The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-10
AT CENTRAL-AvENUE CHURCH.
Rev. DIR. Jackson, of Ohio, Presents
the League Work There.


Last night at Central-avenue M. E. Church
Rev. DR.. J. c. Jackson, of Columbus. o.,
spoke on the Anti-saloon League movement
to large audience. He said in part:
1.-THE Anti-saloon League is federation
of churches and temperance societies
against the saloon. We are first, last and
all the time anti-saloon; we put the en-
part. total abstainers. but we welcome to
cooperation with us those who are not total
open saloon is an evil to be abated. We agree
to differ among ourselves regarding many
minor points of temperance doctrine and
practice, but unite in opposition to the open
I'VE are made up of all branches of the
Christian Church, Protestant and Catholic.
Archbishop Ireland, of Minnesota, is our Sec
ond vice president, and Bishop Waterson,
of Ohio is a prominent worker with us.
We came into this movement from all sides.
the Catholic from his confessional, the Lu-
theran from his altar, the Presbyterian the
Congregationalist from his study, the Bap-
fist from his baptistery the Methodist from
his clasS-meeting. 1t is essentially church
movement, intended to take the temperance
reform into the bosom of the church, and
redeem it from the odium into which it has
fallen through the advocacy of unauthorized
and irresponsible persons. We also incor-
porate in our ruling body the representatives
of the various temperance organizations of
the country. In my own State of Ohio this
organization, the first year of its existence,
stopped the increase of saloons. During
and indirectly, according to the state aud
itors books, put out of existence 1854
licensed drinking places, beside larger
Spirit News some time ago declared that
we had cut down the number of saloons in
capturing the churches. and the Churches
were capturing the State. Under our Town
Council temperance laws there are perhaps
the township local option law, nearly .one-
third of the townships Of the State have
banlshed the grog shop.
But the greatest work of the league as
it is now organized and operated in about
twenty States of the Union. is in the eleva-
ton of public sentiment and in the enforce
ment of temperance laws. In many sections
of Ohio, and elsewhere, the effect of the
movement has been practically moral
revolution in favor of law enforcement and
a provision for such enforcement. Our
central committee Of the local league is
made of the pastors of the churches and
accredited representatives of their con-
gregations and from the outside temper
ance organizations. This committee is d.
vided into three subcommittee.
THE first of these is the committee for
agitation. whose office is what it's name inn
parts There is need of the work of the agi-
tation committee all over Indiana. As near
as can judge, you nave in Indiana, as the
result of your practically unbridled liquor
traffic, about 2.O00 rum-made idiots, 5000 in
sane, 5000 criminals drunk when they COM
mitted the crime for which they have suf-
fered punishment the last year, and about
81 900 paupers-prac tically $1,000 rum victims
haps 1900 drunkards dying each year, and
your 20 per cent. increase of taxation for
pauperism and crime which may be laid at
the door of the saloon. and your $50 100000,
direct and Indirect, loss a State through
the grog shop. Tt is time for campaign OF
public sentiment building against this ter
rifle curse among you.
I'm the next place. we work to favOrably
influence legislation for temperance. We
work along our several party lines in the
interest Of civic righteousness. We vote
with our parties as long as they regard the
conscientious convictions of Christian men.
but when they do not, we act independently.
We refuse to be Satan's jumping jacks TO
dance when some rum-ruled party caucus
gets hold of the string and jerks II. We try
to hold that string ourselves. and use our
caucuses and elections in the interest Of
good citizenship.
THE third department of our activity is
that of law enforcement. The only way
you can successfully deal with a rattle
snake is with a club. and the only way you
can make lawbreaking liquor sellers respect
you is with the club of law. well laid on.
This organization is formed for the purpose
of standing behind conscientious and honest
officers, upholding them in enforcing law
and in preventing them from being slaugh-
tered by the rum-power at the polls The
movement is thus an INSTRUMENTATION
Omni-partisan one, and should be supported
by all temperance people who affirm prac-
ticai coInmon-sense methods applied to the
abatement of the saloon evil"