The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-20
Republicans and temperance Laws.

To the EdItor or tie Indianapolis Journal:
In your Sunday edition I found an article
written, no doubt, by an honest and ardent
advocate Of temperance laws, which he
closes with, ''May the Republican party not dis
appoint Us, and may it have the courage to give
its brewers, d,stillers and ssloon-keepsrs q back
seat in the camp; they have occupied the plat
form long enough ! have no doubt that the
good brother, W.. G.. E., Ladora. Ind. has the
we'll being. OF not only the Republican party,
but that Of the majority of the citizens of tho
State and Nation 10 view. and believes that ono
of the missions of the Republican party WAS,
eurely. the bringing about of a temperance mil.
lennium of which q great many philantbropists
are, and have been, dreaming There is no
question but that the great majority OF Re
publicans Of this State and Nation with q big S.
and NJ are real and genuine temperance men.
As proof i cite orr district convention, held
here at the beginning Of the cam paign, where
the fnest body of men in the Third district
came together. and not one was drunk. Indeed,
the barkeeper of the Lynn House, where tbs
headquarte re- was located. said to me: "This is
the most sooer crowd OF men | over saw. ] have
only sold q few drinks OF LIQUOR and hardly any
beer
j think your correspondent from Ladoga over
e6tlmdtee the power OF the liquor men III tho ne
publican party. They have long ago taken back
seats. or have joined the party Of bailot-box
suffers. Senator and Lieutenant-gorernor steal
The few ones remaining in the party
are for law and order. includ-
As we haV. not the control of the Stat. tesis-
lature to carry out the programme OF the Re-
publican platform, l would advise our Pro-
hibitiou friends not TO hamper the ad-
minis ration OF the State and Ma ton
Nth nlano that nann1f n rorrioH nut Poftar
assist the real friends of temperance to enforce
the good laws passed years ago, while the Re-
publican party was in power in this State. /
am sure, ! speak what | know. that hardly one
out of four saloons can exist II the present good
laws, already on the statute book, are enforced.
IL you are honest, and such is the case. will sou
not have accomplished an immenee amount OF
good'
We all admit that drunkenness is a great
evil. but it cannot be ersdicated by prohibition
laws, else Maine would to-day. with her forty
four years of prohibition. DO the banner State
of temperance in the Union, which she is not
Temperance. like every virtue. 10 a growth that
needs g good deal of cultivation. Vices, like
party has more than one mission on hand; it
must guarantee to every State In the Union a
republican form of government, which the DEM
ocratic party always refused to do.
The Republican party must DO righting the
great wrongs 10 the Southern States
against a large class of citizens. 1t must admit
four or five Territories that have been wrong
fully kept out OF the Union. 1t must regulate
representation according to lawful votes cast in
every State. Ii must protect the citizens OF
this Union from hungry trusts. It will estsb-
lish a Just relation between capital and labor.
10 our own State we have o big fight for Just
ice. on account of the infamous gerrymander
the crimes ommitte by Jason Brown, Green
Smith. T Brannaman. The managers of the pub
lie Institutions, their assistants and abettors,
must be atOned for; Justice for all should be
melted out What q field for good Republicans co
work inl What a mission!
SEYMOUR, Nov. &c. NJ. F. EyERBAcH.