The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-13
THE REAL CULpRITs,

The Sentinel appears to be frantic for the
impeachment of Mayor Denny, and challenges
the Journal to come to his defense. The
Journal is of opinion that Mayor Denny is
able to take care Of his own case and, so far
as anything to the contrary has developed,
public opinion sustains him in the action ne
took in discharging the prisoners brought be-
fore him for getting drunk on Sunday. The
Journal is opposed, as every law-abiding citi-
zen is, to allowing men to get drunk oil Sun
day. 1t is an offense against the peace and
lating the same, that deserves punishment.
But there are reasons that sustain the Mayor
in his position on this question. For months
he had seen the law defed by the liquor-sells
ers who have kept open on Sunday and after
II at night, evidently with at least the tacit
consent if not the connivance Of the police.
authorities. If the law were enforced by the
police there would be no opportunity for
men to get drunk on Sunday, when,
according to law, every Saloon should
be kept closed so that intoxcants
could not be obtained Month after
month the Mayor has had brought before him
on Monday morning batch of miserable,
ragged wretches, men and women, who have
been charged with being drunk on the day
previous. Now. it is obvious to all that
they would not have offended against the law
had it not been that beyond them there were
others moro culpable, the men who, for the
gain there is in the traffic, dishonor the law
and continue the sale of liquors On the day
the law says shall not be thus polluted, Many
OF these poor wretches get drunk on nc other
day, that being their only opportunity, as
they are employed on week days too closely
to give time to become intoxicated For
months the Mayor has conformed to the let
ter OF the law, and had fired and sentenced
their offenses, until he got tired Of having
the community made party to their degrade
enforcing the law that would largely have
saved them from their shame The question
for the Sentinel to answer is shall
the city continue fining and imprison-
ing these wretches who get drunk on
Sunday. often taking from them the ney
that should so TO the support of their
families, when the fault lies primarily with a
class of law breakers much more able to pay
these penalties? Does the Sentinel hold that
the men who offend before the bar of The sa-
loon shall be fined, while the white aproned
fellow behind it escapesY Which is the better
serves punishment? In other words, is fine
Sentinel in favor of skinning the poor and
giving the fat to the law defying saloon
keeper? Shall bread be taken from the mouth
of the wife and children Of the poor to put
silks and laces on the backs Of the liquor
seller? Shall there be made fish Of one class
Of offenders and fowl of othersG Let the Sen
tinel meet this question on its merits, and say
whether, under the circumstances, the poor
should be punished while the men who
plumber them are given immunity in their
persistent defiance Of all law and regulation.
When an honest attempt is made to enforce
the law against those saloons that keep open
on Sunday, it will be time enough to punish
the men who get drunk on that day. The
community that spreads temptation on Sun
day is not in position to wiring the last cent
from the wretches that fall thereby The
Journal thinks the Mayor did right under the
circumstances