The Washington times., 1915-01-16
Cites Remedy For the Conditions
Shown To Exist In Terra Haute,

To the Editor Of THE TINES:
Your editorial on the indictment of
prominent citizens and officials Of Terra
Haute only served to increase the morti-
tication and chagrin that were caused
respectable Indianians by the first news
OF these indictments. Your inquiry as
to the cause OF this situation was per-
fectly natural and the question in the
mind Of the public generally is: Whats 8
the matter with Terra Haute?"
Persons not familiar with the local
conditions in Indiana might infer that
Terra Haute Is a fair type Of Indiana
cities. but those familiar with the con-
ditions. while surprised at the very
large number who were caught by these
indictments, were not SO much sur
prised that the conditions actually ex-
listed that led to the commission Of the
crimes.
Terra Hauts is not a type or a fair
representation Of the cities Of Indiana.
While there are few similarly afflicted
yet there are many splendid thriving
cities IN that respectable common
wealth that are comparatively free from
the infirmities that inilict Terra Haute.
Let 1t be known first that Terra Haute
Is booze town! One Of the largest
breweries Of the State is located here,
and numerous distilleries in the recent
Wabash valley into poisonous potions.
The motto of the town has been Make
booze. sell booze. drink booze"' The
laudable doctrine Of home consumption
reference to this particular brand Of
manufactured goods. Liquors have been
manufactured libeally. sold with equal
liberality and the consumption has been
no less generous!
Intoxicating. beverages Of all classes
and degrees have been as common in
Terra Haute as Wabash water. The
man that had a license sold them. and
the man without a license sold them,
and very large, II not the larger. por-
they had an unlimited license to con-
sumo them. The. traffic has been en-
thusiastically pushed for twenty-four
hours every day and for seven days in
with equal truth 1t can be said that
Terra Haute for some time past has
been engaged in the wholesale business
Of manufacturing criminals. The LIQUOR
laws OF the State have not had even a
maker. the booze vendor. or the booze
drinker. AS Is most common II, licensed
territories and In defiance Of law, blind
tigers, speakeasies. bootlegging. and
dive dispensaries were far more COM
mon than even the multitude Of licensed
saloons in this city ION the banks Of
the Wabash"
A criminal once made and hardened
does mot draw fine distinctions as to
the crimes he shall commit. The most
natural thing imaginary for the we'll
educated booze criminals of Terra Haute
would be to extend the circumference
of their operating circles to related
crimes, and from long continued and
uninterrupted Wholesale violations of
liquor laws, 1t was but a short and
easy, as well as a natural, step to the
wholesale violation of election laws.
The fair name of this Thriving city
was badly tarnishsd; locally at least.
regrcttabie thing is that the law and
liberty-loving people, who tave raised
coZinued protests against these thigh
crimes and misdemeanors" must. TO-
eether with the law-breaking part OF
the community, share in the shame
now heaped upor their town by the
indicted band Of confessed law breakers
Terra Ilaute may expect to have a
restoration to responsibility when she
thoroughly and edectualIy srppresses
the booze interest," and elements
j. W. THOMPSON.
Washington. January Il