. If this were all that
was in the ISSUE voters could with reason be
excused for saying and believing that it was
simply plan whereby the election was to be
carried. But this is not ALL The opposition
assumes an attitude directly hostile to good
government, and makes no secret Of the fact
that the burden of taxation shall not be rear
ranged, but that the irregularities now suf-
fered shall be perpetuated. It is not, there
fore, a choice between parties merely, but be-
tween principles as radically different as right
and wrong can be different The Liquor
League, with the Democratic organization in
its clutches throws down the gage of
battle, declares by it's nomination that
it is hostile to the proposed enforcement of
law, and makes no secret Of the fact that it is
unalterably opposed to the business PROPOSE
ton to make the saloons bear the burden of
expense that they put upon the city. The
nomination Of Thomas Cottrell by the Liquor
League meant that the league intended to
fight for the control of the city of Indianapo-
lis, to formulate its laws and to give carte
blanche to the saloons. This is the reason,
and the sole reason, why Mr.. Cottrell was Sc
lected. But for the fact that as police COM
missioner he stood for lawlessness in this mat
ter aud helped render the enforcement Of the
law regulating the liquor traffic impossible, he
would never have been thought Of. It is
equally true that he was not the choice of the
Democrats of this city outside of the league.
But for the league and his services to such sa-
loon men as are not willing to obey the law he
would not be the nominee and it is altogether
probable that a law and order campaign would
not have been necessary.
It is not between candidates and parties that
the voters are to choose but between the
principles and the men they represent. Mr..
Denny is unqualifedly pledged to the enforce
ment of the law and to the proposition to in
crease the saloon license to 800 for the pur-
pose of raising a revenue from that source
that shall come nearer meeting the expense
| put upon the city at large by the saloons.
Mr.. Cottrell, on the contrary, is pledged in a
| corresponding manner to serve the wishes of
the Liquor League. He is the exponent of that
aggressive and threatening organization that
maintains that the city has no right to close
the saloons at any time, night or day, week
day or Sunday He is the advocate of that
body of men who are banded together for the
purpose Of avoiding the payment of tax ad-
equate to the expense they put upon the city.
For years the citizens of Indianapolis have
annually paid taxes to the amount of perhaps
$35, 900 that rightly should have been paid by
the -keepers-the men whose business
OIcalCu tHO oApoASo. Au0 Liquor u0
swears that this monstrous injustice shall not
be righted, but that the saloons shall continue
to compel other men to pay taxes made neces-
sary by them
The issue has been made, and aggressively,
by the Liquor League. Chatting under the
most reasonable regulations the saloon men
have gone into politics, not to modify any
laws So much as to elect men who shall as
sassinate law for them. Unwilling to close
their places at IL o'clock at night and on Sun
day, and determined not to pay taxes, they
have seized upon one of the regular organiza-
tions compelled it to name their men, and
exacted from it a pledge that the whisky bust
ness shall be made practically free. The
League in short, have put the city on the
defensive; and, unless they are met man for
man, and more, the dangerous ideas they
champion will become the policy of the city
government. 1t has been argued that Indian
apolis is as free from acts of violence and law
lessness as any city of like size anywhere. If
this be true, it is true only because the Liquor
League mas not yet had its own way. The
lawiessness it proposes cannot be tolerated
J without great harm to the community. It Is