The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-17

THE liquor league, which bought the
Democratic party OF Iowa, is having hard
time in corralling its purchase. The follow
ing, from Hon. John A Hull, a leading
Democrat of Boone county. is specimen of
the letters now written against the sale and
transfer:
You inquire what am going to do in
politics this year. l have to say that l have
made up my mind to vote the full Repub-
llcan ticket, and my reasons are as follows
The Democrats have no ticket i'll the field
this year, and the liquor league having as
sumed the party name, don't want the fell
lowship of any man who voted for the ne
tarlous amendment. 1t has resolved that In
the interest of temperance the saloon is a
blessing. l can't get the consent of my mind
to that idea. | would be voting against my
convictions to follow that flag, and l won't
do it. / am Democrat, but not a whisky
Democrat, if do take the critter for health's
sake occasionally, nor do the traditions of
my party require me to vote for the greatest
evil to the greatest number, but for the
greatest good for the greatest number. am
not candidate for Office, either, and don't
propose to allow any cabal to make new de-
partures from the creed OF jefferson Democ-
racy, and then bid me follow. OF course it
is struggle to ruin ones political prospects
and step out of the pale of the party he was
born in, but | am only temporarily out. and
when my party gets back to its old moorings
l will vote her ticket as of the olden time.
II see, by the way, some reforms in the
Republican party. 1t is the next thing to
ant-monopoly this year on all political ques
lions, and | am not so tenacious of party but
| could vote that ticket independent of the
temperance plank. I understand, further,
that it takes no stand for or against temper
ance, but it assumes to give the people of
Iowa their demands as expressed at the polls
last June and which, by the blunder of
somebody, they are likely not to get. In
other words, it wants the majority to rule
and don't propose that the Supreme Court
decision, or anything else, shall thwart that
rule. 1 don't care whether the Supreme
Court is right or wrong the verdict of last
June ought to be enforced if the people still
insist it shall be done, and their votes this
fall will determine that matter. There is no
politics in this question, and each and every
man who voted for the amendment ought to-
and no doubt will, vote the Republican
ticket. 1t is simply question of whether
liquor or the people shall rule. That's all
there is in it.
Now, while l vote your State ticket and
want to see Allison returned to the Senate 1
can take no part in your counsels; because l
am not Republican, but let me suggest that
it may be well for your party to treat this
canvass as a contest with liquor, and now
and then name prohibition Democrat for
local Office not legislative, or in other words.
in good faith invite us to help you this year.
Let not the fate of st. John, in Kansas be
visited upon Sherman. You can count on
25, 900 or 30, 900 Democrats to come to your
camp this year, if you treat them right Let
the past be buried and forgotten and all our
people who oppose the saloons unite to gain
grander victory than they did in 1882.
ONO. A. HULL"