The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-04-25
Shall Party Prohibitionists Continue

ISIS In the Dullulng OF the plOnlDlllOn
party is the accomplishment of prohibit
ton. Since, then, the advent of the
local option law, which i'm a sense gives
prohibition the question is raised what
now will party prohibtioniStS dog VIII
they disband? | wish only to define
the function of the prohibition party as
IA political factor, cOntrasted with what
under local option can be obtained, To
settle any question that might be raised
rs to honesty in still prosecuting party
work. A question of whether the pro-
hibitiOn party is necessary lies back of
these considerations. With that | do
not now deal.
The demand for the prohibition of
the liquor traffic rests on three pur-
poses: lst-To protect society; 2d-To
strengthen commerce.; 3d-TO purify
politics. And to carry out these reforms
the prohibition party exists
Consequent To the accomplishment of
its purpose, the destruction of the entire
liquor traffic i'm the nation, would follow
the removal from all localities of the
tratlic's evil Influences on society and,
placed upon common plane of advan-
tage, society would uniformly begin 10
improve. Consequent, also, the 5000,
900 600, the now settled estimate of the
amount paid by consumers into the
saloon, would change its course and
flow into the other lines of trade that
constitute the necessities and conVen-
fences of life. With this amount added
To the retail purchasing power of legiti
mate lines, an increased demand would
work It's way back To the manufacturer
for the production of more goods; and
To turn out this additional supply, the
capacity of the factories would need To
be increased, idle machines set i'm Oper-
alton and new workingmen called to
employment revival of the entire
commercial interests of the country.
And ON the reduction of the traffic, the
political power of the organized liquor
interest would decay, for then would
be removed the substance on which the
power is now made To subsiSt.
Contrasted with these advantages of
the future potential prohibition party,
the conditions of social organization
are seen 10 be such as will not warrant
"A like accomplishment under local
option. A local option law reaches
only those sections that by popular
vote within their own prescribed limits,
affirm that the law shall apply, while
contiguous thereto may be sections that
by an adverse vote elect TO continue
the sale
Thus, certain counties would be left
subject to.the traiiic's influences upon
their society, and To its hindrances to
their commerce, and it is seen that these
results follow i'm those districts where
the greatest need is that the traffic do
not exist And the proximity of other
counties To those that elect to continue
the sale, will work out the defeat of the
will of the people in counties where the
traffic has been declared against; for
counties selling will be found to obtain
custom from counties where there is no
sale. Thus the prohibition counties
will still find their society under the
influence of the traffic and their indus
try crippled by its existence. Finally,
the political power of the liquor traffic
is seen To reside in those localities of
adverse maiorities, for from the control
of these sections issues its authority to