The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-22
DIR. Leonard and Prohibition.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis journal:
have no doubt that the Journal acted on
what it thought good authority when it said, the
other day, that in his speech at Springfield, o.,
Dr. Leonard said: II expect to live in Ohio
when there is not saloon in it," / have the
best possible authority for saying that the Jour
nails informant garbled and perverted what the
Doctor did say. He said, in substance, if not in
exact words this: II expect to live in Ohio
when there shall n OF be saloon in it, except in
defiance of law" He further conceded, as every
sensible man must, that under any possible law
there would be law breakers who would defy the
law relating to Saloons just as there are law
breakers who defy all restrictive prohibitory
laws relating to chastity, and the rights of prop
erty, and of life ITSELF and that in ocali-
ties IN which aw-breakers had a
decided or supposed majority, this violation
would be most marked and least punished.
Now do not believe that Dr. Leonard and his
supporters are pursuing the wisest possible
course, even SO far prohibition is concerned;
and have done all that | could. by personal in
tercourse with the Doctor himself, and otherwise
with the men who support him, to have them do
otherwise, but DR.. Leonard is no fool, and he is
far from being the worthless vagabond that the
saloon interest would make believe; and those
who consort with him are not the kind of men to
be deferred by abuse or contumely. Better let
them severely alone, is my advice for as the
Scripture says: IF their cause be of God We
cannot overthrow it, and if it be not it will over
throw itself" or words to that effect. Certainly
abusing Dr. Leonard calling him tpper, a
liar. a fool and all such, will not overthrow the
cause he represents. even if prove all these,
and that he is thief, and adulterer, and murder
er and several other things besides.
Now, 1t may seem fanatical to some, but
have no hesitancy in saying, in cold blood and
with due deliberaton, that / expect to live in
Indiana when again there shall not be single
FALCON In the State. except in violation of law as
did for five months thirty years ago. But
never expect to see the time when there will
not he men vile enough and shrewd enough to
violate any law that man or God can enact on
this or any other form of wrong doing. And
will add, parenthetically, that the high handed
outrages Of the liquor traffic, not in Mil waukee
alone, but in indianapolis as well, is fastening
the day thousand-fold more than the handful
of good but, as think, misguided men who con-
stitute the Prohibition party. The liquor sellers
don't own this country, though they think they
do. They can't always dictate our policy, nor
elect our officers. though for the most part they
have done so of late Deliverance will come,
but not through a third party" except remotely
if at all; but honest men of all parties will rise
up and take the monster by the throat, and il
will wake up some morning and find itself dead
like slavery did one morning.
III that good time coming tipping-houses will
exist just as gam bling houses and houses of il
fame do now and will then. and the police will
take spurts at raiding them all alike By and
by, II the influence of schools, and pulpits, and
domestic teachings shall continue, and shall be
as successful In the next fifty years in the
last fifty, all these dens of vice will be nearly OBJ
liberated won't say how long it will take. L
may come with u whirl, it may come slowly, bu
it surely will come. T. A GOODWIN.