Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-09-25
To the Temperance Voters of
iowa County.

the Sttn and Star.
Bro. Penber,hy has evidently as
sumed that the party he designates
as "clams" are readers of those ex-
cellent sheets. / shall assume that
fully as many of the temperance
voters can be reached through the
Chronicle, and am afraid that many
whom Bro =. would very much de-
sire to reach, may not have their at
tention called to the copy of the San
and Star containing his address.
Bro Penberthy and myself have
worked for years in the temperance
harness, and until about two years
ago agreed in most things. We
were agreed that the traffic in intox-
icating liquors was a wrong that
should be made criminal by the laws
of the state. We were agreed that
the best method of doing so was by
so amending our state constitution
that it should forever prohibit the
manufacture and sale of intoxicat-
ing liquors as a beverage. We were
agreed that the best way of calling
the attention OF our lawmakers TO
our wishes on this subject was by
petition signed by the people of the
state, asking the Legislature to sub.
NIT such proposed amendment to the
people for adoption. We were
agreed that in the event OF a refusal
of the Legislature to grant our petit
tion and submit such amendment,
that SO far as laid in our power we
would see to it that only those men
who favored such submission should
be sent to the Legislature by our re-
spective parties; and upon these
points and this line of action TEN
perance men Of all parties were
agreed.
The petitions were printed and
circulated, and make no doubt that
Bro. r., equally with myself and
other temperance workers, was ac-
tive and earnest in swelling that pc
tition TO the magnificent size it reach
ed when sent TO the legislature Our
petition was denied, although favor
ed by a majority of the members be-
longing to the party To which Bro.
7. and myself were attached.
In pursuance of the plan agreed
upon, brother r., myself and other
temperance men went back to our
people and elected another legisIa-
ture, and circulated and presented
another petition, and our efforts had
met with such success that from
many assembly and senatorial dis
trcts where the temperance element
was before misrepresented by non
submissionists, we had in the elec.
tion been successful in sending men
favoring our views. Our PROPOSE
ton came within few votes of
passing nearly every vote favoring
it coming from Republican members,
and but very few Republican votes
being cast against it-those few be-
ing almost without exception men
who fairly represented constituent
cies hostile TO our proposition.
There was, however, senatorial
fight going on ut the same session
that materially influenced our vote,
and some members, to settle sena-
toriaI debts of spite or revenge, vot-
ed against the bill because it was
championed by men who had dis
pleased them by their action in the
senatorial contest.
Bear in mind that every member
of the Legislature elected by the Re
publican party from Iowa County
during all this time was in favor of
the bill, and Senator Campbell had
been especially active, and had re-
ceived commendatory votes Of
thanks at public temperance meet
ings Upon the final vote, every
Republican member from the Sd
congressional district voted for the
bill except two, one of them, Mr.
Carter, Of Platteville, making a le
gal objection to the submission
question.
Greatly encouraged by the pro-
gress thus made, and perfectly con
tident Of final success, by reason Of
the evident fairness and Justice of
our proposition, viz, the submission
of the question to the people, we
again proposed to go before the peo-
pie and secure by other gains the
requisite majority. Up to this point,
brother Penberthy, myself and the
great body Of Prohibitionists and
Submissionists, were agreed and en-
tirely in accord.
In the meantime, it was also
that while it might not be
best for the cause Of submission to
ask the Republican party to commit
themselves to Prohibition, it was
agreed that in justice to the temper
ance sentiment Of the state and the
great body Of petitioners, that sub
mission plank should be inserted in
the platform. A move was made in
the state convention TO that end I