The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-18
CARRIE NATION CRUSADE.
Rev. G. c. Rowlison Discusses the
Causes that Led Up to 1t.

Rev. c. C. Rowlison. of the Third Chris
tan Church. delivered a talk on the Car
RE Nation Crusade" last night. After re-
ferring briefly TO the main facts connected
with that affair. he propounded the ques-
ton What are the conditions which un-
derlie the lawlessness of saloon keepers?"
In connection Herewith he said. 1.-The
spirit of lawlessness which does undoubt-
edly exist among this class of men is
due to the fact that the laws against the
liquor traffic are not enforced One reason
for this depl0rable condition of affairs is
due to the fact that the liquor traffic
Is powerful institution and uses every
means within its power to break down the
laws regulating and suppressing the sale
OF liquor. In Kansas this fact has caused
some misguided people to meet lawless-
ness with lawlessness by engaging in
Ratchet crusade. The fundamental reason
for this is the fact that prohibition in
that State does not prohibit. But beyond
this is a deeper reason, and one which
must be recognized before a remedy can
be considered. This reason is that the
country is cursed with rank legislation
There are so many laws enacted that no
one Is able TO live up to them, and as
most of these laws are utterly impracti-
cable. the reason they are not needed is
manifest. We can put on the statute
book ten thousand pages of what we are
pleased to call law, but IL is not law. Law is
something which is inherent in nature, and
1t is mans place to discover what these
laws are. The geologist and the chemist
and all other scientific men strive to seek
out the great laws Of nature which per-
tain to their particular branch of science
and 1T should be the duty of the lawyer
TO follow similar methods in connection
nd 70
the essential laws of nature that will help
us to attain better things in our social
condition. This he should do, and not
put mere ill-considered notions on the stat
UTE books of the land The laws OF ma
ture and of life are very simple, and the
lawyer should give us more simple laws;
he should seek the fundamentals.
Another fertile source of the reign of
lawlessness is the fact that those men
to whom are delegated the enforcement of
the laws, and who on their oath promise to
do this, make this promise with a mental
reservation. Another reason is the fact that
men who are Conscientious and true to
the highest principles of life will not seek
office, but leave the offices TO unscrupu-
lous men.
THE saloon element is essentially law
less, and there is not saloon keeper in
the land who would hesitate TO openly
break the laws If he thought II would be
TO his advantage to do so. Every saloon
keeper in Indianapolis will admit this. The
liquor traffic holds itself in constant op-
position to the law OF ale land, and pro-
hibition as now organized is a failure.
1.-THE remedy in my mind for this con-
dition of affairs is state control of the
liquor traffic. South Carolina shows us
what may be accomplished by this meth
cd. as does also Norway. where the traffic
has for years been regulated by the gov
eminent. l am not in favor of spreading
the gospel by the Ratchet, but / believe
that every Christian citizen should exert
his active moral influence in graduating
the evil"
Mr.. Rowlison also spoke against gamb-
bling and accidentally suggested that a
newspaper crusade be inaugurated against
card parties.