Morris tribune., 1888-08-29

CLINTON b. FIsKE.
For Vice President,
JOHN A. BROOKS.
For Legislature,
J. o. JARRETT.
For Congress
I'd. SCOTT.
For GovERNoR-HUGH HARRISON
Lt. GovERNoR-THEoDoRE RIMEsTADT.
SEcRT. OF STATE-PETER THOMPSON.
III. ALLEN.
ATTORNEY GENERAL-C. e. SHANNON.
CHIEF JUsTICE-To BE FILLED.
1.-THE first concern of good govern.
ment,.' said the recent National Re-
publican Convention at Chicago, lis
the virtue and sobriety of the people,
and the purity of the home."
Revenue, then, is not governments
chief concern, whether coming from
internal taxation or from a tariff on
importatlons; aud any source of
revenue which discounts "the virtue
and sobriety of the people" and begets
impurity in tie home should be the
first object assaiicd by every party
protesting to seek good government,
while the revenue derived from such
a source should be the first to be
foresworn-not alternatively, for the
sake of a protective tariff, but posi-
lively for sake of protection dearer
and more vital than the tariff can
ever yield. Had / not left the Re-
publican party four years ago, l
should be compelled to leave II now,
when, after reading the words l have
quoted, from q resolution supple
mental to but not included in its
platform, and finding in these words
my own idea governments "chief
concern" set forth, search the long
platform through in vain to find con-
domination Of the saloon, or hint OF
purpose to assail it, or any sign oil
moral consciousness that the saloon is
a curse, and its income too unholy
for the nation to share.
If the "chief concern" has no place
in party's platform, and party
has no policy as to that "chiet con-
GERM" that party does not deserve the
support of men who love good govern
ment and would see it maintained.
The Republican party knows to-day
and knew at Chicago in June, tina
the public surplus, which In 1884 j
declared dangerous, and then pro
posed to reduce, comes, about cope
cent. Of it, from source more danger
Gus than the surpius-the liquo
traffic.
When the greatest Republican
statesman declared, in 1883, that ri
is better to tax whiskey than farm
and homesteads, and shops,' h
knew, as he and his colleagues know
now, that to tax whiskey is to ia,
farms and homesteads and shops
since it is always these which pa.
the tax; that nine-tenths of the SUI
plus represents want in the home
impurity in the home life, crime O
the street, paralysis in the shop, an
! an impaired demand for the product
of the farm. These men must kno,
these things, for these things al
plain as the multiplication table. An
they must realize that the swift wa
to reduce the surplus is to end th
national policy ofrevenue from liquo
that the right way is to end it by de
claring the manufacture, importation
transportation and sale thereof pull
lie crimes against good government
and by prohibiting and punishin
them as such.
i The Prohibition party's "chief col
Germ" is for the purity Of the HON
ard the virtue and sobriety of th
|, people. 1t asserted this, in plain an
unmistaKable terms, at indianapolis
, and it further plainly said that It'll
burdens of taxation should be n
moved from food, clothing. and othe
necessaries of life." It is to-day tn
3 only svowed and consistent party all
which the home and labor have, fl
1t would make the blessings of HON
cheap, and remove altogether il
curses; it would bring labor to sobri'
: ty, and insure employment; it woul
keep the factories busy to clothe II
, Dor, the farms active to feed it, an
would give to our whole industri'
system the impetus of prosperit
never yet known, and never possibl
Il till the saloons are put away.-Frol
/ Clinton B. Fisk letter of acceptance