Smyrna times., 1888-09-19
WHOLE NO. 1,79O.
The Free Whiskey Charge.

A correspondent writes US as follows:
To THE EDITOR OE THE INDEPEN-
DENT In a recent issue you make
an unfair comparison of the so-called
'free-whisky' planks of the Republicans
and PrOhibitiOnists. ~ The PrOhibi-
tionists believe that the whisky tax
aids the saloon power and so can con-
sistentLy advocate its abolition. But
the Republicans, by their legislation,
by the declarations Of their leading
newspapers and by the -,atcments of
their most popular leader, Blaine, de-
clare the whisky tax to be a check on
the traffic, moral measure in fact.
Vet i'm spite of this they are willing to
dispense with it, rather than abandon
Protection, even partially. ~ Now
either the Republicans do not believe
their own declaration that the whisky
tax is a check on the traffic and are
the virtue and sobriety of the people
and the purity of the home to be the
first concern of good government AS
reader of The Independent for nearly
a score of years, would ask which i3)
alternative you take. (4) How can a
| conscientious man accept either and
! yetvOte the Republican ticket ?" A.
! ~ We reply by question. If Prohi-
bitiOnists believe that the whiskey tax
lads the Saloon power" how can
they denounce, as DIR. Brooks did in
his letter of acceptance, the Republican
proposition to remove it, in a certain
contingency, as the consummatiOn of
human selfshness and infamy ?" Is it
wrong for the Republican Party to do
what it would be right for the Prohibi-
ton Party to do? AS to Republican
belief on the subject there are more
voters probably who believe that tax is
an aid to the Saloon power than voted
for St. John in 1884. There are, on the
other hand, many more who believe
that the tax is actually restrictive.
~ We have already stated that Repub-
lican opinion is divided as to the effect
J of the whisky tax. There is no insin-
cerity in the position of the Party. A
man may hold that the tax is restric-
tive without holding that it must be
retained even at the sacrifice of the
Protective system, or that it is the only
+ or the most effective, way of dealing
= with the liquor traffic. Probably no
Republican believes that. (3) We be-
lieVe that the tax is a check on the
: traffic; but we would not hesitate to
s remove it to save the Protective sys-
g TEN, knowing that there are other and
e better methods of dealing with the
liquor traffic, while Protection is vital
It ly indispensable to our national vel.
g fare. (4) A conscientious man car
d have no difficulty in voting for the
party that gives him practical legisla'
n ton against the Saloon in nearly every
: Northern State in preference to tn
IS party which proposes great things, bu
re has never in all these years accom-
y plished even the littlest thing. 1t pro
in poses national and state Prohibition
d, but it has elected no president, sena
re tor, representative or governor or leg
m islature to carry out its purposes.
re has no more legislative power than tn
in statue of Liberty in New York Bay
to 1t has never by legal enactment close
ne a single saloon. Let the conscieI
lg tious man" ask himself, What is tn
at use of voting with a party which NJ
lie only cannot accomplish single thin
ma for Prohibition, or restriction even, bu
es which antagonizes and hinders tn
party that can and does ?-Independen