Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-08-03
PROHIBITION PLATFORM,
Adopted by the National Prohibition
Convention at indianapolis, May 81.

convention Ht indianapolis, May 81.
The Prohibition party, in national conven-
ton assembled, acknowledging Almighty
God as the source of all power in govern
ment, do hereby declare:
First-That the manufacture, importation,
expectation, transportation and sale of al
coholic beverages shall be made public
crimes and punished as such.
Second-That such prohibition must be s-
cured through amendments of our national
and state constitutions enforced by adequate
laws adequately supported by administrative
authority, and to this end the organization
of the Prohibition party is imperatively de-
manded in the state and nation.
Third-That any form of license, taxation
or regulation of the liquor traffic is contrary
to good government; that any party which
supports regulation, license of tax, enters
into alliance with such traffic and becomes
the actual foe of the states welfare, and that
we arraign the Republican and Democratic
parties for their persistent attitude in favor
of the licensed iniquity, whereby they OPP
pose the demand Of the people for prohibit
ton and through open completely with the
liquor cause defeat the enforcement of the
law.
Fourth-For the immediate abolition of
ouI
national government in deriving support
from onr greatest national vice.
Fifth-That an adequate public revenue
being necessary, it may properly be raised by
import duties and by an equitable assessment
upon the property and the legitimate busi-
ness OF the country, but import duties should
be SO reduced that no surplus shall be accu-
mulated in the treasury, and that the bur-
dens of taxation shall be removed from
foods, clothing and other comforts and nee
essaries of life, and imposed on such other
articles of import as will give protection
both to the manufacturing employer and the
producing laborer against the competition of
the world.
Sixth-That civil service appointments for
all civil offices, chiefly clerical in their du-
ties, should be based upon moral, intellectual
and physical qualifications, and not upon
party services or party necessity.
Seventh-That the right of suffrage rests
on no mere circumstance of race, color, sex
or nationality, and that where, from any
cause, it has been held from citizens who are
of suitable age and mentally and morally
qualified for the exercise of an intelligent
ballot, it should be restored by the people
through the legislatures of the several states,
on such educational basis as they may deem
wise.
Eighth-For the abolition of polygamy
and the establishment of uniform laws gov
erning marriage and divorce.
Ninth-For prohibiting all combinations
of capital to control and to increase the cost
of products for popular consumption.
Tenth-For the preservation and defense
of the Sabbath as a civil institution without
expressing any who r~eligiously observe the
same on any other day than the first day of
the week. That arbitration is the Christian,
wise and economic method of settling ma
tional differences, and the same methods
should, BY judicious legislation, be applied
to the settlement of disputes between large
bodies of employees and employers; that the
abolition of the saloons would remove the
burdens, moral, physical, p~ecuniary and So
cial, which now Cypress labor and rob it of its
earnings, and would prove to be the wise and
successful way Of promoting labor reform,
and We invite labor and capital to unite with
us for the accomplishment thereof; that
monopoly in land is a wrong to the people,
and the public land should [. reserved to
actua! settlers, and that men n women
should receive equal wages for equal work.
Eleventh-That our immigration laws
should be so enforced as to prevent the in
PRODUCTION into our country of all convicts,
inmates Of dependent institutions, and Of
those physically incapacitated for self sup
port, and that no person should have the bal
lot in any state who is not a citizen of the
United States.
Recognizing and declaring that prohibition
of the liquor traffic has become the dominant
issue in national politics, we invite to full
party fellowship all those who, on this one
dominant issue, are with us agreed in the
full belle. that this party can and will re-
move sectional differences, promote national
unity and insure the best welfare Of our ma
tive land.