Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-08-02
TEMPERANCE REFORM AND THE
PROHIBITION PARTY.
The Temperance Reform Does Not
Require National PrOhi
bition Party.
Address by n. Il. Carroll, LII. D., Of
North PIainhcld, New Jersey.

Ata meeting in the Academy of Ma
sic Brooklyn, Thursday evening, Febru-
aey 2, 1883. under tho uspIces Of the
Prohibition Party in response 20 chal-
lenpe TO discus5 with General Fisk Che
following proposition, Docs Temperance
Reform Require % EGtiOaai Prohibition
Parity?
M. Chairman, Ladies' and Gentlemen. --
/ am rot here tonight os "a politica par
tisau, nor as au opponent OF the princi-
pie Of Prohibition / am firm believer
ia Prohibition, Cnd I would most heartily
join you and march under your political
banner, ii / could convince myself chat
God has reserved TO You the task OF estab'
fishing Prohibition ia this land. / most
heartily respect you, for your cause Is the
cause of God and humanity, your courage
is the courage of heroes and your devotion
the devotion of martyrs. Applause. |
am sorry that cannot ada that your wis
dom is the equal of your courage and de-
votion. / am sorry that / cannot say that
the vigor of your assault Is always against
the foe and not sometimes again friends.
am sorry that | cannot deny that your
bullets too often strike from behind men
engaged in the forefront OF the battle
against the enemy. | admire your i'm
patient intolerance of the Saloon; | de-
plore your intolerance of hosts OF active
and actual foes OF the Saloon. II is be
cause / believe that you have assumed i'm
possible tasks as a condition precedent
to the achievement of the great object
which your party name stands for; 1t is
because believe that the inevitable re-
suit OF your 'plan OF campaign Is TO
divide the friends of temperance reform
and encourage its foes; IL IL because
believe your political policy TO DO I'M
sound, i'm practicable and obstructive-it
is because such are my convictions that |
have acce pied the courteous invitation to
come here tonight and discuss, with the
assurance OF fair hearing, the question;
"The Temperance Reform Does Not Re
quire a National Prohibition Party"
TnE PURPOSE AND POLICY OF THE PRoHGBI-
rIoN PARTY.
The Prohibition Party proposes but
one legal method OF fighting the Saloon,
and that il Prohibition; and but enc form
of Prohibition, aud that la State or FEEDER
al. II has faith in but one way of reach
ing and enforcing this Prohibition, and
tina, is by the Prohibition Party IL be-
lieves only in partisan Prohibition. IL
has no word of encouragement for non
partisan Prohibition. 1t is Prohibition
initiated, advocated and enforced by the
Third Party that it wants, ana no ether
will satisfy it. Lest be accused OF mis-
representation here will give my author
ity. IL is found in resolutions passed by
the National Executive Committee of the
Prohibition Party at Chicago, November
9th, 1886. These resolutions declare that
while the Prohibition Party will eco
operate with all movements made in good
faith to secure the submission of con
stItutiOnal amendments TO the extent of
signing petitions in favor thereof, and
will co cooperate in securing the adoption
of such amendments, experience in the
past has satisfied us that our main work
should be 20 enlighten me people and
show them there can be no etfectual
Prohibition OF the liquor tariff, even
though Prohibitory Constitutional
amendments should be adopted, without
a party behind these amendments to give
them force by the adoption and enforce
ment OF appropriate legislation" The
ohiet organ of the Prohibition Party even
derides non partisan efforts, and calls
those who are active in these efforts
"Nonuies." Nor has the Prohibition
party room in its platform for any
methods of restriction, where State Pro
hibition is not immediately available.
1t distinctly discourages Local Option
rs being too focal and too optional"
This, then is the position of the Pro
hibitiOn Party; Prohibition, State or
Federal, by the Prohibition Party itself,
as its immediate aud ultimate aim. And
this il its policy: 70 discourage all other
forts, restrictive or prohibitiye, whether
Republican, Democratic or non partisan.
What chance has tae Prohibition Party
on such platform and with such pol
icy, of SUGGEST Absolutely none, as it
seems 70 me; aud | will give you some of
my reasons for so thinking.
THE PROHIBITION PARTY ASSUMES TWO IMPOs
smLE PRELIMINARY TASKS.
In the first place II assumes two almost
impossible preliminary tasks. The over.
throw OF the Saloon is itself almost an i'm
possible task. Sober men cannot oou-
template it in all the fullness OF its power
without sudden ebbing of courage a GER
tain ,earful foreboding. The Saloon Is
every where, and everywhere is a curse. 1t
has moro bars than God has affairs; more
priests than God has preachers, and
almost rs many SChoOlH III lnAhluy rs Nht
public has sohool0 of learning. Its vast
army Of patrons are loyal TO its interests,
and thousands of thcm hold no virtue too
dear TO sacrifice in its behalf, Consider,
also, the enormous capital it commands;
its vast vOlume of business, amounting to
S9O,O0O,000 yearly, its enormous profits;
the wide reach of its manufacturing in
terests consider, | say, It's character, its
numbers, its resources, its power OF self
propagation and its hold upon humanity,
and IL must Rppall the stoutest hearted
and chiu the blood of the most sanguiue
lat, gentlemen of the Prohibition Party,
you have not hesitated to plan for your
selves additional or preliminary tasks
which, 20 everybody but you. must seem
hopelessI mean the destruction, prac-
ticslly, OF the two Old parties
You cannot grapple with the Saloon
until you have political power, you can
not have political power unless you can
wrest it from the old parties. To be the
Arst, instead OF the Third Party, You
mus practically destroy the Republican
Party in the North and thu Democratic