The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1883-12-07

prs.lasa. Of sAs sa,l...l ". c.r.u.
Z ths Tenth Annuol Meeting al Detroit
4fieh., October SI.tto November .StA. 1883,

Nirh., October SIstto November ifs, 1883.
pRoHfBfTIoK.
Perhaps no result Of the immeasura
blo agitation begun BY the crasaie, has
boon Of 20 much practical value, as our
sharpened perceptions concerning pro-
hibisory law-what it l., what u does,
how 70 GET, and how 10 sesp IL. We
knew from the beginning that prohib-
tory legislation was . contamination
devoutly TO be wished, but how vide
the svoIutisn Of our thought since then !
"frohibition, immediate and unaondi-
tionsl," Is our watch word alI along the
lines. We have seen that the priDci-
pie Of prohibition must DO grounded In
organic Law beyond the reach Of dema-
goguss and that this must be done
through nen.p partisan methods BY means
Of . constitutional amendment. We
have seen, however. that enforcement
can only be secured BY the slection ol
sfiicers who will enforce hencs thu
involves . party comnitted By its hopes
and ambitions hardly less than BY III
principles 70 the successful working ol
The Law. We have sssa that sach q
party must be recruited from the moral
slsmsois Of society, and that these can
mt include the majority save as th,
wemsa ef the land become its devoted
and practical sdbersnts. Hence We
have psrcsiyed ourselves 70 be the
natural allies Of those courageous men,
who, in States where prohibition ID
repudistsd from the platforms Of both
Republican and Democrat, with The
balance Of opinion turned against them
and the partisan prsss vituperous In IL
oontenps, stiIl plant their ystss for
prohibition, looking 70 the harvest in
the "swees BYE and bye" We hsy.
beheld the gsrmination Of this harvest
in halt dszsn states, where the "divins
right Of boltins" has been thus exsr-
cised, fading BY curious coincidencs
that recognition Of the prohihition
principle In caucus aud Legislature has
followed, not preasned said bolt. Bot,
while We have steadily inais,ed th.a.
"when parties change their principles
thea patriots must change their par
ties,r We have no. been slow TO applaud
the loyalty Of any party 70 prohibition,
gratefully recognizing the action Of Re.
pnblicans in lows, and Democrats in
Arkansas.
We have also made specific study
Of prohibition in the noble old State
where Il originated and has had the
fairest conditions Of growth, Informing
ourselves from the most recent statistics
Of It's success. We have learned from
such unimpeschabIe authorities as az
Governor Dingley, Of Lewiston, editor
Of the chief paper in the State Of Maine
member Of congress and sworn enem.
Of the boaded whisky bill, that whil.
In the year 1882. only four cents PEI
inhabitant were collected on tie man'
ufaeture and sale Of alcoholic stimu'
lants in Maine, one dollar and fort,
csnss per inhsbitant were collected Il
the United States at large. II is alsc
fact that the tobacco tax Of Maine !
but seventeen cents per capita, Will
the general average for the country !
one dollar. The significance Of thes
statements Is heightened by the add
tional fact that whisky and Tobacco
alone paid into the treasury Of thi
| Christian land one hundred aud thirty
two millions Of dollars In the last year
We learn from The sane authority The
though the prohibitory law vas over
thrown in Maine four years alter II
6rst enactment in 1851, the peOpl
after two years trial Of license returne
20 prohibition, and new for twenty-si
years 1t has been steadily gaining unit
| no party dares TO DO its enemy.
Moreover, we have learned from th
constant improvements 10 the Msiu
| law how carefully the machinery fc
| enforcement must be constructed tbs
the law may not uake = pronise to Il
ear and break it to the hops. Of grc'
value has been our study in Maine =
to the actual provinces Of prohibitions
We found that 1t is police power
the State In no wise assailing the per
senal liberty Of the subject. but aimir
rather to help restore "shs person.
liberty Of the abject;;" !" thas IL strikes
the most accursed traffic in the Ian
declaring il nuisance TO be sutlawed
90 that fit still Inrks in any commun
: ty ii shall 10 like atoalthy, nkulkin
cowardly jackal, instead Of makiI
| itself at home like well-strawed wei
fed sgell-fatted and domesticated swim
j For as has been 50 tersely said "Tt
) test Of the success Of any statute
! whether on the whole It rsstrains
. mitigates the ofense or evil 50 far
any law can, and in dstermining th
{ it viii be found that there are the zaE
: ai1iculties IN enforcing the restriotio
+ / - ls..ann. AZ those of nrnhibikion. y