Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-10-27
PLATFORM.

convention assembled adopted the fol-
lowing
PLATFORM.
1. We declare our allegiance to the
pure principles, high aims and noble
incentives which actuate1 the found
ers Of this republic, and moved to de-
cided action the men who constituted
the anti-slayery party in lis inception
and carried it forward to ultimate sue
cess.
9. We believe the welfare and flu
{ure prosperity of. this people demands
ihe building up Of a new party with q
principle as its foundation to meet the
fxigences Of the present.
3. We believe the liquor traffic to be
che great standing menace OF our free
institutions, the destroyer Of the home
and the chief cause of crime. We be-
1ieve the republican and democratic
parties stand as a wall Of defense to
the liquor crime. Therefore, believ-
ing in the eternal principles of right.
liberty of conscience, and relying upon
fh e guidance of an o%ver-ruling power,
we boldly declare allegiance to the
prohibition party. and III devotion to
the great underlying principles upon
which the party is founded, realizing
chat the mission Of the prohibition par
ty is to carry forward the great politi-
cal reforms OF the present until they
are fully attained, made secure and
practically applied throughout the ma
tion.
4. That we deplore the sympathy of
the dominant parties with the liquor in
terests in the past.
S. That it is neither right nor poll
tic for the State or nation to give legal
sanction Or protection to any business,
trade or traffic, system, custom or hab-
it that tends to disturb the peace; men
ace government; corrupt social habits;
waste national resources: destroy
health, happiness or life; increase sor-
row, shame and crime; or retard the
progress of true civilization.
That the entire traffic in Intoxicating
liquors, as common beverages, is inim-
ical to the true interests of the indiyid-
ual and destructive Of the order and
welfare of society, and it ought, there
fore, to be made a criminal offense to
manufactures sell, or in any way dis
pose of, or import, OF export the same
and that it should be legally prohibited
by adequate laws and penalties.
That the history of past legislation
endeavoring to regulate the traffic,
abundantly proves that il is impossible
to satisfactorily limit or control q sys-
tenn SO essentially Irregular and mis-
chievous in it's nature and tendencies.
That no considerations OF private
gain or public revenue can justify the
upholding or licensing Of a system SO
utterly wrong in principle, suicidal in
policy, and disastrous in results as is
the liquor traffic.
That the constitutional ard legisla-
tive prohibition Of the traffic is per
fectly compatible with rational liberty
and with all the claims Of justice and
legitimate commerce, and that such
suppression Of the liquor crime would
be highly conducive to the develop
ment and growth of progressive and
enlightened civilization.
That all loyal citizens should. and we
as a party Will, labor boldly and per-
sistently in all iudicious and honorable
ways for the election and support of
men who will gladly enact and execute
such prohibition laws, and fer the up
building Of a high public sentiment
shat will render it impossible, or at
least not eNpedlent. for officers to foul
!y betray the people or refuse to enter
tain their demands.
G.. That much time ard money! I'M
necessarily wasted by the present mode
of electing president, vice-president
and United States senators without the
gain of any compensating advantages;
therefore, we declare for their election
by a direct vote, believing that the
election Of officers by the people, so far
as convenient and practicable is based
upon true governmental principles.
Z. We believe that the proper adj
ministration of justice demands that
our courts shall be placed beyond the
pale OF politics and that the judges
shall hold their offices for life or dur
ing good behavior.
8. We declare in favor Of the princi-
pie that the Office should seek the man
and not the man the office.
g. We declare in favor Of reform in
our laws pertaining to the suffrage
franchise, the sex standard should be
abolished, violation Of certain impor-
tant laws as determined by the legisla-
ture should disfranchise a voter. and a
minimum amount of education should
be required.
10. declare ourselves in harmony