St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-08-07
The Prohibition Platform.
ADOPTED AT THE LATE CONVENTION A
rITTsBURG, JULY "a.

The Prohibition Home Protection
party. in National convention as
sembled, acknowledge Almighty God
as the rightful sovereign of all men
from whom the Just powers of govern
ment are derived and TO whose laws
human enactments should conform,
and declare that peace, prosperity and
happiness only can come to the people
when these laws of our National and
State Governments are in accord with
the Divine will. That the importation,
and manufacture, supply and sale of
alcoholic beverages, created and main
tanned by the laws of the National and
State governments during the entire
history of such laws is everywhere
shown to be the promoting cause of
intemperance, with resulting crime
and pauperism, making large demands
upon public and private charity i'm
posing large and unjust taxation and
public burdens for penal and shelter
ing missions upon thrift, industry,
manufactures and commerce; en-
dangering the pIblic peace, causing
desecration of the Sabbath cOrrupting
our politics, legislation and admins
tration of the laws shortening lives;
impairing health and diminishing pro-
ductive industry causing education to
be neglected and despised nullifying
the teachings of the Bible, the church
and the school the standards and
girders of our fathers and their chill
dren in the founding and growth under
God of our widely extended country
and imperilling the perpetuity of our
civil and religious liberties the bane-
full fruit by which we know that these
laws are alike contrary to Gods laws
and cOntravene our happiness, and we
call upon our fellOw-citiZens to aid in
the repeal of these laws and in the
legal suppression of this banetul liquor
traffic. The fact that during the
twenty four years in which the repub-
lican party has controlled the general
government in many of these states no
effort has been made to change this
policy, that territories have been
created from the national domain and
governments for them established, and
states from them admitted into the
union in no instance in either of
which, has this traffic been forbidden,
or the people of these territories or
states been permitted to prohibit it
and distilleries, breweries, wholesale
and retail dealers in these drinks hold
ing certificates and they claim the
authority of government for the con-
tinuation of business so destructive
to the moral and material welfare of
the people; together with the fact
that they have turned Il deaf ear to re-
monstrance and petition for the cor
rection of this abuse of our civil gov
ernment is conclusive evidence that
the republican party is insencible to,
or impOtent for, the redress of these
wrongs and should no longer be en-
trusted with the powers and response
biities of government; that although
this party i'll its late national conven-
ton was silent on the liquor question
not so were its candidates Messrs.
| Blaine and Logan. Within the year
past Mr.. Blaine has publicly recon-
mended that the revenue derived from
the liquor traffic should be distributed
among the states, and Senator Logan
has, by il bill, proposed to devote these
revenues to the support of schools.
Thus, both virtually recommend the
perpetuatiOn of the traffic, and that the
states and their citizens shall he part
ners in the liquor crime. The fact that
the democratic party has i'll its national
deliverance of party policy arrayed it
self on the side of the drinkmakers and
sellers by declaring against the policy
of prohibition of such tariff under the
false name of "Sumptuary laws; and,
when in power in some of the states,
in refusing remedial legislation and in
congress of refusing to permit the
creation of board of inquiry to inves-
tigate and report on the effects of this
traffic proves that the democratic
party should not he intrusted with
power and place that there can be no
greater peril to the nation than the
existing competition of the republican
and democratic parties for the liquor
vote experience shows that any party
not openly opposed to the traffic will
engage in this competition, will court
the favor of the criminal classes, will
barter away public morals, the purity
of the ballot and every trust and
object of good government for party
success, and patriots and good citizens
should find in this practice sufficient
cause for Immediate withdrawal from
all connection with their party.
That while we favor reform in the
administration of the government, in
the abolition of all sinecures, useless
offices and officers, in the election by
the people of the officers of govern
ment instead of appointment by the
President; that competency, honesty
and sobriety are essential qualiiica-
tions for holding civil office, we oppose
the removal of such persons for more
| Il isft va nti Gn far a :
it may he absolutely necessary to Sc
cure effectiveness to the vital issues on
which the general administration OF
the government has been entrusted to
F party.
That the collection of revenues from
alcohoIs. liquors and tobacco should bt
abolished. as the vices of men are moi
proper subject for taxation; that
revenue for custom duties should be
levied for the support of the govern
ment, economically administered, anC
when so levied, the fostering of Ameri
can labor, manufactures and industries
should be constantly held in view.
That the public land should be held
for homes for the people and not foI
gifts to corporations or to be held II
large bodies for speculation upon thu
needs of actual settlers.
!, That all money, coin and paper shaI
! be made, issued and regulated by The
r general government, and shall be :
legal-tender for all debts, public an'
| private.
That grateful care and supper
p should be given to our soldiers ant
+ sailoIs, their dependent widows AM
orphans, disabled in the service of tin
/. country.
That we repudiate rs un-American
contrary to and snbversive of the prin
ciples of the Declaration of lndepend