Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-08-16
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE.
The Prohibition the Only Party for
Home and Labor.
Fisk Compares tho Platforms.

Fisk Compares tho Platforms.
Clinton b. Fisk, prohibition candidate
for president, in his letter OF acceptance,
dated Seabright, N. j., July %, and given
out for publication on the 9TH inst, says,
after formally accepting the nomination:
Within a few years the temperance re-
form has altogether changed IN; mt. In the
great conflict which has been and is yet
waging the temperance forces no longer
face the human appetite and habit alone;
they oppose legislation, law, the purpose Of
political parties, the policy Of state and ma
ton. What law creates, law a,One can kill.
The creature of law, the saloon, the legal
lied liquor traffic, can die only ut the laws
hand, or the hand of the laws executor.
Conceived in avaricious iniquity, born OF
sinful legislative wedlock, the licensed sa-
loon, the legalized liquor traffic, bastard
child OF civilization possessing purity and
virtue, must be stranglod by tho civiliZa-
ton which begot ii, or that civilization must
go forever branded with the scarlet letter
Of its own shame.
No party which is made public admins
traitor by the enemies OF temperance, or
which owes the election Of its candidates TO
saloon influence, can ever establish prohi-
bition as binding fact In government any
where.
Tho national democratic party, in its
platform, utters no word in condemnation
OF the greatest foe TO the republic-the
liquor traffic. That party having steadfast-
iy, in its utterances at national conventions
maintained its allegiance TO the American
saloon, it was no disappointment TO anyone
that at St. Louis, in 1883, it reaffirmed its
old position on this, the greatest question
now being debated among men.
"The first concern Of good government"
said the recent national republican conven-
tion at Chicago, "is the virtue and sobriety
of the people, and the purity Of the homen
Revenue, then, is not governments chief
concern, whether coming from internal
taxation or from tariff on importations
and any source Of revenue which discounts
1.-THE virtue and sobriety of the people,"
and begets impurity in the home, should be
the first object assailed by every party pro-
Tossing TO seek good government. While
the revenue derived from such source
should be the first to be fOresworn-not
alternatively, for the sake of "a protective
tariff, but positively, for the sake of pro-
| lection dearer and1more vital than the tar
| If can ever yield.
/ search the long platform through in
vain 10 find condemnation of the saloon, or
| hint Of purpose TO assail it, or any sign OF
moral consciousness that the saloon is
| curse, and its income too unholy for the ma
| ton 10 share. If the "chiof concern" has
not place in the party's platform, and
party has no policy as to that "chief con
Germ" that party does not deserve the sup
| port of men who love good government and
| party's "chief concern" is for the purity Of
| the home, and the virtue and sobriety Of
| the people 1t asserted this in plain and
| unmistakable terms at Indianapolis; aud it
| further plainly said that "the burdens OF
| taxation should be removed from clothing
| and other necessares Of life 1t Is to-day
the only avowed and consistent party which
| the home and labor have, for it would make
| the blessings Of home cheap and remove
altogether its curses 1t would bring labor
| 10 sobriety and insure employment; it
would keep the factories busy 10 clothe
| labor, the farms active 10 feed IL, and would
| give TO our whole industrial system the inn
petus and prosperity never yet known, and
| never possible till the saloons are put away.
Brooks etter.
| DR.. John a. Brooks in his letter, after
acknowl dying the honor conferred upon
him, and denouncing monopolies and trusts,
/ says:
We must avoid an ever embarrassing surplus
| in the treasury, and all unnecessary taxation
must be lifted from the shoulders of the peo-
/ pie. The surplus is perpetual menace,
/ not only to business, not only TO the country,
but to public morals as well. The question
| Of the propriety OF removing the tax from
| whisky must depend altogether upon the
purpose intended TO be accomplished by
| such removal
The traffic itself, conscious that it is it's
| last defense, entrenches itself behind feder-
| al and state taxation. Strike down its de-
Tense and an outraged public would not
long suffer its continuance. Two political
parties demand in their platforms the abro-
cation of the federal law. But upon what
| ground do they base their actionsl
The prohibition party would strike off
the tax that it may the sooner destroy the
| traffic. 1t would not have the government
| to be q copartnor in profits wrung from
the vices Of the citizens. The purpose OF
tho republican party in the repeal of the
tax is to reduce tho revenues, that they
may not have ITO surrender any part OF
our protective system"
A proper protection OF American labor
and the infant industries Of our country
may and does commend itself TO the major
ity of our people, but Of infinitely more i'm
portapce is the protection Of our homes.
To .h1s end our platform Justly subordi-
mates all other questions.
DR.. Brooks concludes by some remarks
regarding the sanctity of the home, refers
| to the evil influence OF saloons, indorses
woman suffrage and the work of women
for prohibition, and again thanks the con
vention for the honor OF the nomination.