News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-09-23
Anti-Saloon Republicans.

| Anti-Saloon Republicans.
The first national convention of the
Anti-Saloon Republicans was held IL
Chicago last Thursday. There were
about three hundred delegates present
Senator Blair of New Hampshire was
chosen temporary chairman. On TAX
fling the chair he said -
Gentlemen of the Convention: feel highl!
honored in being asked to preside over TINS giea
and historic convention, which fTmly DeI hert
will live in the annals OF all time we
this country and throughout the world tnl1if
speak the sentiment OF the co9yentlGi camI we
say that as between free rum and low a ss he
are in favor of high license cheersJ Una. 90 i1 To-
tween high license and prohlbltlon we sIr RIair
noI ~ 10 Say that they also met as Republicans
They were in the party and e09o M9i that if
and he r %aS 0f HE II Republican party that the
suppression of the liquor traffic could DC secureu'
The committee on permanent noml-
nations reported the name OF ex-Sena-
tor Window of Minnesota for perma-
nent chairman and he was unanimous
" elected. Mr.. Window was loudly
cheered as he took the chair and said
gentlemen of the Conference: 1 highly ap-
preciate the great honor you have conferred upon
emf who could state better than can the precise
purposes of this convention. We are here under
the call OF true and loyal Republicans, desiring
through that party to accomplish what we be-
lieve will be a great good for the American peo-
pie. For myself neyerhad the slightest thought
of attempting to organize a new political party.
/ think that such thought does not enter the
minds of any other delegate here present. The
party that freed the slave, that dignifed human
pressed the great rebellion, that defended the
cOuntry'S honor in peace and advanced it to the
front rank of the nations of the earth, is good
The speaker said the record of the party for 20
years showed its willingness to grapple this new
grave as any that the Republicans had ever had
to meet in the past. 1t resolved itself to the
question whether the saloon was to dominate
dictate to the Republican party" said the speak
er; 1--WE are here simply for consultation. We
meet to encourage it to take hold of this question:
the better" The speaker said he would look at
the question solely from n political standpoint,
and not from the moral standpoint. The saloon
was in notifies with its assessments and money
1t was the open ally of anarchy 1t to-day con-
trolled the politics of every large CITY, lteiected
nation of the saloonists." Mr.. Window then
spoke for thirty minutes on the general issue:
He touched on the Prohibitionists, and said that
it was his view that they could carry out their
purposes in better way than they were now DO
ing. In following the lead OF the Kepn99I Haia
that slavery should extend no farther On that
platform slavary was abolished. If the Republic
can party would declare for high license, local
option and recognize the right of the people to
vote on the question directly when they wished
to do so, all lovers of temperance should follow
that lead.
A number of short speeches were
made in the afternoon while the con-
vention waited for the committee on
resolutions to report.
Mr.. Dunn of Maine said the Re-
publican party was amply able to en-
force prohibition. In Maine the peo-
pile had no faith in the Prohibitionists
as political party, but in the Repub-
lican party, for the creation and en-
forcement of the statutes governing
the sale and manufacture Of liquor.
Elijah A. Morse of Massachusetts
said he would rather fall with "anti-
saloon" inscribed on the Republican
banner than succeed without it.
The resolutions are as follows:
The anti-saloon Republicans. by their repre-
Sentatives in national conference assembled, 90
declare as follows
First-That the liquor traffic, as it exists to- |
day in the United States, is the enemy OF society,"
fruitful source of corruption IN polltlcS tne |
ally of anarchy, school of crime, and with Its |
ayOwed purpose of seeking to cOrruptly control |
elections and legislation, is menance to the
public welfare, and deserves the condemnation
of all good men.
.Second-That we declare war against the sa-
loon and hold it to be the supreme duty. of the
TO adopt such measures as shall re- |
strict it and control its influence and at the ear
lest possible moment extinguish it altogether.
THird-We believe the national government |
should absolutely prohibit the manufacture and
sale OF intoxicating liquors in the District of Col
lmbia and in all the Territories of the United |
states.
Potrth-We believe the best practical method |
If dealing with the liquor traffic in the several /
states is to let the people decide whether it shall
De prohibited by the submission of constitutional
and until such amendments are |
adopted by the passage of local-option laws.
FJth-That inasmuch as the saloon business |
BORT courts, jails and almshouses, therefore a |
arge annual tax should be levied upon the Sa- /
Rey news Should Be made responsble for ali public
md private injury resulting from the traffic.
Sirth-That the Republican party, wherever |
md whenever in power, will faithfully enforce |
whatever ordinances, statutes or constitutional |
amendments may be enacted for the restriction |
and suppression of the liquor traffic.
ssge,T T fSO we aPProvs the action n Of Con
Of intoxicants in our public schools, and that we
earnestly recommend to every State legislature
the thorough teaching Of such effects to our
children.
Ei9hth-We demand that the Republican party,
to which we belong and whose welfare we cher
sh, shall take firm and decided stand, as the
friend of the home and the enemy of the saloon,
in favor of this policy and these measures. We
pledge ourselves to do our utmost to cause the
party to take such stand and we call upon all
men and all friends of humanity of |
whatever party or name, to join with us in secur-
ng these objects and in support of the Republi-
AN party so far as it shall adopt them.
Some opposition was provoked by
,he fifth resolution, on the ground
hat it recognized taxation of the
liquor interest. 1t was opposed by
MIR. Wright of Iowa and Mr.. Dodge
Of Michigan. The resolution was de-
Tended by delegates from New York,
Rhode Island and several
other states. 1t was finally adopted,
and the resolutions were adopted as a
whole, with only three dissenting
votes.
Gen. Conway of New York said
the New York convention had spoken
with no uncertain sound regarding
anti-saloon legislation, and had only
-SN WIN @hALC1g db blG pTOUdDIe
of the national convention.
Speeches were made by others,
holding to the general view that the
practical hope of the temperance peo-
pie rested with the Republican party.
The following national committee
was appointed, some existing vacan-
cies to be filled hereafter: Maine.
Senator William P. Frye; New Hamp-
shire, Senator Henry w. Blair; Yer
nent, George A. Brown; Massachu-
sets, Col. E. H. Haskell; Rhode
Island, Henry R. Metcalf; New York,
Gen. Thomas W. Conway; New Jer-
Sey, the Rev. FL. X. Carroll; Penn
'ylvania, the Hon. W. W. Braun
Iowa, Hiram Price; Minnesota, Gen.
A. B. Nettleton; Indianq, ex-Goy.
Will Cumback; Wisconsin, F. P.
Wheeler; Kansas, Albert Griffin :
Illinois, Col. W. A. James; Georgia,