The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-02
Vigilance Organization of the
Indiana Brewers Will Be
Ready for Operations With
in a Few Days.
BONA FIDE EFFORT
FOR LAW OBEYANCE
Complete Record of Every
Man Engaged in the Retail
Liquor Business in the State
Has Been Secured.
palladium Specially

specially
indianapolis. Ind. Dec. BIT is an
nounced by the manager of the vigi-
lance bureau of the association of In
diana brewers that the bureau will be
ready for operation within the next
few days, and from that time on there
will be trouble for saloon keepers who
disobey the laws and refuse to clean uD
their business. 1t is not known yet
just how many men will be put in
the field by the bureau to gather infor-
| nation about the bad saloons, but it is
said at headquarters that the force
will be large enough to look after
things as they should be looked after.
Considerable doubt has been eX-
pressed as to the sincerity Of the brew
ers in this move, but the brewers them
selves insist that it is a bona fide eff
fort to improve the saloon conditions
in this state, and that the public will
see it in a short time. AS proof that
they mean what they say. the brewers
are pointing to the things that were
accomplished in Ohio during the first
two years that the bureau was in OPP
Grafton in that state. They quote
the bureau to the state association in
Ohio.
Must Be Cleaned Up.
The report says that the first thing
curate list of all persons in the state
engaged in the retail liquor business.
This has already been done by the In
diana bureau. Then the Ohio bureau
sent a letter to each saloon keeper.
telling him that the saloon business in
this state must be cleaned. and that
the salvation Of the business depends
in obedience to the law This also
has been done in this state.
When these letters were sent out
in Ohio. they brought many answers
commencing the brewers for the stand
they were taking. Many others ridi-
culed the movement and charged that
it was started for the purpose of fool
ing the people.
The next thing was the sending of
letters to all of the brewers in the
state, asking them to cooperate with
the bureau in it's work. and asking
them to report to the bureau any
unfavorable conditions which they
might find in their territory. Only
five brewers in the state pledged their
sincere support and cooperation. One
brewer wrote that If any of his Gus
toners were molested he would sue the
organization. In several places the
brewers got to fighting among them
selves, charging each other with re-
y; ,cfn nd
overlooking their own. and using the
bureau as a trade issue. That brew
er had occasion to regret his stand
within a short time.
Newspapers Were Shy.
Newspapers at first were afraid to
give the movement publicity. Politi
clans and newspapers were afraid to
endorse the movement. Prohibition
lists and Anti-saloon workers also de-
nounced the bureau. The civic Off
Gals in several towns, large and
small. charged that the bureau was in
sincere and not honest in its purpose
and refused to listen to any PROPOSE
ton from it.
The result was that during the first
year the bureau in Ohio had not only
to fight the disreputable saloon keep.
ers. but the local officials and some
times the brewers. But the bureau
organized it's secret service depart |
ment with twenty-five men, their du-
ty being to obtain evidence and info:-
nation of the manner in which sa
looms were conducted in the various
cities and towns of the state. These
men were paid from Sc to SO day
and expenses. They were obtained
from detective agency and did not
always do good work. SO little later
the bureau hired men Of their own and
conducted the work. Here is what
the bureau accomplished during the
first year. according to the report, in
spite of all of the adverse criticism
and conditions:
Work Of Ohio Bureau.
Fifty-two saloons tore out the par
titions of their wine rooms.
Twenty-four saloons conducted as
designation houses were put out of
business.
Thirty-eight saloons conducted as re-
sorts put out of business.
Sixteen saloons convicted as disor
derby houses and satisfactorily regu-
lated.
Gambling suppressed in thirty eight
places.
Ten convictions for selling to mi
nors and this practice was broken up
to a large extent all over the state.
Thew bureau drew up and helped to
pass closing ordinances in three towns
The report says that at the opening
OF the second year things did not look
bright. but it says that within the
first quarter of the second year con-
ditions changed. Civic officials began
to work in unison with the bureau. The
bureau succeeded in convincing the
people that it was not bluffing and
not playing politics. Letters began tn
pour In, telling the bureau of viola |
tions of the liquor laws and pointing