Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-03-20
MICHIG Politics.

Inc kepUDllcdn party iidu It's VII VII Ill
the state of Michigan in 1856, and since
1860 has had control of all branches OF
the state government, until the election
of Begole on the reform ticket in 1882.
That the party feels proud of its record
in this state surprises no one. No state
in the Union can show such financial
prosperity under the control OF any par
ty. The Republicans found the state in
debt, and paying high rates of interest.
They have succeeded in placing it with
an unlimited credit and large surplus
in the treasury.
A change of administration has been
thought by some to be necessary to ell
sure political honesty. Michigan's
record under Republican rule refutes
this idea, Defalcations Of state officers
have been. during the twenty-five years
administration, almost unheard of. The
solitary instance of tampering with the
states finances was punished by impris-
onment in the states prison at hard la
Dor. with such record what was the
cause of defeat in 1882. BegOle secured
his election through the union OF the
Democratic aud Greenback parties, as
sisted by every fanatical organization
i'm the state. Each and all of these
adopted the same rule or ruin policy.
Though the Republican party has
always favored such regulations, re-
straining the liquor traffic within pro-
per limits, as were susceptible of being
enforced, they are in this as in other
matters, conservative; they do mot pro-
pose to be forced. in advance of public
opinion ia this matter. At each con-
yentiOn set of delegates present them
selves, demanding pronounced prOhib-
itOry platform, and when refused, go
out of the convention and organize
new party, in the interests of the oppOsl-
ton, or 60 over to them bodily. Is 1t be-
cause the Democratic party favors pro
hibitisn that they do thisp On the con-
trary, the Democratic. party as an organ
izatioh has always been the whisky par
ty. 1t Is for the purpose of forcing the
large majority to come to the terms Of
a small minority. This is not the prin-
ciple upon which this government was
founded. The attempts Ivy former con-
ventiOns to cORcilliate this element has
driven hundreds of good Republicans
from our ranks and consolidated no one.
Prohibition was dead letter upon our
statute books for years. and its open and
notorious violation brought the law into
contempt, aud increased law breaking to
an alarming extent.
The TRIBUNE is temperance paper
in every sense of the word, and believes
temperance in politics and legislation
just as essential as in anything else. 1t
also believes that temperance principles
and policy find more support in the Re-
publican party than any other political
organization in existence. The prohi-
bition party is pewerless for good as a
political organization, but can do a
great amount of evil to the temperance
cause by assisting the whisky elements
through their indirect support to the
Democratic party. We do not wish to
be understood as advocating prohibition.
We believe that legislation on any sub
ject in advance of public sentiment per-
nicious, and do not believe that one
eighth Of the votes of Michigan to-day
favor prohibition. Begole in his canvass
of 1882 was temperance advocate and
whisky man; hard money. Democrat
and Greenbacker; labor striker and
. monopolist; land Lacquer, nihilist,
dynamiter, and In fact was on all fours