The Indianapolis journal., 1886-07-21

who arc not blinded with prejudice or self
interest as the best practical solution Of the
question
The strangest thing to me in the history of the
third party is that it is inclined to hurl all its
anathemas at the Republican party. DO the
third party men forget that all the temperance
legislation calculated to suppress intemperance
has boen the work of the Republican party9 Do
they remember that this good work has generally
been undone by Democratic Supreme Court or
repealed by DEMOCRATIC Legislatureg 1t was
in Republican Kansas and Iowa where the he.
publican party bravely attacked this evil and
overthrow it. In Indiana to-day the Democratic
party stands platform declaring that this
saloon business is an innocent business. Why
do not the third party open their batteries
on their open enemy7 Why do they. rub
their hands with glee when they have defeated
the only political friend the temperance cause
ever had, and have placed the legislation IN the
hands Of party that is in open and shameless
alliance with the saloons. commend to them
the policy of the old Scotch preacher, who. at
his opening service, said, sLet rs all pray for
the ould diel for il we can convert him we have
done the whole business"
A member of the last Legislature told me that
whsn the temperance committee had their first
meeting the large number of bills and petl-
tions that had been referred to the committee
were indefinitely postponed without even having
them read. Not even the bill that had been so
largely petitioned for, that the children should
be taught in the common schools the evil effects
OF alcohol on the human system. could be al
lowed to pass that LegislatugeA Yet some OF the
extreme men of the third party are
now, 10 some Of the close counties, doing all
they can to secure the return of just
such another body of men to make our laws
a body of men who will treat them as did the
last Legslature-spitin in thir faces and spurn their
petitions with contsmpt But when you call the
attention of the Indiana Democrat to this ques-
tion, the third party man. who is anxious for the
destruction of the Republican party, has ready
reply. He says: Look at Democratic Ken
| tucky and Georgia. See what has been done
there by the Democrats" We soy they have
done well, and all honor to them for their brave
fight against the saloons. But they won their
victory just as we want you to help Us win, Dy
local option. They have taken the question to the
people, and they have routed the saloons. That
old spawned, knock k-kneed, stump-sucker nag,
called ssumptuary" that the Indiana Democrat
mounts every year TO make his campaign. is not
in use in any other State but Indian. Elsewhere
it is clear case of 'nnocuous desuetude."
If it be good thing-a movement calling ont
all the praise of the third party-for the South
ern Democrat to adopt local option, and make
success out of it, why are they guilty OF the
great Inconsistency OF denouncing Northern
Republican for doing the same thing. This
gives ground for the suspicion that some Of the
third party people are more anxious to defeat
the Republicans than to promote the cause Of
temperance. The same men seem to think the
sure way to create prohibition party out of the
Republican party is to secure its defeat time
and again at the polls, and that that course will
bring the whole party over to them In a body.
The difficulty of making success out of this
| plan is that they giving the Republican party
credit for religion than it really possesses.
| It is hardly up to the high point of returning
| good for evil. If wanted to enlist friend in
| my cause would not abuse him by knocking his
hat off and splitting in his face to secure his at
| lection and assistance.
strong leader of the third party said the
other day, that saocal-option saloon is no
better than any other sort of a whisky shop /
do mt rnY ndp hnf fO h. frf1Q in a.
ship. the saloon was able to pull through with
bare majority. as would be the case in most
places, whore it could pass at all, as the saloon
keeper would know that he was on trial, with
powerful minority to watch him, he would be
more careful about selling to minors, to drunk
ards, and doubt if he would open even his back
door on Sundays, as he does now. But suppose a
locaopton saloon is no better, is it not better If
seven -eighths of the people are free from it
entireyl Would not that be better than to do
nothing2 And further. as the question
came before the people from time
to tiEe--severed entirely from party
politicaand the saloon, and its appalling effects
upon society. considered and discussed. as it is,
would not the education of the people be much
more rapid, and thorough. than by any other
plant Now the saloon attempts to hide itself
among other political issues, and calls to its aid
party fealty and partisan bias. to pull it through
The majority against the Liquor League is over
whelmng OF this have no doubt The pro-
cess of amending the Constitution is slow, tedi-
ous, and cumbersome. We ought to have new
Constitution If for other reason than this.
But as that is not to be had. we can accomplish
all we want under the one we have if we will
pass a low that will take the saloon out of the
hands of this politicians, and give it over to the
| people, to dispose of. They will make short
work of the curse that is casting shadow over
| every heartnstone Of Indiana.
We must disentangle the saloon from politics.
1t bribes political parties to lower their moral
| standard by offering its support to any party
hats tai ffQ and
| lawlessness. The Liquor League is political
| Hessian. The politicians are disgusted with its
corrupting influence, and its dominating power,
and arrogance politics. 1t is barely possible
| that the Democrats may become weary of their
| wicked partner. The League has recently been
| threatening to dissolve partnership if high IL
| ceuse is insisted upon at the next Democratic
| State convention. There is a very large ee
| ment Of honest men in the Democratic ranks
| who are tired of the domination of the saloon,
| the dctation of platforms and the selection of
| candidates. This class are disgusted at the
declaration of the last platform-that the saloon
business is an Innocent business
and to placate and satisfy this
class, the ring masters of the party are inclined
to abandon the last platform. and strike out for
high license The Liquor League storms and
| threatens, and the Democratic politicians will
submit as heretofore. / notice the league held
them to the old platform in Tippecanoe county
the other day. The next demand will be for free
whisky-free from tax or any legal restraint, so
that they can sell on Sunday, and all night if
they want to do so. In order to hold the Liquor
League to the party honestly believe there are
some Democratic politicians in Indiana who
would be willing to declare that the saloon is a
divine institution. The stakeholder brought
them to that point. and doubt not that the
saloon keeper accomplish the same result.
But adherence to slavery ruined the Democratic
party and the saloon will in the end be equally
fatal. The moral sense of many honest men
in their ranks will not much longer submit to
the dictation of the saloon keeper.
The Democratic politicians and newspapers
imagine that they are in favor of reform. 1t is
merely a wild freak of the imagination They
know there is something the matter with them.
and. for want of q name, they claim to have an
attack of reform. You have heard of the man
who. in a religious meeting, said, when speak
ing of his depressed spirits, THAT be had religion