Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-10-01
PROHIBITION.
Scope of the Movement-Why Third
Party is Necessary.
An Appeal to the People to Cast Their
Votes for st, John,

TO the Editor OF the GnZetie,
The popularity of THE GAZETTE,
and its fairness upon every
question affecting the public,
has led me to select THE GA
zErTE as the most available source to
reach our broad West upon vital
question. In the past, prohibition was
only a temperance club question, to-
day we find it developed into national
proportions. 1t now demands the
delegated expression of thirty or more
states, as can be seen by looking at
the proceedings ofthe national Prohibl-
ton convention, held in Pittsburg,
Pa, July last. Five hundred delegates
from those states were sent there from
deep feeling Of public necessity. 1t
was pronounced an august body Of
representative men, sober and in earn
est, because the North, East, South
and West, embodying its millions,
comprehend that all present efforts
through the two dominant
parties TO correct the great evil Of
drunkenness, have failed. The pro-
motion of party rises above every
other consideration Of public good.
Under the Republican rule, the whis-
ky and beer mannfactOrys have deYel-
oped into gigantic proportions, ana 10
fasten IL upon the nation congress
passed laws thatoverride state statutes,
so that the states which wsuld check
the evil are rendered almost impotent
on account of government license said
10 take precedence over state statutes.
l would specially cite Kansas and
Iowa as present, and In Maine the
wishes of (he people have continually
been opposed upon the same ground.
II the constitution is not a fraud
and the people yet enjoy rights, then
il the law for revenue on distilled
spirits a base imposition when 1t proves
TO be a public evil. It this cause,
among others, that called out the
friends of prohibition, They saw no
present prospects under either party of
making themselves heard, nor will
either party heed the appeals of the
millions for reform.
The blind greed for position and
spoils have 80 corrupted both political
parties that one must conclude that,
survive or perish, as nation, every
interest must yield to the damaging
policy sought by both. The old, hack
neyed PLATFORM OF the Democratic party,
e-echoed ever since / was boy
except perhaps the plank upon sump-
tuary law, which sumptuary term ia
mlsapplied, to deceive) Is broad bid
for the whisky element OF the country.
The Republican party holds out its
arms In null assurance that the past Ia
a pledge that whisky, with all Its evils,
shall be the tostered pet OF the future,
that they may win II the country goes
20 the devil.
What we want Is that true men, the
fathers who have sons and daughters,
shall stop and think, and look the
present and future squarely in the face
aud ask themselves II the highest
interests Of humanity do not rise above
mere parties.
The Christian man, what of him? If
he act true TO his convictions and pro-
fessions will he hesitate? II he does
and knowingly neglects this known
duty-"It were far better that he had
never been born.n The business men.
and none who knowingly employ a
drunken man TO handle their money
or their interests, what will they do In
view ofthls vital question? Stock and
sheep men, you have nobly taken the
advance in refusing to intrust your all
Into the hands of irresponsible drunk
ell men. How will you vote this fall +?
Will you be Of the party that Is ready
10 tranple your convictions and rudy
ment under feet and thereby further
aid to swell the army Of the unfortu-
nate dfunkards2 Then vote for st.
John, because:
Humanity demands II now and ever
IL viii kelp wipe out national blot.
II will arrest crime aud lessen taxation.
IL wlllh0nor your God and your country.
The homeless widow and orphan will call
you blessed.