The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-11
THE CITY CANVASS.

THE CITY CANVASS.
The issue in the approaching city election
is not personal one between the candidates
nor strictly a partisan one as between the
great political parties. The interests at stake
are Of more importance to the people of this
city, without regard to politics, than is the
selection of a State Governor or President Of
the United States. The platforms upon
which the two tickets are presented to the
people, and the attitude Of the immediate
friends of the two leading candidates, present
the issues Of the campaign too clearly te
admit of mistake. The nomination of Thomas
Cottrell was not an accident, but was
the result of most determined effort on the
part of that element in our city that gives the
authorities the most trouble and entails an
enormous expense upon the people. The gen
tlemen who sought to nominate Mr. Byfeld
have every reason to fear and object to Cot
trellism The two men represented widely
distinct ideas and the saloonists and bummers
rallied to the aid of Cottrell, assured that he
was the man to represent their interests.
What this means no one need misun-
derstand. The saloon men will sup
port no man who favors the en-
forcement of the law or who believes that
that expensive traffic should be made to bear
some reasonable share Of the expense that it
puts upon the city. 1t will be seen, there
FORE that the issue is not between the Repub-
lican party and the Democratic party, save
that these men have succeeded in forcing
their candidate upon the latter, and made it,
for the time being, at least, the champion of
'liberap laws and free whisky. Under the
circumstances no self-respecting Democrat,
who has his own interests and the interests
Of the city at heart, can follow the lead of
men like Coy, and Bowling, and Cottrell
The man nominated by the convention of
Saturday last represents different class and
Numerically different ideas. He stands
'fat-footed, with both feet" on platform in
favor of the enforcement of the law against
saloon-keepers as against any other men, and
in favor of raising the tax on saloons to a
figure that will lift 80 much of
the burden from the shoulders of
others and place it where it belongs. The
issue is on these two questions. The ticket
nominated by the Republican convention
stands for these things, while that put up by
espouses the contrary. Never in the history
of politics had good men better reason for
banding together, regardless of politics, to put
down an enemy of law and of fair taxation.
Upon the success of one or the other of these
tickets depends whether the saloons Of Indian
apolis shall spit upon and defy the
law and escape a just tax. The men
behind Mr.. Cottrell would as heartily support
him had he been nominated by the Republic
ans if he still represented their wishes. There
is no politics in this contest on the part of the
Liquor League and their friends, and had the
Democratic convention failed to name their
man, and accede to their demands, they
would have lost interest and no amount of
partisan appeal could have rallied them. The
issue, then, is between this element and that
other that believes in the impartial enforce
burden Of taxation. It should not take an
honest man long to decide between the two
without regard to prejudice. Upon the issue
of this election depends whether law and order
shall prevail, and the saloons be obliged to
bear a more reasonable share of the burden of
expense that they put on the people.