Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-10-24
FORMALLY ACCEPTED.
Il. Johns Letter Accepting tho Prshibi
ton Nomination for President.

g. John,sL Letter Accepting the Prohlbi
ton Nomination for President.
o1AruE, Kan. Oct. 1.-Some days ago
Mr.. 81. John, the Prohibition candidate for
President, sent a telegram to Samuel Dickie,
| Chairman of the committee, to the effect
| that his letter of acceptance would be ready
in a short time and that it would embrace
his views. The letter was given out yester-
! dav and ia addressed to Mr.. Dickie. 1t is
us follows:
In formally accepting the nomination for
| President t%enuered to me by the National
| Prohibition Convention at Pittsburgh, Pa,
July %, 1884, l take the opportunity to state
| that, while the honor was neither sought nor
| desired by me-, yet 1t is greatly appreciated,
| bestowed as it was by a convention composed
| OF delegates who, in point of worth aud men
tai ability. were fully equal, If not superior; to
in this country. The war for the Union is
slavery abolishe dio old issues ao o,6 nave e Passes ad 5 away aHi
sectional strife. To-day the products OF the
| North and the South float in friendly rela-
tons in the same channels. under the same
| flag, every section of our country acknowl-
| edging allegiance to the same Government.
There never was q time when our people
| could better afford to, and when it was more
| important that they should stop and think,
than now. With manufactures shutting down.
banks breaking, merchants tSiling in husi;
selling at the home market for forty cents
per bushel and hundreds of thousands OF
who arc willing to work, but can get
nothing to do. 1t seems to me that the
time has come for the people, who are the
stop and think. for there must be, q reason for
this condition of things. The little time and
out the full measure of personal abuse and
villitication that each seems to think the
other 9 sfso merits is tho mainly 1aIr desst;al to to
noring ali matters that relate to the
moral elevation OF the people. l am Of the
opinion that the manufactnrer who; by rea-
has been compelled TO make an assignment
for the benefit of his creditors will not find
relief in the agitation of that question now,
nor will the average farmer become very en-
thusiastic over its discussion, with his wheat
not worth as much In the bin as IL cost him to
Government for duties on imports is less
than 500, 100000 annually.
There are ABOUT 1T5,0O0 retail dealers in in
toxicating liquors in the United States, each
of whom pays to our Government twenty, Ave
dollars. in consideration of which sum they
the term of twelve months. When we add to
this the amount paid by the distillers, brew.
ers and wholesale dealers, we find that the in
tercSt OF the Government i'll the manufacture
and sale of Intoxicating liquors is about $780,
OO0.0 OO annually.
THIS traffic, sanctioned as 1t is by the laws of
our country, costs the people, at a low esti-
mate. a thousand million dollars a year, not
to speak of the destroyed homes, debauched
ruption it produces. This disgraceful bust
ness should be suppressed. and the enormous
sum OF money that under the present system
is worse than thrown away saved to the pcO-
pie, and thus II protection would be given to
the industries of this country that would ena-
vide to the competition of the World.
The Republican and Democratic parties IA
vor u continuance of the manufacture and
while the Prohibition party demands that the
same shall be forever suppressed. Thus an
issue is presented to the people in which is
involved the protection of every home in the
land. 1t is not a mere local issue, either,
but it is a National as well
a large and respectable body of citizens
against whose convictions party discipline
is ,powerlcss-have, decided to vote, and they
ions touching this matter. but will work and
pray and vote against this great evil until it
is driven from our land. never to return.
The Government is simply the reflex of the
individuals composing it. If we want an hon
est, sober Government, we must have an hon
est. sober people. Butw can never have an
honest. sober people SO long as the Govern
ment sanctions that which makes its citizens
dishonest, drunken and corrupt.
The declaration OF principles, which l heart
1ly indorse. as set forth in the platform OF the
Prohibition party, is entitled to the thought
good citizens. without regard to locality or
former political utilization. Our country
needs an Administrator that will rls,. above
mere partisan considerations, and in the
selection OF public officials make hon
esty, soori E and efficiency, and not service
not in the interest of any particular
section, party, race or color, but in the inter-
est Of the whole people. TO accomplish this
al good people should promptly step to the
front and Ge counted for the right. This is no
time for lodging. Moral cowariice will never
win and surely never deserves a victory.
Then let us look to God for His guidance,
and fearlessly and faithfully do our whole
duty, never doubling that lie will take care
OF the results.
JOHN p. ST.. JOHN.