Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1918 — OLD JOHN BARLEYCORN TURNS UP HIS TOES [ARTICLE]

OLD JOHN BARLEYCORN TURNS UP HIS TOES

Indianapolis, April 2.—lndiana became “dry” from border to border tonight at midnight. The statewide prohibition law so written that intoxicating liquor may not be manufactured, sold, given away or shipped into the statd except for medical and sacramental purposes took effect at that hour. • Members of the Indiana AntiSaloon League estimated that 3,400 saloons in the state closed their doors. They estimated that thirty breweries in the State were affected and possibly twelve to fifteen distilleries. The amount of money, league members say that has been spent annually for intoxicating liquor in the state is $26,000,000, which they say under the prohibition law will be “saved.” No guess was* hazarded as to how it may be spent during the ensuing year. The closing of all places where liquor might be purchased followed strenuous efforts of the “wets” to have the law unconstitutional. The Indiana supreme court heard oral arguments in two cases involving the law today but no decision was rendered.

In onb case, a suit filed by saloon men in Lake county which resulted in the law being declared constitutional by the county judge, the oral arguments were heard before briefs were riled. The court intimated that an order will be made giving until Thursday or next week for the written briefs to be placed on file.'" The contention of the saloon men in the Lake county case was that the lave, gives a monopoly of the liquor business to pharamacists and therefore is uncontitutional* The case argued originated in 1 Evansville and resulted in the law | being declared unconstitutional. It 1 was filed by a brewing company and; presented,”the attack on the law from the standpoint of the manufacturer. While there was no intimation as to whether the supreme court will decide the 2 cases together or when a decision may be expected, the court often has decided cases involving the same law at the same time, and as soon as possible after the arguments and briefs are considered there are questions as one of general statewide importance. x In practically all the cities of the state the police had made arrangements to enforce the prohibition law. Under its terms all intoxicating liquors must be shipped from the 3tate within ten days.