The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-10-28

Editor Of tho Sun. Dear Sir:-Will
you kindly allow me space in your
columns to reply to ono Of tho stock
arguments used by republicans
against prohibitionists. viz. "You
will put the democrats in powsr!'
The government of this country is
q government by party. In any great
reform the election of the individual
is Of secondary Importance; The cleo.
ton of the party that embodiss that
reform is tho object to be arrived at
and secured.
The determining power behind the
officeholders is the party that elected
them. They represent their party.
The anti-slavery movement com.
menced in 1920. but it amounted to
nothing until it crystalized into a
party that believed that slavery was
''relic of barbarism." The duty
there was to elect the party. 1t
would have amounted to moth ing and
would have eventually exhausted
itself, had the effort been simply to
elect men here and there In the old
parties, who were the moro tolerable
anti-slsvery men.
Enthusiasm could not hav been
aroused alang that limo, and the men
elected would not have been trusted
for tho party that elected them would
have controlled them. Such giants
as Daniel Webster and Henry Clay
had to bow to the policy of their
party. After having elected the
party it 10 an easy matter to select
men who will be true to the princi-
pies of the party.
The determining power in politics
nowis, and always has been party. The
whiR and democratic parties were 30
organized that neither one of them
could become anti-slavery parties.
The republican and democratic par
ties Of to-day are SO organized that
neither one of them can become anti.
saloon parties. The democratic party
has no disposition to become so. and
the republican party cannot it it
would. For the republican party to
declare itself unalterably opposed to
the saloons would be to insure its
immediate defeat. 1t would drive
from its ranks every saloon keeper
and all their sympathizers,a land secure
to il no corresponding help from the
temperance element Of the demo.
cratic party.
It is an evident impossibility to
unite all the temperance votes In
either one or tho other old parties, or
even enough Of them to make the
party in whose ranks they are the
dominant party, and tho necessity Of
to-day 10 the election Of q party which
10 an organized revolt against the
rum traffic, party in which temper
ance people can unite without refer
ence to their former political creeds.
But in tho mean time it is urged
against, US that we are instrumental
in placing tho meaner OF two candi-
dates in Office. At first it 10 the in.
evitable result. hut it is temporary.
The first effect Of the movement to
organize IN anti-slavery party was to
place the pro.slavery democrats IN
power. But when the organization
was completed, then the pro.slavery
party was put down and out of power
for q generation. There never was a
great organization formed without
doing some temporary harm, and
there never was a great reform car
ried to a successful completion with.
out an organization behind it com.
mitted to its principles.
At some future time,I shall be glad
to reply to some of tho other objec.
tions that are urged against tho pro.
hibition party. At present In order
that my republican friends may
know who to accuse of being q demo
crat in disguise. sign myself, yours
truly, A. A. STONE.