The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-21
nigh License and Local option.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
1t seems to me that nothing is so obvious to
all thinking men as that thu best interests of the
Nation require an early and complete return of
the Republican party to power. Another such
a three months of anarchy and bloodshed as the
last three and life and property will be insecure
in America as they ever were in Mexico. 1t is
madness to deny that the violence which has
characterized the late so-called labor troubles
finds it tap root in the measures and men
which give distnctiveness TO the Democratic
party. The paper edited by the miscreants who
threw the dynamite into the ranks of the Chi
cago police was a Democratic organ, and used by
the Democratic Mayor of Chicago for the pub
LEGATION of official papers, and more than once
the police of Chicago had been detailed to parade
the streets as official guards of professions of
Anarchists bearing the red flag of incendiarism;
and the blatant agitators who are now under ar
rest, for murder, had been protected in their
bloody harangues, Sunday after Sunday by the
very men whom they slew by their missiles of
death, and the Democratic Mayor of Chicago,
elected by Democratic methods system of
frauds-had never received word Of rebuke by
the Democratic party. Like the rebels in the
posing that they had firm grip upon the Nation,
began too soon as they now see, to assert their
rights The people are not ready to accept jeff
Davis as political guide, nor are they ready to
surrender their rights to life and property to
handful of Anarchists even though backed by
the Chicago Mayor and the Chicago police.
The growing debt of every Democratic S tate,
and every Democratic county, and every Demo
cratic township demands that we call halt, not
to mention the disfranchisement of the people
rxyfr 6nl m al n np NJ a
more cruel system of fraudulent apportionment,
as in Indiana And there would be no difficult
in defeating the Democratic party in Indiana by
$1,000 if it we're not for the question Of dealing
with another form OF anarchy and oppression.
The Anarchists who wave the bloody flag and
demand protection in doing it, are not one whit
more arrogant or dangerous than the liquor
league that defes all law, and, in Indiana, where
there is the least possible restraint no less than
in Iowa or Maine, demands a surrender to them
and not only will not obey the law we have, but
defy the people. and say no other law shall be
made. They must be met and met with a bold
ness commensurate with their arrogance. We
should not mince matters with them in our plat
form our candidates one whit more than we
should with the other class of Anarchists who
defy law. Some think that thigh license and
local option" should be our war cry. Nonsense!
We want no legislation in our platform, we
want simple declaration of war upon the
Liquor League, leaving the details of the meas
ures to the emergencies of the hour. When
General Sherman said that the true policy of the
late war was to take 200, 900 men and march
through Kentucky the people called him crazy
but they were all willing to fight the Rebellion
and gradually came to Shermans idea. Let as
fight the Liquor League in any way and every
way possible, and let no crank insist on his no.
ton or nothing. If marching to the sea becomes
necessary we will march, but let as, meanwhile,
agree to fight the League as a secret political
organization, based on capital and with no pur-
pose but its'5wn aggrandizement Let the details
be left to the Legislature. Of course this inn
plies that we must have no candidate in State or
county that is ''alf and-'alf," or that proposes
into West Virginia, with an apology and beg
pardon method, but rather like Grant went for
them at Fort Donelson, unconditional sur
render" Every candidate on the State ticket
must be an avowed enemy of the Liquor League
and not afraid to say so. He need not be
fanatic, but he must be no coward.
T.