The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-02
ENEMIES OF SALOONS
LEAGUE CLOSED IT'S
CONVENTION LAST NIGHT.
Liquor Business Bitterly Arraigned-
Its Relation TO Government
The Speeches.

OF Representatives and a number Of the
members of the House were present Rev. j.
Cumming Smith opened the meeting with
prayer. S. Z. Nicholson, author of the Mich
olson liquor law, said it was a favorable
time and place to discuss some questions
that should be of interest to every true
American citizen. I'VE have reached a
point in this country" he said, "and espe-
cially in Indiana, where the reform move
ment is not merely matter of sentiment
We need to look at it from the practical
the moral, standpoint. We are here to-
night to consider the practical side of this
great question"
He introduced George w. Williams, rep
resentative from Henry county who was to
speak on our Duty as Legislators to the
People, Along Moral and Reformatory
Lines" Il am glad to know" he said,
that all the state institutions, almost
without exception, are nonpartisan. The
statistics show that under the old plan, in
force twenty-five years ago. so per cent
OF the criminals turned out of the prisons
reverted to lives Of crime; now so per cent
lead good lives" Then, turning away from
this optimistic statement, he said that he
thought it his duty to look into every pri-
mary and election and see that the right
cry saloon keeper, he said was politician,
and while the good citizen went to the polls,
voted and hurriedly left having, likely,
marked the ticket wrong and lost his vote.
the saloon keeper stayed at the polls and
got out every vote that was favorable to
him. Il look on the saloon as the real enc
my to advancement along reformatory
lines" Mr. Williams declared. Il did not
DepoD0a q 70 I
litical advancement, but because 1 wanted
to do what L could for the temperance
cause. do not believe the temperance
cause is progressing in Indiana. The sa-
loon business is becoming more and more
respectable If the temperance question be
not agitated, there will be disaster The
saloon thrives if it be let alone. If this
matter had been taken up three months
ago, feel that this Legislature would have
done something, for believe it is composed
OF Christian, temperance men,
In the intermission before the address on
THE Saloon a Factor in Municipal Gov
eminent" by Thomas Z. Moore, of Green
castle, the Shattuck quartet of colored
men sang. Mr.. Moore did not talk quietly
as did his predecessor, but burst out into
an expression that he felt that the people
of this country were barbaric, with only
thin veneer of Christianity over their real
natures. If every man who professed re-
Hgion really believed in it, he said, 1.-THE
drinking saloon would be impossible" The
saloon institution was a great factor in
municipal government, he averred. 1t
elected the city officers to a great extent,
had great power and spent money unstint-
ingly to increase this power. Police boards
through the State were in its grasp. The
saloons Of Hartford City had been corralled
III the First ward, and the good citizens
might have petitioned them out of that had
not the business men been afraid of the
saloon men. The legislatures had not given
the municipalities sufficient power to deal
with this matter, he believed, but he ex-
pected that within the next ten years there
would be a wide range of laws at the good
citizens command TO war against the saloon
institution.
Eli f. Ritter discussed "Our Civil Courts
and the Liquor Traffic" He showed that
the liquor business had had extensive atten-
ton from the courts. Eight different times
the United States Supreme Court had con-
sidered the question whether the state leg
islatures had the right to pass prohibitory
liquor laws, before it announced that the
question was no longer an open one in that
court The liquor business was a DANGEROUS
one, the courts had decided; dangerous to
public health and morals, and was the
greatest source of misery and crime The
saloon business is as immoral as gambling,
declared Mr. Ritter, and he asked how it
could exist and be authorized The day
was not far, he believed, when the Supreme
Court would say thai no legislature had the
right to license the saloon business because
it was an immoral business. The law pro-
hibtted men from eating unhealthful food
and drinking impure water, why did it not
prohibit them from drinking the most poi
sonouS and disease-spreading fluid? He re-
ferred to the progress of the temperance
movement. as shown in that no person could
obtain membership in most fraternal organi-
ZatiCnS who was a saloon keeper, and rail-
roads and other great corporations were
prohibiting their employees from even enter
ing saloons. He also told Of the strength of
the liquor leagues, saying: You can point
out to me one hundred liquor league voters
and L can tell you that they viii stand to-
gether all the time and vote together but
show me one hundred voters in a church
and the Lord only knows how they will
vote"
At yesterdays morning session Of the
league s. E. Nicholson told of the Aim
Object and Method of the Anti-SaIoon
THE enemies of the league stand togeth-
err, and each member follows obediently the
plans laid down for guidance. The enemy
has occupied certain field while we have
been fighting in the air. There must be some
kind of system by which the better senti-
ment of the people can manifest itself.
There ought to be in every community some
sort of an organization that will be repre-
sentative of the united temperance senti-
ment of such a community, so that the
commune can voice its purpose and the
anlmus OF such movement is the Anti
saloon League"
A general discussion was had of the Kirk
patrick bill, excluding saloons from resi-
dence parts OF cities. Mr. Nicholson said
the country people did not take a great in
terest in this matter, and for that reason
a petition of 10000 people should go up to
the Legislature from the people of the larg-
er cities 1t was felt that if the bill could
not be passed this year great deal of work
should be done for it during the two years
before the next General Assembly. In the
afternoons Wilson S. Doan talked of Young
Men and the Saloon" and Chaplain Harry
/. Henderson. of the Twenty Bat
terry, of The Canteen; What Shall Be Done
With It?'
The league will issue an address ITO the
People of Indiana" in which it says
The moral sentiment of Indiana is strong
enough, the voters of Indiana have num-
bers enough, to secure the enforcement and
enactment of salutary laws to elect and
maintain men who will regard the oath of
Office. if these elements will combine and act
for the accomplishment of these great pur-
poses. We beseech you to unite your infiu-
ence and energy in this great cause We
believe that the Anti-saloon League is an
organization devoted adjusted and well
qualified to the accomplishment of the great
end sought, if it can secure the support