The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1886-08-11
MASON COUNTY PKOHI
RJTION PLATFORM.
AdoDted q; the Convention at Point
Pleasant, July 81.

Iiou,r Traffic as political questloh, pafa-
mount to all other issues; because Inc Lag :
nor Traffic is the enemy OF the Cltlzen' Ihe
Home, the Community, ana the otaIe; me
arch enemy of the laboring man ana Ills
family: the chief foe OF every business IN
dustry: the destroyer OF private ana Puplc
virtue; the great fountain OF polltlcal COT
ruptiou, and is in every way destructive 10
me peace prosperity and happiness OF The
people. 1t is Shiny serpent Wh1ch leaves
nothing in its trail uut social degradatlon'
misery, vice, poverty and crime. IL makes
victims for the asylums, the poor-nouses'
the prisons, and the galloWs IL Is not
Messing. but the blacklist crime that dark
eus The calender OF human mlqally we
are therefore uncompromisingly in favor of
a speedy enactment and vigorous enforce
ment of the most stringent Proh1b1tory laws
to drive from our land THIS dreadful liquor
scourge.
2. Toe history Of the two dominant poht-
,cal narLies on the liquor question,
nroves them to be antl-Proh1Dltlon partles,
and rh. trusted allies of the drink traffic
Repeatedly nave these parties refused 10 en-
act prohibtUory laws, when they had full
mower to do so. They have been repeatedly
raonestea 20 pledge themselves 10 grant The
ii
r,gnt 10 vote upon the liquor question, to SO
amend their constitution as To prompt INC
,,,.nnfaclure and sale of all Intoxicating
heverages: and at all times have they retus-
cd 10 grant them this constitutional right to
determ1ne for themselves whether or not
NAV would make Prohibition part of the
organic law of the State. There remains,
,harefore. no hope of redress through the
hat a 81 M
yelled 10 cut loose from them and declare
our ALLEGIANCE TO the Prohibition Party, us
the only agency through which to secure the
enactment and vigorous enforcement OF the
most stringent trohibitory laws, and in
cnrnorule in The constitution u clause for
ever prohibiting the manufacture ana sale
OF all Intoxicating beverages.
T. We disapprove of all license laws,
touching Jhe liquor question, or any other
vice. because sucn laws not onlp demoralize
public sen Uiment on The Temperance ques-
lou, but also tend, by the tax feature there
of 10 brlDe 10 silence the pubic IN tnelr
completely therewIth, ana 10 reconcile The
public sentiment in favor of the contlnu-
auce of The traffic. We also disapprove of
all such laws, because by this license TAX
b2lbe, the state raises revenue at the
government, thereby compelling the fami-
lies OF Une unfortunate victims OF The Lralnc
To bear burdens, by deprlving The women
and children of food and clothing, TO pay
the license tax, and also to put inCo The sa-
loon golfers money that ought to g 20 the
support of those starving women and chill
dren.
4. believing, as we do, that the enactment
t>,tf l.xv n IA.
ing the ilquor question, cannot rise above
the policy of the political party in power,
ana being fully established III The belief
that The TWO dominant parties are thorough
IN committed to the regulating poncy by a
license or tax system rs opposed TO Proh1bi-
ton, anu cannot therefore rise nigh enough
to enact and vigorously enforce effective
tronlbltory laws: We therefore Call upon all
good clllzens VINO are opposed to the rum
scourge 10 renounce Their allegiance to The
o.d rum soaked parties which are i'll practl-
cal league win The nquor criminals and
unite with us for the overthrow Of this
oulous liquor crime.
b. III Is The expression OF this convention
that persons VINO cast tner ballots for a
PARTY committed 10 d liquor policy, either
by a tax or license system, are not guided
cSSe'toS
Incense and tax laws do not propose to
pronlplt The Traffic, but on the contrary,
legallze and continue the same. Hence
such ballots, cast for such a party, represent
Ing sucu Il policy, cannot be meant as an
.Apresslon III favor of Prohibition, but
against II.
D. BenevIng, as we do, that effective
prohlp4Iory laws, with sharp penalties, will
a Nyiun W inf
nquor votes, and not III sympathy with the
Prohibition movement; and being of the
OPINION Jnal such laws will only pe enacted
and vigorously executed by a party not
dependent on liquor votes TO secure success,
anu winch Is III full sympathy with the
Promotion movements We therefore here
by pledge our earnest support to that party
which openly declares in favor of II speedy
enactment and vigorous enforcement OF
the most stringent Prohlpltory laws TO
uIlVe out the pirate saloon.
Z, We are OF tne opinion that the inconsist-
ent attitude ON the Temperance question OF
manly o. the profesSed friends OF PIohibi-
uou who IN their churches preach and pray
for ProuIbilon and the destruction of the
rum tra1hc and Then Turn round in their
political partles and walk up to the polls i'll
company with brelOerS, diStitLerS and saloon
keepers and III partnership with them vote
fol- The same liquor policy to sustain and
perpetuate the same liquor traffic, by
supporting the same licensed rum-shOps is
tne strongest bulwark that supports this