Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 July 1908 — STATISTICS SHOW POWER OF BREWER [ARTICLE]

STATISTICS SHOW POWER OF BREWER

Indianapolis, July 24. —An interesting and valuable collection of statistics, compiled by the state statistician, and published herewith throws a flood of light on the power dYttfa brewers to control politics in Indiana—a power which they are exerting to the utmost limit of their ability in an effort to defeat the republican state and legislative tickets. The saloon is one of the main cogs in the great brewery machines. The brewers exert a large measure of their political influence through saloon keepers whom they control. The brewer furnishes bond for the saloon keeper, which puts the saloon keeper under obligations to him. After that the saloon keeper is virtually a tool of the*brewer, and when the brewer plays the fiddle the saloon keeper must dance. —t - It has long been a favorite pretension of the brewers that they have no connection with the retail liquor traffic beyond furnishing beer to the saloons, and that they exert no political influence over the salojyi keepers. This, however, is only a pretension.

Mrs. Mary Stubbs Moore, chief of the bureau of statistics, through her agents over the state, has conducted a fair and impartial investigation to ascertain the facts as to how saloon keepers are set up in business. In other words, as to who furnishes the surety that enables them to comply with the license law. The figures obtained are for the half year beginning January Ist and ending July 1, 1907. The information obtained is surprising, to say the least, and the probability it that it understates, rather than overstates, the part that the brewers take in the control and operation of saloons, for it is understood that information, in a good many instances, was not easily obtained. The report shows that during the six months indicated 3,002 saloon licenses were issued In Indiana. Of the saloon keepers taking out licenses, 274 were bonded by breweries, the name of the brewery in each instance appearing on the bond, and 747' were bonded by brewery agents, making a total of 991 saloon keepers who were set up In business during the brief period of six months by breweries. There is an old saying in politics that every saloon keeper is able to Influence votes of ten hangers-on about his place of business, and if that be true the 991 saloon keepers who are bonded by breweries and brewery agents during the six months mentioned would be able to handle

10,901 votes, including their own, in the Interest of the brewery combineThese statistics furnish an idea of the brewery machine’s far-reaching political ramifications. Every brewer has his thumb, so to speak, on a large number of saloon keepers and every saloon keeper is being urged to do his utmost to defeat Congressman Watson and the republican candidates for the legislature in his baliwick. The brewers are on their mettle as never before. They are supplied with unlimited funds. Not only do they control a large army of men through the keepers and frequenters of saloons, but they are reaching out in every direction in an effort to whip into line every man in the state who derives an income, directly or Indirectly, from the liquor business, through the sale of supplies incidental to the traffic, etc. The latest phase of the brewery activity was reported to.republican state headquarters this week. The brewers are very anxious to carry the house of representatives, aS ttUlt able them to block county local option legislation. To that end they are bringing out democratic candidates for the house and are furnishing the finances with which they are to make their campaigns. The Indiana Issue, official organ of , the Indiana Anti-Saloon league, sounds a rallying cry to all good citizens in districts where legislative nominations yet are to be made, urging them to get busy at once to offset the work of the brewers.