The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-09-18

promote the sale and consumption OF
their product, lawful or unlawful.
The aggression and the intolerance
Of the traffic, coupled with its utter
disregard of law, Ter the sixty-foarth
general assembly TO enact a law CIV
ne to the majority of the legal voters
e any township or city ward the pow
er, by remonstrance. filed with the
board of county commissioners, to ex-
clude the traffic from such territory
for a period of two years.
Under the provisions OF this law the
traffic has been excluded, in three and
one-half years, from $50 of the 1,016
townships in the state, from many city
wards, from a number of cities and
from twenty-five entire counties. More
than 1,600,000 people now live in terri
tory where there is no licensed saloon.
But this territory is constantly invad-
ed by the traffic and a constant war
fare against it is necessary for its ex-
clusion. This statute was enacted
without submission to the vote of the
people, but it's effects have been so
beneficent and the good accomplish
ed under 1t has been so great that the
people of the state are unwilling to
see it repealed, modified or weakened.
So strong is the sentiment in it's be-
half that both the great parties in
the state are pledged to maintain it
lnvlolate. And the desire OF the peo-
pie for the further restriction of the
traffic is so sincere. so manifest and
insistent that both parties have prom
ised additional and supplemental leg
islation.
Two methods are suggested. One a
township and ward election, where the
people of the ward or township may
vote for or against the traffic. The
other, a county election, where peo-
pie OF each county may vote for or
against it. Between these two prop
ositions both the temperance people
and the loquor interests of the state
have made quick and decisive choice.
The first method would add nothing
TO the present statute. The unit would
be precisely the same as that covered
by the present remonstrance law. It
would not be a step for the further re-
striction of the traffic, but a step to-
ward the weakening of the present re-
straint. In practice it would greatly
impair if not effectually destroy the re-
monstrance law. Operating over the
same territorial unit conflict would en-
sue and the remonstrance law would
be supplanted. The township or ward
covers too small a territory to be an
effective unit. A city, ward or town
ship is not a substantial governmental
unit. They have no officers qualified
or empowered to enforce the laws of
the state relating to the traffic. The
expense of criminal prosecutions for
crimes committed in the township or
ward is not borne by such township OF
ward alone. but by the county as a
whole.
The county is a we'll recognized and
long established unit of government
1t has officers and courts and machin.
cry by which the law of the state can
be enforced. The people of this unit
all share the cost of criminal prosecu.
lions for crimes committed within IL
The trafic's evil effects can more near.
ly be confined to it's borders.
The difference between the two
methods is emphasized and accentu-
ated by the character of those who sup.
port them. Good men may be back oil
the township and ward unit, but back
of 1t are also the allied liquor inter.
ests of the state, organized as a sin.
gle unit. Every brewer, every distil1er
every saloon keeper, the keeper OF
every brothel and of every unlawful
ersort, and every allied interest that
can be reached, individual or corpor.
ate, are supporting it, and they are
are not half-hearted in their support OF
1t against county option. They are
here and will be here throughout thi
session, active, dominant, arrogant, in
timidating and %corrupting, prepared to
defeat county option at any cost or
by any means within their power
They seek, through you to take over
unto themselves the enactment of law.
They are reaching for the reins Of gov.
eminent, everywhere and in every de-
rartment, that they may administer
it in their own behalf.
On the other side is the great body