The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-09
THE ANTI-SALOON LEAGUE.
Methods and Purposes of This Tenn
perance Organization.

To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
In all communities there are many who
are not in sympathy with the saloon. They
are found in the different political parties
and in and out of the diffe rent churches.
Their political convictions are such that
they will not be likely to turn away from
the party with which they are identified.
There are Prohibitionsts in and out OF
the churches who vote the old party tick
cts The object of the Anti-saloon League
is to gather all with such convictions into
its fold so that their convictions and in
fuence may be rendered effective in Grip
ping the saloon and causing its down
fall. This movement seems reasonable.
Can any adequate reason be assigned why
It should not receive the support of those
who desire to see the saloon perish? [
have made the statement that there are
Prohibitionists in and out of the churches
who vote the old party tickets-that is,
they vote the Republican or Democratic
ticket This does not mean that they vote
TO sustain the saloon. The old parties are
not by their platform committed to the
protection OF the saloon. If they are, why
did Congress, on petition of the people,
pass a law 10 remove the canteen from the
army? If the old parties by their plat
n
bers of Congress could have said. in re-
Spouse to the petitions sent them by their
constituency: I'VE are by our party plat
FORMS obligated to protect the canteen
If the people of Indiana desire legislation
against the saloon they can say so in peti-
zion to the Legislature, irrespective of
party ties That is, they know that they
not bound by party platforms or en-
sctments to stand by the saloon The
legislatures of some State decide 10 license
the saloon This is done through a force of
circumstances and petition OF certain
class. Those who do not approve of the
saloon should unite and bring pressure to
bear on the lawmakers of the State that
cannot well be resisted. They can do this
with the understanding that those who
make laws are not necessarily so bound bv
party pledges as not To give their supplica-
lions due attention.
Some States have laws that cause the
saloon TO be suppressed. These laws were
enacted by the demands of the people. ire
spective of party ties. What one State has
done is possible for another to do From
the Union Signal l give the following TO
show what can be done by the people ir-
schemes OF those who seek by law TO pro-
tect and perpetuate the saloon:
This good law tprOhibitionl which has
been so long high standard or moral priu-
ciple IN our State, has been repeatedly at
tackled by those who are cOnViVial In sOCi al
life and by those who desire TO traffic i'm
drinks. During the past ten fifteen
wears there has been a steady advance in
the enforcement OF our prohibitory law
and in about the same ratio the cIamor
against IL, with vehement assertions that
prohibition does not prohibit has been
made by the license advocate. proving that
they denounce IL because it does prohibit
I'm Montpelier and the other large cities
i'm which there were forty or more places
where liquor openly sold none arN TO he
found now. yet the evil is carried on 10 a