The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-05-25
, Gilliom's Real Service

Greater ~
whether the law of Indiana shall continue to con-
denim men to crime in order to save the lives Oh
their families is the fact that Attorney General
Ctlliom has leveled blow at fanaticism, at the
mythical power of the Anti-Saloon League, at the
pretense of aspiring politicians.
It took courage for Gilliom, who might have re-
NAMED silent to give to the people of this State
the facts in his own case and in that of the
governor.
Only brave man and brave official would
have answered publicly the question of law by the
governor of this State.
For the letter suggesting that the governor urge
an amendment to the laws of Indiana to make them
conform to the Constitution of the United States
is nothing else than public answer to question
asked in secret
The governor needed whisky. His physician, it
may be said with certainty, needed it to comply
with the best judgment of physician whose lips
are now sealed by professional etiquet. He wanted
to know whether whisky could be legally obtained
in such an emergency, where life was in jeopardy
and was told that it could not.
The people of Indiana are entitled to the same
information. now so dramatically presented when
it is revealed that the governor of this State and
the attorney general compelled to court jails
in order to lives that were very dear to them
When the question is boldly and coldly put
"Would you violate a law to save life?' there
can be but one answer. But the question itself
proves how far astray this State has gone in it's
fanaticism in the servty of it's politicians to the
professional leader of the dry cause.
So great has been this power that no man who
aspires to public office has dared to criticise
his suggestions.
/ The present law of Indiana dictated by
him Many of the legislators who voted for 1t
ypov to hall
one of it's provisions meant political death. They
voted for it, many of them-and celebrated the
event by patronizing booteggers, for it is matter
of record that on the night that this measure
passed, a banquet in one of the big hotels
exceedingly wet
It is against this power of dictation of gov
eminent, against this fanaticism that Gilliom has
eveled his shaft.
The results are exactly what might have been
expected. The men who want jobs in the future
either silent evasive. They refuse to
ment. One who is known leading cand-
date for the governorship is not yet exactly
whether he would give whisky under advice Of
physician in order to the life of his wife,
and he wants to be the chief citizen of Indiana.
The who has shown the clay feet Of the
god of Indiana politics happens to be man who
is as bitterly opposed to the use of whisky as
beverage any in the State
When the dry organization, then working with
that discredited hooded order whose head is perma
nent guest in the State prison, tried to find some
cause for their fight against him for election 1t was
reluctantly forced to tell its followers that he
"dry."
So no question of wet or dry is involved. No
question of politics is involved
1t is a question of whether the trend Of law in
Indiana shall be along lines which shall dictate to
the medical profession, to science to the arts.
And while that is being settled it will bring
into the open the men who have served, now serve
and expect to this State in Indiana.
~ : 1t is showing up the towards, the trimmers
: the skulkers, the who speak in whispers who
will barter for power and office.
That is the real service which Mr. Gilliom has
performed and is performing.
Silence at this time brings its own black mark
of cowardice or worse.