The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-10-23
the INDIANA
MANUFACTURERS
And MERCHANTS
CLUB
TO THE CITIZENS OF INDIANA.


a county option, or. as IL viii in many
cases turn out TO be. county prohibit
ton act.
This was done in the midst OF
campaign in which the question wheth-
or the people wished such law or not.
was one Of the principal issues. With
in only a Few weeks the people were
expected 10 express their opinion. or.
as il was. their preference between To-
cal option and county option. at the
ballot-box. end the legislature thus 10
be elected could. within a very short
time thereafter. have acted in accord
ance with the expressed Will Of the
people.
Now instead OF letting the people
decide and rule according TO the prin-
ciples upon which our Republican form
OF government rests. the governor and
his party deliberately took this matter
out 81 me hands of the people and de-
cided the issue OF the campaign before
the election according 10 their own
Will. thus substituting their own will
for the. rs yet unexpressed and IN
known will of the people.
Now. without in any way consider
Ing the merits or demerits of the law
just passed. we request the citizens of
Indiana TO ask themselves calmly and
dis passionately whether such action is
nor altogether subversive Of popular
government. and TO try 10 answer this
question. not from partisan stand
ha ctanAnnfnf ~ inn
partial free citizenship.
If il was presumed that the people
were in favor of county option and
ready to say so by their ballots there
was absolutely nothing TO be gained
by passing the law few months soon
Ter than the coming legislature would
have passed IT, That there was no
emergency existing for it has been tao
lilly admitted by the makers Of the law
themselves by the omission of an
emergency clause
II is clear, then that the action OF
the Governor and his party was I'M
necessary and useless. unless they
feared or expected a decision by the
people contrary TO their own. and that
they cannot have had any other inten-
ton but TO force a law upon the peo-
pie against the peoples will.
Relying upon their majority among
the hold-over senators. elected two
years ago on other and different is
sues, they deliberately went TO work
to create the humiliating condition in
which the people would find itself
without the power TO undo what the
party forced upon II. no matter how
strongly they expressed their opposi-
ton at the ballot-box.
Now ask yourself whether such a
proceeding is not absolutely contrary
to our principles OF government, and
II approved, tolerated, and as 1t would
be in such case. repeated. would not.
: In the end. entirely destroy our form
Of government and substitute the rule
OF clique or party for that OF the
people. thereby creating conditions
precisely like those in South American
republics where they are the most pro-
: life source Of neyer-ending revolu-
lions.
II does not make any difference what
1.-The object or nature OF the law passed
lin such a manner is This time It was
the county prohibition law, the next
n time il may be some other law. The
luuestion is whether the people OF In.
sldiana will let this attempt Of the gov
srnor and his rulers, friends and ser.
& wants TO usurp the power of legis
llation 20 unrebuked, and thus estab
lish a method OF legislation destruc
tive Of popular government and free
~ citizenship or whether they will resent
= liz In a manner which will make repeu
~ ton Improbable.
- Nor should il make any difference
which party committed this crime
against free citizenship. This time n
\ was the Republican party II the
o. method is approved. II may be the
= Democratic party next time. There
fore we think that this method should
be rejected by the people az the first
opportunity Offering itself. and be
!, made impossible for all future times
e To do this we know Of absolutely nc
- other way but to elect a Democratic
u state government and a Democratic
: Legislature We recommend this
Il course. free from partisanship. II the
i Democrats had acted as the Republic
~ cans did. we would recommend the
is election OF Republicans.
We appeal 10 every lover of justice
= even in politics. TO every citizen who
believes in political honor and honesty
: TO every citizen, no matter what his
political views and affiliations may be
but who favors free citizenship and
q government by the people. instead Of
by party or clique, and 10 every
s. man with civic pride in his heart, tc
If assist by his vote in the restoration Of
e, the peoples rights and liberties.
!. indianapolis. October. 1905
u l. JtANA MANUFACTURERS AMI
MERCHANTS CLUB.
c. j. ROOT President
4. FRED PERNER. Vice President
IN u HERVEY BATES. Jr.,
FRED BACHMAN.
,e p w. KENNEDY.
a