The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-26
Disturbing Factor in state Politics.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
1t is not likely to be all smooth sailing
next election in Indiana, for new factor
is to play a prominent part, especially
as TO the Legislature. The Anti-saloon
League, a strictly nonpartisan organiza-
ton and only semi-political prepared
bill for the Legislature last winter which
was defeated in the House by a nom
partisan vote. Singularly enough, it asked
no modification of existing liquor laws ex-
cept in the matter of remonstrance, and
that related to the identical feature which
was involved in the late Fourth ward con-
troversy. hence the defeat of the league
in it only intensiies the proposed political
movement. The first issue of the official
organ of the league after the defeat of
the bill contained a concise history of it's
treatment in the House, together with the
name OF every member of the House. and
how he voted, with no clew whatever to
appeal to the league TO scratch every one
If he should ever again be a candidate for
office. but especially for either branch of
the Legislature, including all who refused
to vote among the enemies of the measure.
The pages of the paper containing this
history and exhortatiOn were electrOtyped
and laid aside to be used next summer in
printing a campaign document to be scat
tered by thousands in the counties in
which any one of these enemies of the
measure may be nominated for any office,
but particularly for the Legislature, to be
accompanied with personal missionary
work against the offender alone, unless
a attempt be made by the local party
workers TO defend his vote in addition TO
the quasi-indorsement his nomination
gives, in which case II will be taken as a
party Endorsement; whereupon the whole
county ticket will be attacked as being in
sympathy with the saloon, and the con-
gressional ticket as well as the State
ticket is liable TO suffer. All this means
the Introduction OF new factor into the
canvass next summer. by a new organiza-
ton along an entirely new line-a personal.
not a party measure. How il will work
character of the men, their earnestness
and the terror they have infused into the
saloon fraternity, IL means something not
to be sneered at. The Fidelity News, the
devoted "a column or more TO illusions to
its work, and a newspaper article reports
more than a hundred indictments in one
county now waiting trial. 1t is a new
measure. wholly distinct from anything
proposed by the Prohibition party. which
is. in fact. taking no part in 1t. In view
of proba bilities, IL the workers of the
Democratic party were in the habit of con-
sulting me l would advise them to put
none of these champions of the saloon
upon any part of any ticket but especially
upon the legislative ticket, for If one
half of the members of the Anti-saoon
League in any county shall do as they
promised to, there are not a half dozen
Democratic counties represented by these
champions that will return a Democratic
member to the next Legislature if one of
these champions is the nominee. And the
Democrats have very few to spare if they
expect to elect a United States senator.
The movement is entirely personal. not
partisan and every champion will be
abundantly gazetted by that proposed
campaign document. The league has the
men and the money and the zeal to do
it, hit whom il may. and it will hit hard.
L. l.. SEE,
Indianapolis Dec. ..