The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-08-22
Florida Answers Back

4 A
Ia newspapers are answering an editorial
that appeared in The Times recently calling at
tention to the fact that it is impossible for
everybody who goes to Florida to profit from
the gold rush. to that State and to the fact
that money doesn' grow on trees down there
Despite all the answers, we are of the
same opinion still-that when land prices are
boosted away out of proportion to the economic
value of the land, somebody is bound to lose
The papers print all the usual arguments
about climate, productivity of the soil, winter
resort business and enormous profits. Then
they add something else, something that
strikes home pretty hard. For instance, the
Miami Herald says:
Perhaps it might be limited to The Times
and other Indiana newspapers that one reason
for the emigration from that State to Florida
is the drastic laws that being imposed on
residents there People desire to live in land
of liberty, something they can not now find an
Indiana and something they find in
Florida. -
We do not know whether Florida remains
a free State, but we do know that the laws,
and particularly illegal and intolerable prac-
tices under the name of law enforcement are
going long way toward breaking the morale
of the people of Indiana The Fourth amend
ment to the Federal Constitution which makes
property of innocent individuals inviolate is
just as important as the Eighteenth amend
ment The zealots who still are stopping pri-
vate automobiles on country roads and raid
ing homes of innocent victims may not agree,
but we venture to say that it is even more
important.
Without the bill of rights our boosted
American freedom could not exist. And the
bill of rights is being constantly ignored and
violated.
For the most part outrages n Indiana and
other States have been committed against
humble citizens who have been so intimidated
by the apostles of ''you can't that they have
been afraid to speak, or who have not the
means to defend themselves against illegal
practices.
But there was an occurrence in Cleveland
Ohio, the other day that brings this kind of
practice sharply to public attention. The af-
fair would be somewhat amusing if it were
not for the serious principle involved.
In Cleveland two State prohibition agents
raided the home of Senator George H. Bender,
leader of the prohibition fight in Ohio and one
of the best known prohibitionists in the coun-
try. The officers broke into the home, ran
sacked the house, frightened Bender's wife and
baby-and of course found nothing There
never had been booze in the Bender home
Of course, Bender is outraged. Any limo
cent citizen would be. He is planning to bring
suit against the dry agents. Senator Bender
is man of means and influence and he can
resort to the courts Officials. of the State
of Ohio and of the city of Cleveland call the
raid al outrage And it was
But here is the point:
This sort of thing is going on every day.
not only in Ohio and other States, but in In
diana. 1t, is no more an outrage forcibly to
ransack the home of Senator and prohibition
leader than it lis to do the same thing to the.
home or automobile of humble citizen of no
particular influence in the community.
1t appears that the people of Ohio are I'D
IN arms over this practice. The people of In
diana, in self-defense, must also act to crush
such practices.