Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-04
PROHIBITION PARTY INDICTED.
Cor. Shersnan's Letter to the North Amer.
ftGn Review Criticised.

reStatement OF that old theory that laws
| prohibiting the liquor trofic are not
| sumptuary laws.
hold that all this talk about sumptuary
laws is mere bosh. It does not matter
whether law is sumptuary or non-sumpt
| uary. If it is law that will promote the
highest good of the people, and is repre-
sentation of the will of the people, and is
enacted and enforced by the "consent of
the governed;'' it is right and good law
and in perfect harmony with social liberty,
| all silly political twaddle to the contrary
| notwithstanding. The sooner these false
| ideas in regard to personal liberty" are
''set down on" the better for the people
and the nation.
Webster says sumptuary law is one
relating to personal expenses. If not ,di-
rectiy, certainly Indirectly, laws prohibit
ing the liquor traffic: are related to per-
sonal expenses very closely. 1t would stop
at once the personal expenditure of thou
sands of dollars. Prohibitory laws are, at
least. sumptuary laws. They are so nearly
sumptuary laws that our opponents feel
| that we are lodging the question. I like
=
! and teach them the difference between
| personal liberty and social liberty. Full
| personal liberty cannot be enjoyed i'll So
! ciety. Many concessions must be made Of
| a personal character in return for social
| privileges. Much must be ceeded by the
| Individual as member of society In many
instances in society there is demand
for suaptuary laws. In the future, as the
I i1; lie 4 oi 1u f;rrfa
must come in quite number of sumptu-
| AIRY laws.
In speaking of the churches and the
temperance societies, he says: ''Great in
fuence was exerted by the organized
forces and especially those in which the
influence Of woman was prominent" 1
have several times called attention to the
necessity of organization. Organization
always makes work more effec4ual. The
prohibition cause demands q thoroughly
organized national party to support it.
If the temperance people of Iowa we're to-
| day together in political form as they are
il heart, the saloon keepers would not be
receiving licenses. They could have
elected officers in sympathy with prohi-
bition, and could have suppressed the
traffic with these local option
laws until their amendment
trouble could have been adjusted. All the
experience Of the past points to the need
of a great national party to back the
cause.
In speaking of the growth and early
history of prohibition in Iowa, he says:
''This sentiment soon found its way into
public affairs
The needs Of society demands law upon
the question. Laws are made by repre-
sentatives of the people. These represent
atives are divided into two parties usually,
coming from two greet parties of the
the people. The laws are enforced or neg
lected by officers nominated and elected
by these parties. Hence, things pertain
ing to the making or using of law, per,
tanning to the legislative and executive
parts of government are usually of poll
teal nature. The question of prohibition by
law is a political question, and can not
exist in fact outside of politics. "Broad
questions of public policy" cannot be
, ho1,3.oa "rssardless Of party" 'PubHe
policy" per Sc is the policy of the party in
power, and must be enforced and sup
ported by THAT party. Can the party in
power in Iowa take UP the cause of pro-
hibition? No, it can not, because when il
takes up prohibition it must put down
whisky. They are absolutely incompati
BILE in political life. The Republican party
has large whisky vote. If it gives that
up it must die. Hence the cause of pro-
hibition in Iowa to day has no political
support. It is dead cause in Iowa now
and will remain so until the temperance
men Of all parties organize permanent,
political party to handle it.
He says further:
''Not content with blocking the courts
! and defying the law, the saloon system as
pired to become an organized force in the
politics of the state. They made every
| effort to band themselves into strong po-
| litical force. Their vote was to be solid
| against any man who demanded the en-
| forcement of the law. Witnesses, prose-
cutors and all who sought to uphold the
law of the state we're prescribed"
First the temperance people of Iowa
took the question into politics and passed
prohibitory laws and elected some men
who tried to enforce the laws. In proof
of this quote the following: "The first
statute book of the territory of Iowa
bore on its pages an absolute pro-
hibition." ''The principle of prohibi-
ton was established" $50 long
ago as 1851 law was enacted
which declared every dram shop a public
nuisance, and prohibited the sale of in
toxicating liquors at retail under heavy
penalties" might quote, further, but this
| will suffice. You see the Prohibitionists
were first to take the political field in town.
Following their example the saloonists
entered the political arena also, and pro-
posed to fight them on their own ground.
Then the temperance men, being tied to
| parties that were welded to the whisky
| vote, thought they would retreat from the
political field and retire under cover of the
| churches and temperance societies and the
brave women of Iowa, and continue the
fight ostensibly outside of politics, but still
keep the thing really in politics and keep
making laws, and, if possible, fool
the whisky men (by taking
it out of politics) and
get them to vote still with the old party
| to elect men to enforce the laws that will
destroy their business. Well, they have fail
ed, and will continue to fail until they take
a rational stand and all join in Que party
| to fight the curse; to make laws and control
the Offices that the laws may be made eff
fective. Let ''the issue be squarely joined
between the saloons and their long time
| enemies" The Republican party is saying
so tire people of Iowa: "See here; here
are two animals, horse temperance and
4