The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-30
THE VISITING STATESMEN.

The national Prohibition convention, which
assemblies here to-day, represents a noble
idea As to the evils of intemperance and
the liquor traffic there is only one opinion
among right-minded people. The vice and
the traffic are responsible for more pauperism,
crime, misery, and public and private demon
a~lization than all other causes combined.
They constitute the national curse and the
national peril. All that can be said on this
head would fall short of the truth, and the
Prohibitionists can rest assured that on the
main question of making war against the evils
Of the liquor traffic a very large majority of
the American people are with them. But on
the question of how best to fight the great
evil and get the best results a large majority
of the people, including the friends OF tenn
ance, are not with them. The question is so
large and so important that there is room for
an honestdifference of opinion, and that is the
condition that exists. 1t is a difference of
policy rather than Of principle, of methods to
be used rather than ends to be aimed at.
The Journal yields to none in its rep
rotation Of the evils of the liquor traf-
fc, and if it believed that prohibi-
ton furnished the best way and the
best weapon for fighting the evils, it would adj
vocate prohibition. Those who do thus be-
lieve are consistent in advocating that policy;
but the Journal, in common with the large
body of temperance people, favors what it
thinks a better way and a better weapon, viz:
local control and high taxation. We think it
is demonstrable by argument, and has been
proved by experience, that this plan possesses
all the advantages with none of the disad-
vantages Of prohibition, and yields a net re-
suit of larger benefits and fewer evils. It
may as we'll be admitted on both sides. that
neither plan is perfect; and further. that no
perfect plan will ever be devised for COM
pletely abolishing the drink evil. This will
continue to exist in . greater or less degree as
long as the world stands. Legislation may
largely control and greatly diminish the evil,
but can never wholly abolish it. The total
abolition of the public traffic, and the closing
Of every saloon in every State of the Union,
if such a thing were possible, while it would
greatly diminish the evil, would fall far short
Of abOlishipg il, and would produce a new
crop Of evils scarcely less deplorable.
II we do not want to become q
nation of d~runkards, neither do we want to
become a nation Of moonshiners, sneaks, in
formers, liars, secret tipplers and habitual
violators of law. There are other vices
besides the drink vice, and We must take care
thai while we are avoiding Scylla we do not
fall upon Charybdis. It is a notorious fact that
prohibition does breed the other evils limited
at, and, furthermore, that ii does not prohibit
the evil aimed at in the localities where it is
most aggressive and powerful. Prohibition
Is a success in the rural districts and villages,
where it is least needed, and is practically q
failure in large town and cities where it is
most needed. The attempt to enforce it in
these dsss not materially reduce tia number