Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1882 — THE PROHIBITORY AMENDMENT A FRAUD. [ARTICLE]

THE PROHIBITORY AMENDMENT A FRAUD.

Some person signing him or herself “Temperance* contributes the following to the Indianapolis Sentinel: “The last General Assembly adopted a joint resolution proposing an additional article to the Constitution, the first section of whicn prohibits the manufacture of intoxicating liquors, and the seoond section commands the General Assembly to provide by law for the manufacture and sale thereof. As evidence of these oeotradiotions we give the pro** posed amendments in full:”

Bsstlon 1. The manufacture; sale or keeplag for sale, in said State, spirituous, vinous, malt liquors, or any other intoxicating liquors, except for modioal. scientific, mechanical and wines for saereuental purposes, shall be and is hereby forever prohibited In the State of Indiana. Seotion 2, The General Assembly of the State of Indiana shall provide by law In what manner and by whom and at what plaoos such liquors shall bs manufactured or sold for medical* solentiflo, mochanioal and sacrament* al purposes. “Is it not evident that this proposed prhibltory amendment does not prohibit, but is a deception, a oheat. a fraud upon the people; but otherwise If ft should be submitted and adopted It would give the power to dhch succeeding Legislature to legislate upon the liquor trafflo, and grant monopolies and special privileges to classes er persons in sympathy with the party in the ascendency? Under this amendment spirituous, vinous and malt liquors will be maufaotured and sold, even if the General Assembly should not provide ‘in what manner, by whom and at what places.’ If the Legislature should not thus provide, then the largest liberty will be exerelaed in the manufacture and sale, for tits terms ‘medical* and 'meohanleal’ can be very liberally construed* aad If that body should exercise tb power which the amendment confers upon it. It would neessarlly be odious to the people and bring it ihto contempt. * “This amendment should be con-

deemed, because it wiil not accom piish what pretends to do-prohibition. It leaves the door wide open for its evasion. It revests the whole matter j to the Legislature. Under it laws j can be enacted tnat will make the ; manufacture and sale under less restraint than now. and no law may be . enacted legulating manufacture and j sale. The amendment will be inoper- j ative without legislation to enforce i its provisions, and legislation to do so will create monoplics that will be odious to the people." “It cannot be Satisfactory to those who wish prohibition in fact, nor those who believe it the true policy to place the liquor traffic under such restrai ts of law, as will correct abuses nnd at the same time produce, a revenue. This sham reform and fallacy, if its odious and unjust features are properly presented to the electors of the State, will not, as it should not, receive the sanction of the next Legislature.”