The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-03
ANTI-SALOON CAMPAIGN
REV. c. c. LAsBY DESCRIBES SOME
OF THE PLANS 70 BE FOLLOWED.
If Council ignore "Residenee Dis
EmpIoyed-Rev. Billiards. Sermon.

Rev. c. c. Lasby, pastor of the Central
avenue NJ. Z. Church, last night ~nnounced
the mass meeting to be held in Hall-place
NJ. T.. Church tomorrow evening to con-
slider the project of establishing a resi-
dence district and restricting all saloons
from it. DR.. Lasby, while not preaching a
sermon on the subject, commended the
movement, and urged his congregation to
give it countenance and to do what they
could to further it.
If the brewers and saloon men recognize
their day of grace they will not fight this
movement" said DR.. Lasby to a Journal
reporter. THE people are in earnest on
this question, and that for which we are
striving is bound to come. The Council
should recognize this fact. l do not believe
they will set themselves up against the
wishes of the people. They cannot afford
to prove that they are so entirely domi-
mated b. the saloon element as to disre-
gard the voice of the voters"
DIR. Lasby said that he recognized that it
was to be a long contest, but the people are
prepared for it and intend to move slowly,
but persistentiy. Careful counsel is being
taken in order that no mistakes shall be
made, and the pastor has no doubt but that
the petitions to be circulated will accom-
plish the purpose of purging the district
north of Tenth (old First) street of all sa-
looms and Sunday beer gardens" as he
characterized some of the resorts already
established and to be established along Fall
creek after the parkway is made. There is
one feature of this movement that has not
heretofore been made public, but which is
being considered by the committee. 1t is
the fact that the petitions will serve a
manifold purpose. If the Council disregards
them and refuses to pass a restrictive ordl-
nance under the authority conferred by the
Moore law and obeys the behest OF the
liquor element, the purpose will be accom-
pl1shed through another channel. The petit
tons will not only urge the Council to pass
the ordinance to be drafted, but will also
demonstrate against the issuance or new
licenses under the provisions OF the NichoI-
son bill. DR.. LaSby said that IL the county
Commissioners do not heed the remon-
stranceS then the work will be directed
against the saloon men themselves, and
they Will be prosecuted and fned again ana
again until they are forced to quit business.
If necessary detectives will be employed
to obtain evidence of violations of the law.
The pastor said that it was as proper to
employ detectives to bring to justice VIOLA
tors of the liquor laws as TO secure the pun
ishment of any other class of criminals.
After they violate the laws and go beyond
the privileges insured to them by their IL
censes he regards them as being outside
the pale of the law. This personal move
ment against the saloon men, however, is
simply to be confined to the region named.
1t was for this reason, he said, that the
saloon men and the Council would do We'll
to recognize the day of grace and consent
to confine the business to a certain district.
While he was in charge of a church at Lin
coin. Neb., DIR. LaSby saw the practical op~
eratiOnS Of such an arrangement. lie said
that in the early days of that city provi-
sions were made to restrict saloon business
to certain quarters of the town, and they
were successfully carried out.
by having the business restricted in its
environments" said the pastor, 1T Is FAR
less disastrous and can be controlled.
These Sunday beer gardens are the most
demoraliZing thing about the whole bus
mess. You can hardly find one man in
twenty living in this part of town who will
not be in favor of combining the saloons.
Mr.. Landers deserves much credit for his
brave utterances, and / agree with him that
the saloons should be confined TO the orig
inal mile square. We are coming to that.
The time may be delayed, but it Will come"
This question is likely to come up at the
regular monthly meeting or the MINISTERS
association, to be held at the Y. M. G. A.
this morning. DR.. Lasby said that after the
mass meeting at Hall-place Church Tues
day evening, when the executive
is announced. the pastors who called the
first meeting would be prepared to CO.
operate in the movement, and in due time
would all preach on the question, laying
the work to be done before their congrega-
tons. There will be a simultaneous discus
sion of this subject some Sunday in the
near future. 1t was probably because it is
still in it's incipiency that it was not more
generally discussed yesterday.
Rev. T. A. Goodwin, one of the Oldest
pastors OF the city, is receiving credit for
first agitating the subject. 1t was only re-
GENTLY that the Supreme Court passed on
the Moore law and sustained it. DR.. Good
win. it is said, was deeply interested in the
decision and saw in it an opportunity to
accomplish part of what the prohibitiOniStS
have been preaching for a long term of
years. He consulted with others and the
result was the calling of the meeting held
last TUESDAY,.