The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-12-21
THE DIFFERENT PERIODS
Facts Would Seem To Indicate That
the People of the State Do
Not Want Temperance
Laws.

Former State Senator Edward E.
Moore of Connersville, Ind, has
written a fine little history entitled
ga Century of Indiana. In this
very readable volume is to be found
some interesting political history
for the republican party today.
At page 1856 are these significant
paragraphs:
"Drastic Temperance Legislation
The Baxter Law. The session of the
legislature of 1873 was signalized by
the enactment of the Baxter liquor
law, which was a very drastic piece
of temperance legislation. To Sc
cure a license an applicant
was compelled to file a petition con-
tanning the names of a majority of
the legal voters in the ward or town.
ship in which ne proposed to conduct
his business. He had to give bond
in the sum of $4,000 and was made
liable in damages for any injury in
person. properly or means of support
that might be suffered by any per-
son as a result of sales of intoxicants
bv him. and the owner or lessor OF a
building occupied by the saloon was
made Jointly liable. Tt was fina-
bic offenses to sell liquor to an intoxi-
Gated person, and the person becom-
ing intoxicated was subject to fine.
"The Baxter law was generally
credited with the defeat of the re-
publican ticket at the following cleo
ton (1S74). Although it was voted
for almost solidly by the republican
members of the legislature which
passed it. it also received number
Of democratic votes. and was signed
bv a democratic governor (Hend-
ricks). The Baxter law
was repealed in 1875"
Fact No. 1.-The republican legis-
lature of 1873 eacted temperance
legislation and at the very next cleo
ito the republican party was defeat
ed.
On page 191 the history has this
paragraph:
"The republicans were successful
in the election Of 1880, an +
candidate, Albert g. Porter, became
the next governor.
cat this time the temperance agi-
tation had again become actively re-
newed. and a petition said IL bear
over two hundred thousand sigma
lures was presented to the legisla-
ture of 1881, praying that body to
pass a resolution for a constitutional
amendment prohibiting the sale of
Intoxicating liquors. The legisla-
ture. which was republican, respond
ed by adopting such resolution,
but it was defeated by the demo-
cratic legislature which the people
returned the next year"
Fact No. pa republican legisla-
ture in 1881 enacted temperance
LEGISLATION and the party was de-
feated at the very next election.
During the phenomenal republican
successes following the panic of 1893
the Indiana legislature In 1895 pass
ed the Nicholson remonstrance law,
by means of which a majority of the
legal voters of any township or city
ward, by signing a remonstrance.
could compel the revocation of anv
Dealers license to sell liquors. This
law, however, brought no political
trouble because it did not hit the
saloon very hard. But in 1905 the
Moore amendment to this law ex-
tended the privilege of the voters
so that thev could demonstrate
against the saloon business per Sc
in the unit represented by the town
ship and ward.
Eagerly taking advantage of
this enlarged privilege, the people
not only demonstrated the saloon out
of hundreds of townships and city
wards all over the state, but they
made whole counties "dry."
All are familiar with the history
of the campaigns Of 1908 and 1910.
The anti-saloon sentiment in the
state had become SO strong that RI
more advanced legislation on the
subject. The democratic platform
declared for township and ward OPP
ton, while the republican platform
went farther and stood for County
option.