The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-23
He Says He Is Tired of the Constan
Harping of "Self-AppOinted
City Savers"
FROM POLITICAL OPPONENT
LEADING DEMOCRAT SAYS MAYOR
HAS THANKLEss POSITION.
correspondence Between Mayor Book
walter and Methodist Ministers
Made Public.

Correspondence to and from Mayor Book
walter upon the evils incident to a large
and rapidly growing city rejecting three
ministerial associations have for some time
sought to convince the mayor that the
saloon law and gambling violations were
abundant and unchecked and have urged
him to concentrate the might of the police
force against them. The anti-saloon ele-
ment has sought also to lay the foundations
for a general crusade through the mayor s
emergency prerogatives against the sa-
looms. The mayor has answered all that
their ideas of the extent of municipal
wickedness in Indianapolis and the actual
conditions were much exaggerated. The
Democratic organ has sought to indict the
administration with yellow headlines and
lurid articles for inattention to the saloon
and gambling laws.
The frequency Of these attacks has
stirred up that Democratic Ajax of the last
city campaign-James l.. Reach. In that
campaign Mr.. Keach fought Mayor Book
walter with all the ability for which he
Is famed. just as he will do, In all prob
ability, again next fall. Consequently, the
mayor was not little surprised yesterday
when he found in his mail the following
letter:
JAMES l.. KEACH'S LETTER.
my Dear Sir-As a citizen OF no mean
city 1 get tired of constant harping. as
we'll as straining at a gnat. by self-appoint-
ed city savers. 1t is my opinion you are
doing your best to fill your trying as we'll
as thankless position, and inclose you a
fxt< 90 Lit.
you will net misconstrue the above, as it
is prompted only by a spirit of fairness.
In the time of war 1 will always fight un-
der the Democratic flag. but when the war
is over 1 wish to be fair and. as a tax
payer, / am.
Yours truly, ]. l.. KEACH."
The clipping referred to was an interview
with Mayor Fleischmann, of Cincinnati.
saying that il is practically impossible to
suppress gambling and liquor law violations
in large cities.
Some time ago the mayor answered a
communication from the Methodist Minis
ters' Association criticisng him for al
legged failure to stringently enforce the
saloon laws. In this letter the mayor said
81 desire to acknowledge receipt of your
favor OF the 18th inst, inclosing a copy
of the preamble and resolution adopted by
the members OF your association at the
time OF their meeting Nov. IL 1 am
satisfied that the members OF your associa-
ton IL they would give the matter personal
investigation instead of relying solely upon
the reports published In newspapers would
find that the conditions said TO exist in In
dianapolis have been grossly exaggerated.
81 have never contended nor have / ever
pretended that Indianapolis was free or
could be kept free from violation of both
moral and statutory law, and so long as
f. people gather together in large numbers
in cities just so long there will be found
thousands who do not In all respects OBJ
serve law and cannot be compelled TO OBJ
serve il. no matter how great and efficient
a police department the city may have
What / have always promised is that such
elements Of the community shall be held in
check. and the instructions to the police
have always been to this effect.
"while l am naturally desirous of the
approval OF my fellow-men: while / have
the natural desire OF all men in public
places to merit the good opinion of men
whom I consider to be better than myself
cannot attempt and I shall not attempt
10 nrsvsut icaptious criticism Of people who