The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-20

OF nearly LOO. This places the re-
1ponsibility wholly upon Richmond.
That the city OF Richmond should
cast majority Of 1900 in favor OF
the saloons Is the darkest page upon
It's entire history and should make
every true patriot of his home city's
best interests for honor and sobriety.
hang his head in shame and sorrow.
The election reveals a number of
things never shown before. First, it
places Richmond in the attitude Of be-
ing opposed to the rest OF the county
upon one of the most vital questions
that could come before it. This is
sad, because 1t concerns every home
in the land. 1t cannot by any posi-
BILE construction be held alone by the
local interests of Richmond. 1t neces-
sarily involves the interests of the
whole county Second, it proves that
the republican party in Wayne county
can never again make any claim to
being the temperance party.
The shame of the election increases
when we remember how earnestly
temperance men have labored to
in non-partisan way and when they
| succeeded in doing so as in the recent
election, to have it defeated by re-
publican city by nearly 1900 votes,
and in a county which is overwhelm-
inly republican on all political issues.
Hardly city of equal size in the
state of Indiana or elsewhere, has
borne so high a reputation for fine
churches, excellent schools and it's
business stability and honor. 1t has
appeared to be the general belief and
expectations both in and outside the
county that the election would favor
the discontinuance of the saloons.
But, alas, how surprising the mis-
take.
The whole state where the reputa
| ton of Wayne county was known is
dumbfounded that the vets won at all,
and especially by so large a majority
They had not properly estimated the
power and influence Of beer and whis-
key in the city of Richmond.
Many theories are being advanced
in explanation OF the cause of such
a humiliating result. More than
one thing may have had an influence.
Possibly the immaculate character
given to the local saloonkeepers by
some of the newspapers and a few
prominent citizens may have had a
| slight influence. Il should hate to
believe that it had such.) One could
imagine from their description of
them. budding wings and halos OF
righteousness about their heads. 1t
has caused much sarcastic comment
| over the state and some one has ask
ed il the saloons in Richmond opened
with prayer and closed with the long
meter doxology.
| But right thinking people who have
carefully analized the vote, have little
! hesitation in believing that by far the
| strongest factor was the action and
| voting of the business men of Rich
mond. There Is no other explanation
for so large majority, If the vote
was an honest one.
| Everyone who has personal
| knowledge of the business men of
Richmond must admit that a very
large proportion of them are men of
| high character; many are members of
religious denominations and not a few
| very active in church. Sabbath school
and philanthropic work.
! In a strict analysis of whether the
saloon was good thing in building
up the moral character and business
honor and integrity of the city was
mense majority, No.
The argument that the absence of
| the saloons would increase taxation
| is so failacious on the face of so many
proofs that it does not increase them.
is hardly worth repeating to any one
who has studied the facts. To say
that blind tigers would multiply
and be worse than the saloons is an
imputation against every court of JUS
tice, grand jury. officer of the law,
and law abiding citizen.
| What then was the chief factor
1t was this, the business men of Rich
mond were afraid that it would lessen
their profits in trade. 1t became a
question of dollars and cents and not
morals. Their pocket books were
more sensitive than their consciences.
They made compromise with hell
and voted for the saloon. They ar
rayed themselves on the side of and
in favor of the brewers and distillers.
The whole situation is little less
than an insult to the temperance PEG.
pie of Wayne county. 1t proves that
the business interest of Richmond has
greater fear of loosing the patronage
of the vets than of the "drys." If
this is to be a fight for dollars in
stead Of morals. why not the temper
ance people organize and meet it on
the same grounds? Fight fire with
fire
| Every township outside of Wayne
voted dry" then why not buy every
thing possible in the home towns, dry
goods. groceries. hardware, boots and
shoes and everything that can be pur-
chased at home. If necessary to buy
in Richmond go to those who voted
for temperance, for there we're a few
who stood true in the fight for right.
| eousness and good government