Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1908 — THE INDIANA MAN'JFACTURERS' AND MERCHANTS’ CLUB [ARTICLE]

THE INDIANA MAN'JFACTURERS' AND MERCHANTS’ CLUB

TO THE CITIZEMS Of IHDUIU: Pursuant to the call of an extra session of the legislature by the Governor of our state, the legislature passed a county o inion, or, as it will in many cases turn out to be, a county prohibition act. This was dona In the midst of a campaign in which the question whether the people wished such a law or not, was one of the principal issues. Within only a few weeks the .people were expected to express their opinion, or, as it was, their preference between local option and county option, at the ballot-box, and the legislature thus to be elected, could, within a very short time thereafter, have acted in accordance with th» expressed will of the people. NoAv, instead of letting the people decide and rule according tothe principles upon which our Republican form of government rests, the governor and his party deliberately took this matter out of the hands of the people and decided the issue of the campaign before the election according to their own will, thus substituting their own will for the, as yet, unexpressed and unknown will of the people. Now, without in any way considering the merits or demerits of the law just passed, we request the citizens of Indiana to ask themselves calmly and dispassionately whether such action is not altogether subversive of popular government, and to try to answer this question, not from a partisan standpoint, but from the standpoint of impartial free citizenship. If it was presumed that the people were in favor of county option and ready to say so by their ballots, there was absolutely nothing to be gained by passing the law a few months sooner than the coming legislature would have passed it That there was no emergency existing for it has been tacitly admitted by the makers of the law themselves by the omission of an emergency clause. It is clear, then that the action of the Gove .or and his party was unnecessary and useless, unless they feared or expected a decision by the people contrary to their own, and that they cannot have had any other Intention but to force a law upon the people against the people’s will.

I Relying upon their majority among uIIB JIOIG"OVer BQumXOfS, CMBCIQu uWt) years ago on other and different Issum, they deliberately went to work to create the humiliating condition in which the people would find itseH without the power to undo what the party forced upon it, no matter how strongly they expressed their opposi tion at the ballot-box. Now ask yourself whether such a proceeding is not absolutely contrary to our principles of government, and if approved, tolerated, and as it would be in such case, repeated, would not, in the end, entirely destroy our of government and substitute the rult of a clique or party tor that of the people, thereby creating conditions precisely like those in South American republics where they are the most pro lisle source of never-ending revolutions. It does not make any difference wbaf the *bject or nature of the law passed in sftch a manner ft. This time it was the county prohibition law; the next time it may be some other law. Ths question is whether the people of Indiana will let this attempt of the governor and his rulers, friends and ser vents to usurp the power of legislation go unrebuked, and thus estab llsh a method of legislation destine tire of popular government and free citizenship, or whether they will resent it in a manner which will make repetition unprofitable. Nor should it make any dlfferencs which party committed this crime against free citizenship. This time I! was the Republican party. If the method is approved, it may be the Democratic party next time. Therefore we think that this method should be rejected by the people at the first opportunity offering itself, and be made Impossible for all future times. To do this we know of absolutely nc other way but to elect a Democratic state government and a Democratic legislature. We recommend this course, free from partisanship. If the Democrats had acted as the Republicans did, we would recommend the election of Republicans. We appeal to every lover of justice even in politics, to every citizen whe believes in political honor and honesty to every citizen, no matter what his political views and affiliations may be but who favors free citizenship and government by the people, instead ol by a party or clique, and to even man with civic pride in his heart, tc assist by his vote in the restoration ol the people’s rights and liberties. Indianapolis, October, 1908. INDIANA • MANUFACTURERS’ ANN MERCHANTS’ CLUB. C. J. ROOT, President. FRED BERNER, Vice-President HERVEY BATES. Jr., FRED BACHMAN, P. W. KENNEDY, WM. J .TAYLOR, Directors. PHIL RAPrtAPORT- Soereton