The Springdale news., 1888-08-10
DR. JoHyA. pRooKs' IFrrFR.

Dr. John A. Brooks, in his letter. after
 acknowledging the honor conferred upon him, denounces monopolies and trusts and says that trusts are against whole- some revision of the tariff" He then says
 Party issues are now before the people as formulated ny the final authorities in such
 eases-the three great National convention Senators and Representatives may conclude that their party conventions have made great blunders in their official utteranccs. and may
 seek to modify the same by Congressional tion but the country will hold each party to it's platform; that the solution proposed by the Prohibition party Is the wisest Of the three l do not hesitate to declare.
 We must avoid an ever-increasing surplus m
 the treasury, and all unnecessary taxation must he lifted from the shoulders Of the peo- pic. The surplus is a perpetual menace, not only to the business of the country, but to tho public morals well. The question Of the propriety Of removing the tax from whisky
 must depend altogether upon the purpose in- tended to be accomplished by such removal.
 Upon the principle that t Is public enemy legislatures have placed il under bonds and penalties. and courts have declared 1t public nuisance The tarif itself, conscious of it's own infamy pleads it's right to existence upon the ground of it's recognition by the Government | and the revenues t pays into the public treas- ury. Conscious that this is it's last defence t intrenches itself behind Federal and State
 taxation. Strike down this defence and an
 outraged public would not long suffer its con tinuance.
 Two political parties demand in their plat forms the abrogation of the Federal tax. But upon what ground do they base their actions2 The Prohibition party would strike of the
 tax that il may the sooner destroy the traffic.
 IL would not have the Government to be q co-
 partner i'll profits wrung from the vices Of it's
 citizens The purpose of the Repub-
 lcan party tn the repeal Of the tax is to reduce the revenues that they
 may not have to surrender any part Of our protective system Indeed the proposed remedy Is not to be applied until this theory
 of protection is tested to the point of prohibi-
 tion upon all foreign products such as are produced by our own people. Then fl there
 shall remain surplus, rather than touch the protective system, they will take this traffic out of prison and bonds and turn 1t
 loose upon helpless public to corrupt, degrade and destroy society. The Prohibition
 ists would take this arch criminal out prison to
 hang him, the Republicans to set him at liberty. The one would repeal the tax the sooner to de-
 stroy the traffic; the other would overflow the country with free whisky rather than tnJuro the already subsidized interest of the country
 In the face of these ndisputable facts every
 Christian and patriot will approve the motive prompting the one and denounce the other as the consummation Of human selfshness and | infamy
 A proper protection of American labor and
 the infant industries of our country may and ' does commend itself to the majority of 1 people. but Of infinitely more importance is
 tac protection of our homes. To this end your 1 platform justly subordnates all other ques- l tons
 pr. Brooks concludes by some remarks
 regarding he sauctity of the home, refers
 to the evil influence of saloons, indorses
 woman suffrage and the work of women 1 for prohibition, and again thanks the
 convention for the honor of the nomina- | ton.