The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-27
MUNICIPAL VIRTUE.
The Business Administration and Its --latest
Attempt to Hoodwink the Good People"

To the Editor OF the indianapolis Journals
Many of your readers doubtless wonder at
the present sudden vIrtuous uprising of the
city authorities against the saloons and
gambling dens. To him who knows the
nature of the beast. the comedy now being
played by this"business Observation-Disclosures
nothing strange about il. The spell Is only
momentary-a blind, so to speak, and in
less than one month you will hear no more
about it. Being In q position to know
whereof / speak. / will state o few facts.
Since the election of Mr.. Sullivan the four
hundred saloons. excepting two kept by
Republicans, have kept open house
at all hours, including Sundays, and gam
These two branches have furnished the
einews of war for the Democratic cam
paign by which the saloon-keeper and gam
bier rave fairly earned immunity fron
prosecution. The writer of this has fire.
quently seen at least one of the members
of the present Board of Public Safety in
saloons after the hour fixed by law for
closing. MIR. Hawkins. the president of the
board, wants to be Mavor OF Indianapolis.
The ring is for him. the city officials are
for him, the salOon-keepers, breweries and
gamblers are for him to o man. Although
comparatively a stranger IN Indianapolis.
an office-seeker whO came here during
President Cleveland's administration.
make the good, the moral people
and fool Republicans whom the
Sim Coy racket scared into voting for
Sullivan also elect him chief magistrate.
and there must be a new bait to catch the
suckers. Hence Mr.. Hawkins has now
risen in vlrtuous indignation against the
gamblers and saloons. Hence the former
are warned to Icy low, while of the latter
three barkeepers are pulled and brought
before the eminent Cadi. where they re-
ceive Justice tempered with mercy" The
trick is too silly to mislead any one who
knows the relation TO the administration
of the parties arrested. Moran's barkeeper,
Fred Brandt's barkeeper, John Huegele's
barkeeper-just think of 1t! They Will
each and every one gladly pay q beggarly
fine, q contribution for the cause. 1t pays
for the sawdust that Is ~sprinkled in 1.-THE
good peoples" eyes.
II MAY or Sullivan and his to.be successor
Hawkins are honest in their enforcement
of the laws against gambling and saloons
why have they waited three years! Did
they not know that every saloon IN town
and rear, and that gambling lens have
been more numerous than at any time in
the city's historyf If they knew it they
have played the role of hypocrites; if they
did not know what was plain to every OBJ
server they are certainly q disgrace TO the
high places they now ill. The writer of
this has many friends among the saloon
element. He depends largely on them for
his business patronage and wishes
them no harm. but he despises the
bypocritical ~manouvering of a lot of
political pap-suckers for party ad-
vantage. To any one who doubts it / am
willing to wager a round sum that. on any
day, after IL o'clock, and on Sundays. /
can take with me u man of the Mayors
own choosing. no matter if he can stand a
barrel OF whisky. and by givilg MIN only
one drink in each saloon / will fill him SO
full of drinks before midnight and after
that be is unable to distinguish himself
from q lamp-post. If Mr.. Hawkins wants
to be Mayor of Indianapolis let him.. as
president of the Board of Public Safety, en-
force thelaws in earnest or else let him con-
tinue the w%ide-open policy as heretofore.
BE either Dr. Jekyl or Nh. Hyde.
INDIANAPOLIS. Nov. &c. NECK.