Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-17

HS S"muiittec VII peTuldueHt organization
reported the name of ex-senator VIM. Win
dom OF Minnesota, for permanent chairman
and he was unanimously elected. He was
loudly cheered v hen he took the chair.
Among other things he said "We are
here under call of true and loyal republi-
cans, desiring through that party to accom-
plish what We believe will be of great good
to the American people For myself, |
never had the slightest thought
OF attempting to organize a
new political party. l think such a thought
does not enter the mind of any other delegate
here present. The party that freed the slave,
that dignified human labor, that enacted the
homestead laws, suppressed the great rebel
ion, defended its honor in peace and advanced
it to the front rank of the nations of the earth
is good enough tor me now"
The speaker said the record of the party
for twenty years showed its willingness to
grapple this new issue and carry it to victory
The issue was as grave as any that republic
cans had to meet in the past 1t embodied
itself to the question whether the saloon was
to dominate the politics of the nation. "We
do not meet to dictate to the republican
party" said the speaker; "we are here sim
ply for consultation. We meet to encourage
it to take hold of this question, which it
surely will have to do and the sooner the
better"
The speaker said he looked at this question
solely from a political standpoint and not
from moral standpoint. The saloon was in
politics with its assessments and money. 1t
was an open ally of anarchy; it today con-
trolled the politics of every large city it
elected your mayors. In Minnesota the dem
ocratic party had nominated for governor the
''verv incarnation of saloopists."
MIR. Window then spoke for thirty minutes
on the general issue. He touched on the
prohibitionists and said it was his view that
they could carry out their purposes in a bet
ter way than thev were now doing. In fol-
lowing the lead of the republican party they
would find that the party had said that slav
cry should extend no further, and on that
platform slavery was abolished. If the re-
publican party would declare for high license
and local option, and recognize the right of
the people to vote on the question directly
when they wished to do so, all lovers of tenn
perance should follow that lead.
A number of short speeches were made in
the afternoon while the convention waited for
the committee on resolutions to report.
MIR. Dunn of Maine said that the republi
can party was amply able to enforce prohi-
bition in Maine. The people had no faith
in the prohbitionists as political party. but
in the republican party for the creation and
enforcement Mt of statutes governing the sale
and manufacture of liquor.
The resolutions adopted declare that the
liquor traffic as it exists today in the United
States, is an enemy of society, a fruitful
source of corruption in politics, an ally of
anarchy, school of crime, and with its
avowed purpose of seeking to corruptly con-
troll elections and legislation, is menace to
IL a Al
ton of all good men.
Resolved, That we declare war against the
saloon and hold it to be the supreme duty
of the government to adopt such measures as
shall restrict it and control its influence, and
at the earliest possible moment extinguish it
altogether. We believe the national govern
meut should absolutely prohibit the manu-
facture and sale of intoxicating liquors in the
District of Columbia and in all the territories
of the United States. We believe the best
practical method of dealing with the liquor
traffic in the several states is to let the peo-
pie decide whether it shall be prohibited by a
submission of the constitutional amendments,
and until such amendments are adopted by
the passage of local option laws.
Resolved, That inasmuch as the saloon
business creates a special burden of taxation
upon the people to support courts, jails and
aims houses, therefore large annual tax
should be levied upon the saloons as long as
they continue to exist and that they should
be made responsible for all public and priv
ate injury resulting from the traffic.
Resolved, That the republican party
wherever and whenever in power will faith
fully enforce whatsoever ordinance the stat
utes or constitutional amendments may be
enacted for restriction or suppression of the
liquor traffic.
That we approve the action of Congress
and of those States that have done so in pro-
viding for the teaching of physiological sf-
fects of intoxicants in our public schools and
that we earnestly recommend to every State
legislature the enactment of such laws as
shall provide for thorough teaching of such
effects to our children.
We demand that the republican party, to
which we belong, and whose welfare we
cherish, shall take firm and decided stand
as friend of home and an enemy of the
saloon. In favor of these measures We pledge
ourselves to do our utmost to cause the party
to take such stand, and we call upon all
temperance men and all friends of humanity
of whatever party or name to join with u in