The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-22

The objection frequently made prohibitory law,
to the effect that il be effectively enforced Is
the logical sequence of the considerations which
have been presenting Such law. passed by bare
majority after bitter struggle will be sure to be re-
garded by the defeated party political victory,
rather than ordinary exercise of the law-making
power, and they will be sure to evade it If they can.
Where such law is enacted for entire State there
will be counties in which the overwhelming
weight of public opinion will be in support on the law
and in them it will be enforced In other counties
the preponderance of public opinion will be adverse to
the law and there it will not be enforced In each case
the county officials, through whom alone the law can
be executed will reflect in their conduct the prevail
ing views of the voters whose instruments they are
10 sum up this part OF the matter therefore may
say that the proposition to add prohibtory amend
ment to our Constitution to me to be unwlse,
because:
1. believe the majority of the voters would OPP
pose it when the final question came to be submitted
and so all the time spent in trying to secure 1T would
be lost.
2. We would be in danger for want of laws enforc-
ing it. of finding that had made the liquor traffic
absolutely free by prohibiting it.
3. If we had the amendment and laws to enforce
it, they would be executed only where least needed
and ignored where needed. and in the counties
where they were ignored the liquor traffic would be
practically beyond the reach of the law.
d. Because if we had the amendment, and laws to
enforce it, the enforcement of them against men who
drink IN moderation and with good consclences anu
who constitute, as believe great portion II not
majority. of those who drink at all. would be an ex
reme and harsh exercise of the OF the bare nu
mercal majority.
think we have better remedy Immediately avail
able in the combination of high taxation and of the
principle of local control proposed in the plat
form Of the Republican party.
HIGH TAXATION.
1t a curious illustration of the power of words
mems minds that the customary incidental use
of the license in the imposition of taxes the
liquor traffic has prejudiced thousands of good people
against that form of regulation. The issuing of Ii
cense to sell liquor appears to them to i'm
port the granting of permission by the
State to the saloonkeeper to carry on
an Uiu hu wi would
right do, and to involve the State in moral
responsibility for the business But such is not the
nature of the transaction at all In the absence of
statutory restriction the saloon-k keeper would
be entitled by law to carry his business freely
as grocer. The whole effect of the license law is
restrictive. 1t prohibits the business entirely to all
except those who comply with certain conditions, and
it lays upon it tax not imposed occupations gen
orally The principle of taxing lightly the necessares
of iife and taxing heavily useless injurious lux
uries which need not indulge in unless they
choose is running through all systems OF taxa
tion The imposition of tax on the liquor traffic &C.
complishes three good results at once-t produces
for the State it places large share of the
public burden traffic which is expensive to socie
ty and it discourages the business There is no need
to use the word license in the law proceedings
It would be just as convenient, and more in accord
with the facts to call the imposition tax as it
really is. And certainly the State, by taxing man,
assumes responsibility for the honesty morality
of the business by which he acquires his property 1t
is common to say IL at Wallstree spectators steal
millions from the public. But l think no one would
exempt their property from taxation FOR fear of
making the State responsible for their thefts
[ am in favor of such a tax. and high one-not so
high as to amount to prohibition in disguise, but
high the business concentrated in few hands, can
reasonably bear There is no need to have saloon
to every two three hundred inhabitants. One to
every FIVE thousand ought to be quite enough l am
in favor also Of placing the most stringent restric
tons around the business as, for instance conining
it to certain hours and days. compelling it to be car
ried on with open doors; and without music, lunches
and other collateral attractions forbdding sales to
drunkards and minors; charging upon the seller re-
for To
ton of law and including among the penalties the for
FIXTURE of license upon second conviction Iconcede
to a man. upon the grounds that / have stated, the
right to take dram if he thinks it good for him. But
he need not go behind to do it, Let him take
it openly he would glass of soda 1t he dale not
do that he is not an honest dr1nker. Let liquor be
sold across the counter bread is sold. L believe
such practice alone would go some way to diminish
the trade in liquor and increase the trade in bread.
LOCAL REGULATION.
Along with such general law let have law per-
hitting the people in the various political subdivisions
of the State preferably. think the counties to de-
eide for themselves what further restrictions If any
shall be laid upon the liquor Misunderstanding
to entire prohibition 1t will follow from what have
said that it ought require than bare MAORI
ty to prohibit in given county and think it ought
How much more, is another question, and one on
which much might be said for which have not time.
In a rough way twothirds might be named as suffi-
cent As against majority of two to one. the mi nor
ity ought to acquiesce without complaint and believe
that all loyal rght-minded men would do For the
others we need not concern ourselves 49,,
From such combination of laws l should hope for
great good in Indiana. l should expect to see the
number of saloons diminished everywhere the tempta
lions to inteperance ]essened and the aggregate of
drunkenness, with all its attendant miseries de-
creased. By means of these laws should expect to
actual prohibition introduced at wherever the
state of public sentiment will fairly permit it, And
should expect to such prohibition, founded, it
would be- solid preponderance of the general
judgment of the good people in the locality covered
by it, capable of successful enforcement and mante
nance And should expect to see it extended from
county TO county its good effects became apparent
people of Chicago undertook to raise the grade of
their city. They put thousand iack-screws under
block Of buildings, and brought it up. hairs
breadth at time, to the new grade. Then another,
and another raised in the manner, until the
whole city stood higher plane. Let proceed in
like fashion. To lift the whole State of Indiana from
the mre Of its present habits and practices to the
lofty level of universal temperance and entire alb
stinence, is more than God has given strength to
do. But if we are willing to take block at time,
we can commence work at once. Why should we wait
through all the that must eapse before the Con-
stitution can be amended, and prohibition law
acted, ii there were no objection to the law. and
no uncertainty in enforcing it, Let us begin
believe the time is opportuns The great heart of
the Republican party of Indiana has always beat for
temperance we'll as freedom. But it has been held
in leashes. Year after year the platform committee
of the convention has tied the old prudential
string around it's throat until it had almost forgotten
that 1t could shout for temperance But when at it's
last great assembly the committee threw away the
string, and reported the ringing temperance plank
which is now the chief timber in its platform. the
noise that went up like that which overthrow the
walls of Jericho 1t was the partys shout of emanci
patton.
And it is in truth my emancipation find fault
with what my party has done in the past. My
judgment approved it at the time. and all
along. But when the temperance work
all drfted into constitutional prohibition shut
out of it. though had taken part in it through
out all my life before. But could not go into the
meetings of the good men and women who were doing
all the Temperate work of the time, and throw fire.
brand in their midst by opposing the measure on
which their hearts and hopes settheir pillar of
cloud by day and fire by night They were doing the
work and it their right to do it in their way
So kept silent. But thank God, am uncorked at
last Henceforth. in Indiana, Republicanism and
temperance go hand in hand, and I speak and
work for both at once.
My neutrality-suspicious. let run to meet our op-
portunity. Let take up with courage and alacrity
the work before Let us highly resolve that while
will accord to every his just freedom of opn-
ion and his full liberty of action within the limitations
necessary for the public good will not have BAG
chus to rule over Let us assal the