News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-08-05
Anti-saloc7 Conference. 4

The National Anti-Saloon Republican Confer
ence, the original call for which was issued last
winter, will meet in Chicago, Ill, on Thursday,
Sept. I6, at IO A. M.
Each State is requested to elect four times as
many delegates and alternates as it has Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress and Terri
tories can send as many as they would be en-
titled to if they were States.
The promoters of this movement are earnest
temperance men who believe that as the Demo
cratic party has become the protector of the Sa-
loon interests, the Republican party ought, as a
and defender of the Home against the saloon,
and to this end they urge all who love the cause
to unite with and help them at this time by
prompt and earnest action.
The very existence of the party is also at
stake. That it is now losing at both ends of the
line and gaining from nowhere is admitted by
all, and it needs no argument to show that the
current must, in some way, he changed, or a
meTifabie. II viii NOT helm matters TO waste st
time complaining at or denOuncing those we
think have acted wrongly or unwisely in the
past, and propose to continue doing so. The
causes of disintegration must be removed, but
the troublesome question is: How is this to be
done ?
A hundred plans have been suggested, only to
add to the confusion, and it is now proposed
to ask those members of the party who agree to
the fundamental proposition that the saloon is
an enemy of society whose power for evil should
be reduced to minimum, to confer together and
see if some common ground cannot be found on
which all can stand.
In the opinion of those who called this Ma
tiOnal Conference, the party should not be asked
to commit itself nationally to or against any
specific law, but must announce as its settled
policy that it will everywhere strive to reduce
the business of dram-Selling, and the evils re-
sulting from it, as much as poSsble-each state
to decide for ITSELF from time to time, what laws
are best adapted to secure the end in view, and
that whenever the people express a desire to
vote on prohibitory amendments they should be
given an opportunity. But whatever is done
Should be done honestly and with such emphasis
that the men engaged in the liquor business will
recognize the party as their enemy and leave its
10Th nf ;,f,, &l,A
temperance forces, and that line of policy need
not, and, If properly managed, will not ALLEVIATE
the mass of drinking men-almOst all of whom
admit that the saloon is deadly enemy to good
order and every human interest. Some WILL of
course, leave us, but their ranks will, in the
near future, be more than made up by the tenn
perance men of other parties, who will join US
until that issue shall be settled.
More than one half of the Republican men,
berS of the National Senate and a large number
of congressman and other prominent party
leaders have expressed themselves in favor of
this policy, and we do not know of single men,
Der of either House of Congress to whom it has
been explained who opposes it. Many are more
or less non-cOmmittal, but the most Of even
those desire the people to go ahead.
The movement has already received the official
endorsement of the party in Vermont and
Maine, where the State committees are to select
the delegates to the National Conference, and it
is expected that party committees will do the
same thing in other States, but official announce
ments have not yet been made, In New Jersey
prominent Republicans, have been held and EX-
ecutive committees appointed with instructions
to choose delegates to the National Conference,
and calls are being circulated in other States.
During the past two months arrangements
nave been made that insure delegations from
nine States, tO-wit : Kansas. Illinois, Michigan,
New JERSEY. Vermont, Massachusetts,, New
Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island. In some
of these, only the preliminary steps have been
taken but they are so far advanced, and are in
such hands, that the result is certain. Some
other States, are nearly as far advanced, but we
announce none except by authority. However,
enough has already been done to make it certain
hoped that all the Northern, and some of the
Southern, States will be represented.
That such body will exert powerful influ-
ence is certain, but whether it will be for good
or evil will depend upon the character of the
delegates sent. Among those from the States
named will be Senators, Congressman Govern
orS and other leading men, and the delegates are
being selected with such care that, if the re-
naming States do nearly as well the action of
the Conference will be at once accepted and en-
dorSed by the party, for the reason that it will be
Judlclous statement of the wishes of the great
mass of its members.
The more solidly the party moves forward the
less Will be the friction and consequent loss and
we therefore appeal to temperance Republicans
IN states not named TO secure the election of full
delegations of the strongest members of the
party who are ready to cut loose from the Sa-
loon and put it on platform in harmony with
the best interests of the country and humanity.
II acknowledged leaders will not promptly take
the initiative then let others do So for there is
no time to lose. Any one desiring further in
formation on this subject can address either of
the undersigned at Manhattan, Kansas, and
when possible one of us will, if requested, attend
preliminary conferences that may be called.
ALBERT GRIFFIN.
Chairman Organizing Committee.
r. WAKE, Sec'y.
Manhattan, KS July Is, 1886.