The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-02
TEMPERANCE IN INDIANA.
The Movement of Which Judge John H. Slot
senburg Is the Leader.


senburg Is the Leader.
New Albany Special
Judge John III. Stotsenbure, leading law
yer and Democratic politician of this city,
has come out in a new move in favor of temper
ance. His idea is to have higher license law
and to prevent the indiscrimnate issue of liquor
license to unprincipled men. Judge Stotsenburg
is one of the commissioners that revised the
Statutes of Indiana and he has been frequently
mentioned as possible Democratic candidate
for Governor or for Congress. The movement
he has inaugurated is now being put in shape all
over the State. and there is every reason to be-
leve that political move it is liable to create
some very serious complications, especially in
Democratic counties.
1t is well known that while Mr.. Stotsenburg is
an ardent Democrat he is likewise a temperance
man of very marked ability, and there is no
doubt that with his organization he may revolu
tionize the politics of the State to some extent
His idea is to have very high license. and rot
to vote for any member of the Assembly who is
not in favor of the same thing. The following
is the constitution of the proposed organization,
which is now being worked up in every county
in Indiana:
"Artice l. This association shall be called
The Voters Temperance League of precinct =,
- township - county. Indiana.
ARTICLE IL The members must be voters of
the precinct or voting place wherein the society
is organized. The membership is open to all
voters, whether Republicans, Democrats, Ma
tionalists, Prohibtionists or Independents and
no member is to be asked or expected to sur
render his party principles or to abandon his in
dividual belief as to the proper legal remedy to
suppress intemperance
!, "Article III. The only conditions required
of voter desiring to become member are that
he shall sign this constitution, thereby signing
the following pledges:
without surrendering my party principles
or my individual views az to the proper way of
suppressing intemperance and restricting places
of public tipping, l make this pledge voter
that hereafter will vote Cor no candidate for
the Legislature who will not publicly promise
the people of the county and district in which he
runs that, if elected he will work and vote in the
General Assembly for practical, advanced tenn
perance legislation; and will do what l can by
my influence and vote, whether in mass conven-
ton, at the primary election. or special and gen.
era elections, to secure the nomination and
the election of the candidate for the Legislature,
whether representative or senatorial in my
county and district who will publicly and
strictiye and advanced law than the present
liquor law, as against any candidate for the Leg
islature who will not so declare
ARTICLE ~. The object of this league is to
ascertain First, the number of voters in the
State Of Indiana who are in favor of advanced
practical legislation to restrict public tipping
and suppress intemperauce; second, to unite
them as brothers on the common platform of
practical advanced temperance legislation, so
far, at least, as to secure, if possible majority
of sincere and honest temperance legislators in
the next and succeeding General Assemblies who
will advocate and vote for practical advanced
temperance legislation; and thirdly, after victory
at the polls, to aid in securing the passage Of a
a law which shall diminish the number of drunk
ards and drinking saloons in Indian, each mem
Der agreeing to waive his individual preference
as TO the details of such legislation"