The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-22
LOCAL OPTION LEAGUE
A New National Organization to
Encourage Temperance.
Sam Small Tells What the Movement Is
Expected TO accomplishments
tionists Will Not Approve.
Washington Post.

Washington Post.
national movement for the organiza-
ton and federation Of the anti-saloon
voters of the United States is being inau-
gurated. with national headquarters here
in Washington city, under the direction OF
Rev. Sam Small, of Georgia, who has BE-
come famous throughout the Union as a
temperance agitator and lecturer.
The new organization is 10 be known as
The American Local option League" and
is to have for it's aim the organization OF
State local option leagues in every State
OF the Union and the Territories. and these
TO be federated in the national league for
mutual aid and encouragement in securing
the widest possible adoption OF local OPP
ton nauor laws in Increasingly stringent
and effectual forms.
Many leading men of the Republic. who
are active powers in politics. in the church
and in temperance work have approved Mr..
Smalrs plans and encourage him TO under
take the work TO which he viii now devote
his energies.
1t is my purpose said Mr.. Small last
night, in an interview with the Post, to
devote every available day Of my time, If
life and strength are given me- for the
the principal cities Of America in the In
terest OF the American Local option
League. The necessary literature for the
fun explanation Of the purposes and plans
Of the league is being prepared and printed.
After forming the National Central League,
with headquarters in this city, 1 will pro-
ceed to the organization OF State leagues,
in association with the National Central
League, IN all OF the States OF the Union.
i expect confidently that will have a
strong and effective State organization IN
every State before the end or the year.
The State leagues will forward the organ
ization OF county, city and precinct leagues,
as the present state of local option legisla-
ton in each State may make necessary. and
all these will be auNillaries OF the state
league, as It will be Of the national league"
THE UNDERLYING THOUGHT
why do you think such a league an ad-
yisable combination
Because Of many sufficient reasons that
may be urged in its favor. The number OF
voters in the Union who are opposed TO the
saloon traffic in liquor is not apprehended
by the casual observer or reader OF the
Isolated returns from elections. Do you
know that in the elections held IN only
eighteen States Of the Union the aggre-
gate votes for prohibition were L676.6a
against lS6O,994 IN favor OF license, and
generally very high license as the in
oucement to vote that way at all? Those
votes were given upon propositions to
embody prohibition IN radical forms in
the constitutions OF tne States. a PROPOSE
ton that thousands OF genuine anti-llquor
men do not SUPPORT. But in the records Of
local option contests in the States general
ly the returns show much closer d.
vision, and out OF over nVe million votes
cast in such contests the advantage has
been largely with the local optionists. In
fact, L am warranted by the figures On
file throughout the states having local
option laws IN saying that to-day three
ffths of the voters in three-fourths Of the
election districts Of the United States at
large are In favor OF the local suppression
Of the saloon liquor traffic. Those figures.
we feel, can be made effective and be
further largely increased by the systematic
movement contemplates.
How many states now have forms OF
local option as 10 the liquor trafiic?'
There are twenty-six States that have
well-defned systems OF local option law
whereby communities may prohibit the
granting OF LIQUOR licenses. There are
eight States that have constitutional or
statutory prohibition covering the whole
State area and that are more or less ef-
fective against the traffic. There are ten
States in which there are no prohibitions,
except for violations OF the license laws,
and these operate against individuals, and
not against the traffic itself. In the local
option States the laws have local peculiar
tiles, and these are sometimes ludicrously
contradictory. AT one time, / remember
in one State no drinks could be served exc
cept TO people seated at tables while In an
other State no tables or chairs were al
legally only by standing up TO the bar.
one of the chief objects OF our league viii
be TO secure a practical uniformity, as Tar
as we can, in local option laws We shall
go to the legislatures with an agreed form
Of local option statute ana try 10 nave as
many States as Will adopt that uniform
''Do you anticipate great results from
revival Of local option activltyS
VERY great and good results are sure &C
follow this plan of federation Now each
local option contest Is conducted under diff
data and facts. from points where II has
shown its good results, in such shape az
to convince the business community. Our
plan is To collect and keep ready al such
data and be able 10 supply II on demand
to the local optionists in any part OF the
Union. Take the results Of local option In
the South where IL has had its best trials
and has run the saloons out Of two-thirds
OF that section OF the country: We are
and the public statistics that local option
is far the best way of dealing with the
problem of the barroom."
There are no political wires 10 this
movement, as / understand your
None whatever. We want 10 keep the
movement wholly apart from politics and
center It upon economic and Humanitarian
principles Politically. IL should commend
itself TO men OF all parties who are not as
ISOLATED with slum politics. II Is the pure
principle OF local self-goveTnment, 50 dear
TO Americans OF every party, and so should
couraeed The growing fool fanaticism
for paternalism is one Of the menaces 10
p1uabla politics anu just government III
the present day. So we wish TO take this
LIQUOR problem out OF the procession Or
those vagaries that create CoNey armies
and return II and all its questions 20 the
political units OF good government, that is
| 10 the voters Of the counties and towns or
| the country That policy. which Is agree
| able TO DernOcra tic and Republican prece-
/ dents alike will take this troublesome
problem out OF the hands OF the class pop.
| uiarly known long-haired Taen ana
| short-haired women, and make IL a pure
| question OF morals and economy IN each
| fixed political subdivision OF the state.
THE PROHIBITION PARTY.
''Win not the national Prohibition party
oppose this disposition OF the question:
perhaps so. They have done so in the
mast and doubtless viii look upon II as an
obstruction 10 their plans. But the suffer-
ing millions TO whom the liquor curse Is
| the plague OF the hour cannot AFFORD 10
wait for the fruition Of the scheme OF
national prohibition at the hands OF Pro-
hibition political party / have been ma
tional Prohibtionist. and In sentiment am
one still, but / prefer TO eNpend my TINS
| and energies hereafter in seeking inime-
date and certain relief for salOon-cursed
| communities. IL is right enough and noble
| enough TO look to the millennium. but II -
! not C,hristlike nor sensible IN doing so 10
4 overlook and neglect the perisning az our
doors. There are plenty OF seif-compiecent