Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-10-01
HIRAM AND INEVITABLE GREEN TALK

OVER
Hiram was getting mad, there was
10 doubt of that, otherwise he would
lot have slammed down the t%wo-dollar
nustache cup his wife had given him
IN their last anniversary, so that it was
} miracle it did not break. Neither
would ne have damned back his chair
against the wall and stood with legs
apart, one hand in his trousers pocket
the other waving a tooth.pick in
,he most excited and threatening man
aer at his wife, who still sat composedly
finishing her breakfast. He was not IN
he habit of behaving in that way to
ais wife.
"Thsn you'd go and join the demo-
That is what he was saying.
20 and leave the old repuh-
lican party-the champion of right, the
party that stamped out the rebellion
and put an end to slavery-and
you'd give your support to
the democratic party that is
owned soul and body by the liquor
menl Nice way that to help the tenn
perance causer'
Nov Hiram. be. reasonable. l didn't
say that, and you know it. / said if 1
had the privilege of voting 1 couldn't
conscientiously vote with the republic
cans unless they changed their tactics
and came out square against the saloons.
The liquor power runs and controls the
republican party as we'll as it does the
democratic party. Haven't they saloon
keepers IN places of public trust and on
theis county and municipal tickets
to-day? How could I be true to my
convictions on the liquor traffic and yet
give my support to a party that is in
league with the liquor power? I should
be forced to yote with the third party
because it's the only party that proposes
to prohibit the liquor traffic. Don't
you gee"
"Yesl you'd vote with the prohibit
tionistsP cried Hiram, in tones of un-
mitigated disgust. "Yon'd withdraw
your vote from the republican party
just as the confounded fools did in the
last campaign. and give US another
democratic president. That's what you'd
do! You'd
81 can't help that Hiram, [ couldn't
go against my convictions"
"Your oonviotions!'' sc%ornfully repeat.
ed the irate man. "Don't you know
the democrats are for free whisky and
that when o portion of the republicans
withdr NV from the party they virtually
throw their influence with the demo.
Gratis, and open the doors of all the
saloons? That's what comes of voting
with the prohibitionists p
II know that's the argument, Hiram,
and you needn't repeat 1t again. I've
read it owe and over again in the news
papers. All I know is that / don't be-
lieve in liquor, and I'm not gong against
my conscience. Ii the prohibitionisti
are the means of throwing the balance
of power into the hands of the democrats
ct the next presidential election the re
publicans will have nobody but them.
selves to thank for 1t. It won't happen
u third time"
sit won't?" exclaimed the nov
thoroughly enraged Hiram. IT'D like tt
know why not"
Because, my DEAR" answered Mehit-
able, quietly, "the republicans will have
learned their lesson by that time ane
they'll be glad to adopt the prohibition
platform. But come, let's not quarre
over politics. 1 havn't any vote yet
and there's no immediate danger OF my
smashing the political machine. Tn
sure I should like to remain With the
party iii sentiment. though, if it would
only let me-"
By this time MIR. Green began to fea,
that he might have been acting absurd,
and the two went arm in arm into the
sitting-room. While lighting q tciga,
preparatory to going out, however, he
answered his wife's last remarks by
saying controversially, +
"Well, what would you have2 Didn't
the national anti-saloon republicans
meet in convention and declare against
the liquor traffic in the most unmistak.
able terms?"
Eyes. they did,individually,p admitted
Mehitable, "and then they stultified
themselves by adopting o set of 'expe.
dent resolutions hat only reflect on
their manhood, and will probably fail of
their intended purpose to hold the
party together"
Hiram threw o glance OF surprise over
the curling smoke OF his cigar as he said
in q sort Of uncertain way,
"You seem to be pretty well up on
politics. Since you've informed your
self go thoroughly you ought to know
that the convention explicitly declared
its conviction that the liquor traffic as it
exists to-day in the United States is the
enemy OF society, q fruitful source OF
corruption in politics, the ally of an
q school of crime, and with its
avowed purpose of seeking to corrupt-
ly control elections and legislation is o
menace to the public welfare, etc--tbere
is in the paper, you may read it for
yourself"
Swell, who disputes all that7 Not
the %saloonist,' said Mehitable, ignor-