The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-06
Mrs. Ellen Fosters Argument Against a
Third-Party Temperance Movement.
Beginning of Proceedings to Test the Consti.
tutionaIity of the Saloon License Law
A Township Prohibition Ticket.


STATE TEMPERANCE UNION.
Report of the workings of Local Option,
High License and Prohibition.
The State Temperance Union held its annual
meeting in the city yesterday. There was
business meeting in the afternoon in Dr. Gill
berts private study at Meridian-street Church,
and a large public eatheripgin the evening atthe
Y. NJ. C. A Hall, which addressed by Mrs.
j. Ellen Foster. OF Iowa
The meeting in the afternoon called to
order at 2 o'clock, by Rev. DIR. j. E. Gilbert
Reports were heard from the various unions
throughout the State. showing them to be in
fairly prosperous condition A committee on
nomination of officers for the ensuing year was
appoin ted. with instructions to report the
close of the meeting.
report was then called for from the COM
mittee appointed at the 1857 meeting to inquire
concerning the workings of local option, high
license and prohibition, where such laws
existed, and Capt. Eli F. Ritter, as chairman of
the committee. read the report The fact that
Captain Ritter's views, expressed in connec-
ton with the report, did not coincide with those
of the majority of the members was best evil
denced by the fact that resolution of thanks
to him at the conclusion of the reading was
voted down.
He first alluded TO the workings Of local
option. He said that by a popular vote under
that law prohibition had been secured in a large
portion of Georgia, Kentucky, Virginia, Ala
bama Arkansas. Missouri aud other Southern
States; in Michigan, and in many towns in
Nebraska, Illinois and Ohio He had found he
said. that local option prohibition worked well.
The law. however, subjected communities to
constant contest with the worst elements and
influences. The necessity for frequent elections
toxieating liquors. and with the money fur
nished without stint by the national LOU or or
CARNATIONS. to render it mpossible to secure
free and fair count In Ohio. by the act
of the Legislature. under local option provisions,
the Sabbath day had been subjugated to the
DEVILS use in Cincinnati and other cities.
AS to high license, that had had a better test
in Nebraska than elsewhere. The license fee
ranged from $500 to $1,000 according to popu
lation. The law, Captain Ritter declared. was
considered blessing by the brewers. instead OF
an injury. and he quoted in substantiation a let
ter from President Her. of the Willow Springs
Distilliery Company. of Omaha, to the liquor
cense was "a grand law" for the traffic. An
other letter which Captain Ritter read. from
Metz s. Bro, distillers at Omaha Neb, said;
High license has been injury TO
our business. In State we think it
bars out prohibition. We positively certain
that were it not for our present high-license law
Nebraska to-day would have prohibition. Please
understand that our high license is also local
option law. In opinion, high license does
lessen CONSUMPTION
first made bitter fight against its enforcement.
but since it is we'll enforced we would not do
without it,"
Captain Ritter referred to somewhat similar
communications from brewers in Illinois and
Missouri testifying TO the satisfaction high
license laws afforded brewers
He then declared that wherever prohibition
had been in force--in Maine. Kansas and Iowa
it had proven eminently successful. and he
quoted from the messages of the Governors or
those States and other sources 60 prove his
In
CAPTAIN Ritter drew the following concusio;
Flrst-That local option is very unsatisfactory,
taken in its full scope and working.
Second-That local option and high license,
where tried. have been satisfactory to the TRAFFIC
and unsatisfactory to The best Judgment of the
community, and is dangerous and seductive
form of legislation. That either local option
local option and high license jointly beyond
the power of the Legislature to enact or ma
jorty of votes to authorize, and all such lava
are unconstitutional and void.
Third-That prohibitory legislation for the
prevention of evil institutions and evil and in
furious influences is now thoroughly established
as sound in principle and challenges the SYM
patty and support of good citizens for the trans
forming results this legislation has accom-
plished.
Captain Ritter's report was not well received
by the meeting. and. when 1T came to vote.
only one member in favor of maintaining
1t. Hon. e. B. Reynolds was particularly bitter
against it. it struck at his pet idea of local
option. He did not believe the statistics OBJ
tanned by Captain Ritter on that question were
comprehensive enough. He was in favor Of To-
cal option first last aud all the time and il his
county sent him back to the Legislature. as he
hoped it would do, be would again put his local
option bill before that body. He had nothing
to say against the observations by Captain Ritz
ter on the matter of high license as he had no
for that method.
Colonel Ray also attacked Captain Ritters
marks about local option He said that instead
of local option being failure, Captain Ritters
attempt to prove it such had been failure.
Under the Baxter law in this State. a few years
ago. the saloons in one-thrd of the counties were
closed
DIR. Gilbert suggested that Mr.. Reynolds and
Captain Ritter might retire and succeed in
drawing report that wouid be mutually sat-
isfactory.
mo, no." said Mr.. Reynolds; "he and could
not como within mile of each other on the guess
ton"
1t was then suggested that CAPTAIN Ritter
might at least be given vote of thanks but
Mr.. Reynolds objected the ground that that
would be equivalent TO approving the report.
Such motion, however, was made, but it re-
ceived only one vote, two or three voting
against IL, and the others keeping their seats
The motion was declared lost and the report
went on to the records of the Union unapproved
The committee on nominations then made
report. and it was approved by unanimous
vote. The officers for year as follows:
President-Dr. j. E. Gilbert.
Vice president-Hon. L. Ousier, of Noblesville
Secretary-E. NJ. Goodwin. of Indian apolis
Treasurer. w. Ray of indianapolis.
Executive COMMITTEES. B Confer Indianapolss
r. B. Reynolds, Hagerstown; II. ). Herr, Nestheld.
and the president, secretary and treasurer
Dobbins, and Rev Il. L. Carpenter.
A resolution was then adopted authorizing
the executive committee TO send out AGENTS
through the State in the interest OF prohibition
and temperance, after which the meeting adj
journed
OPPOSED TO THIRD PARTY.
yyhv Mrs. Foster THINKS 1t Is Dangerous To