The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-06
Indiana Anti-saIoon League,
However, at Its Recent
Meeting Did Not Pass Res
oIution on Matter.
LOCAL OPTION LAW
GIVEN ENDORSEMENT
And Its Retention and Full Op-
GRAFTON Is Favored-Prohi-
bition Matter Is Handled
Carefully.

indianapolis, Ind. January 6.-While
the trustees of the Indiana Anti-Saloon
League did not so declare in the reso-
Iutions which they adopted at their
meeting in this city, the league, never
the less. will not enter into the state
campaign this year This was an
nounced by the headquarters commit
tee of the league, which has charge of
all OF the affairs Of the organization
which are not handled by the trustees.
The resolutions which were adopted
merely did what had been predicted in
these dispatches. The resolutions
were accurately forecasted. They de-
clare 70: the retention and the full op-
Grafton of the local option law; for the
strict enforcement of all of the liquor
laws now on the statute books; the
strengthening of the liquor laws where
It fs needed: the elimination of blind
tigers: and in favor of state wide pro-
hibition by constitutional amend
ment. It was stated in these dispatch
es several days before the meeting that
this would be the program. There
was no chance whatever for a resolu-
tion to be adopted declaring for imme-
diate state wide prohibition by stat
ute.
~ About All They Did.
That was about all the trustees did
at thekr meeting. The political action
to be taken, If any, was left entirely
in the hands Of the headquarters COM
mittee, and this committee announced
its purpose soon after the meeting of
the trustees closed. It was given out
that no attempt will be made to get
liquor plank in the platform of either
party this year. Neither will the
league seek to bind members OF the
legislature with pledges to support any
kind Of liquor legislation. The
league will seek to nominate men for
the legislature who will be friendly to
the cause of temperance, SO as to pre-
vent the repeal or weakening OF any
of the laws on the state books at this
time and also men on whom it can
depend for support in case an effort is
made to adopt a resolution in favor of
a constitutional amendment Then.
just as was stated in this correspond
ence. the league will present the reso-
luton at the next session of the legis-
lature and try to put it through. It
holds that none Of the members will
be bound by party platform pledges or
declarations either way on the liquor
question and that every man will be
free to vote as he pleases. The league
believes that it will get votes for its
measures this way that it might not
get If the members were bound by
party pledges.
He Opposes Politics.
r. c. Minton, attorney for the anti
saloon league. chairman of the legis-
lative committee, made a speech in
which he declared against going into
politics this year.
I'VE forced the republican party to
take up the temperance issue in the
last campaign. and the republican par
ty was defeated at the polls" he said
He argued that the league should
stay out Of politics and make it's fight
along other lines. thus leaving the par
ties free, and also leaving the members
Of the legislature free to vote their own
sentiments.
The decision Of the league to keep
out Of the campaign this year, has
brought joy to the hearts Of the poll
ticians of both parties. And, Incl
dentally. it may be said that the anti
saloon league has made friends for it.
self by taking this stand, for the poll.
ticians feel very grateful for the relief
1t has given them.
What Law Requires.
If a resolution authorizing a special
election for the purpose of voting on a
state wide prohibition amendment to
the constitution is introduced in the
next legislature. such an election could
not be held for four years 1t is a
year before the legislature meets. A
resolution for constitutional amend
ment election has to be adopted by two
successive sessions of the legislature
This would bring it IN the winter OF
AVASs ouo luc CicSLiou "ouiu uol ue
held before fall of that year. E. S
Shumaker, state superintendent of the
anti-saloon league. believes that with
the ground which the temperance peo
pie have already gained and what they
will gain in the next two or three
years the people of the state will be in
such a mood at that time that they will
vote for state wide prohibition
1T is the best possible solution OF
the problem. he said. yesterday. I'VE
said in support of the local option law
that the people of a county ought tc