The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-27
senator Turpie imposed Upon.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
Somebody has been imposing upon Sena-
tor Turpie. You see he has been asleep
just twenty years. Just twenty years ago
last February he finished dotting the is
and crossing the It's of the liquor bill he
had so carefully prepared for his clients,
the liquor sellers. and then he went to
sleep, on that question especially. BY a re-
markable coincidence, the great sleeper,
Mr.. Van Wrinkle, slept just twenty years
also. Naturally enough. Mr.. Van Wrinkle
was much surprised when he rubbed his
eyes and looked out upon the world. 1t
had moved, and he was largely dependent
upon others to learn the why's and where
fores of all he saw, hence it is 40 marvel
that he failed at first to comprehend the
situation. Evidently, Senator Turpie has
been imposed upon. Somebody has told
him that his famous bill has been utterly
demolished and that the famous Baxter
law is again in full force. There is not
a word of truth intall this. The Turpie
law is still the law Of the land, to all in
tents and purposes. Its EXAMINATIONS
against '.speak-easiest and selling on Sun
days, and to minors, and all that. are just
as he left them, except that the experience
of twenty years has shown that LIQUOR SELL
ers were not observing the law. The Mich
olson law imply provides for seeing that
the Turpie law is obeyed, and that is all
fensive in our present law, Senator Tur-
pie, as the Trainer of the foundation of
them, is responsible, not Mr.. Nicholson.
Turpie provision slightly. modified. The
voter Of such township may demonstrate,
in writing, against the granting of such
linfnne 81 a efns eflS or CHANGE fhmmora the NHlcchoo5Isnoenn
law makes from the T'urpie law is to trans
fer the question of fact from the decision
men to a majority of the voters of the
township. Surely an appeal to the people
j. not an o ITEMS de zse Io,1ty OF ~ fifd aay IVA II Il for or
township decide against any specific appli-
cant the license shall not be granted, and
and at once becomes liable to the severe
penalty prescribed in the Turpie law. a
fine of not less 4than 500 and possibly i'm
prisonment in the county Jail. The speak
easies are well provided for under the Tur-
pie law, and don't you forget It, though he
seems to have forgotten 1t in his long sleep
But the greatest imposition upon this
preston that this question can in some way
be dragged into politics, to the advantage
Of the Democratic party. While he has
wrought than in the relation of liquor sell
ing to any party. Twenty years ago the
men insisted on the Republican party
a Cleaning out OF the Republican party,
which lasted Just twenty years, and the
absolute abandonment of all temperance
legislation for. the same length OF time.
Last year the temperance people of the
state begged the Republicans TO keep hands
off. and they kept hands off. The result
iature which was free to treat
the temperance question OH its merits.
and as a consequence the Nicholson bill
received as many votes from the Demo-
cratic party as from the Republican, in
proportion to the respective number of leg
islators in each house; and whatever of
temperance is in Nthe Nicholson law is the
result of this wise policy.
When petitions for the Nicholson bill be-
gan to come in Democratic members
laughed. At first most of them came from
Republicans, and Democrats of small calibre
thought they saw q hole into which Repub-
licans could easily be put. But the time for
Republicans to laugh came, and he always
laughs best who laugh last. Later petit
lions carried TIL ehnames OF local Democrats
from all parts of the Stately the thousand.
hence when the time to vote came Demo-
cratic members in each house were true to
their constituents, and this nonpartisan law
followed by a large majority.
OF course. the Democratic party's next
platform will denounce sumptuary legisla-
tion. \ No Democratic platform would
individual will object: but the Republican
platform will saw not a word on the subject,
if the older and more experienced temper
ance men can prevent it. A few young
men who love to figure as party leaders
will, of course, have a prohibition ticket.
That. too, Is we'll. But somebody should
take Senator 5Turpie in hand and explain
the situation. He has. been asleep The
world moves. and very few Democrats, out
side of the very few saloon keepers. will
be drawn to any platform that proposes 10
repeal the, Nicholson law. u. l.. SEE.
INDIANAPOLIS. April 26.