The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-10-10

platforms. divides and alienates true friends OF
reform. and postpones desired results. In a re-
public, laws which do not grow out OF the com.
mon sentiment and life OF the people worth
but little. But Republican conventions have
recommended Legislatures 20 submit constitu-
tional prohibition to the people, n sure basis
on which TO decide the question OF statutory
prohibition.
g. Matters so vital TO the best welfare of our
common life ought not to depend upon the acct
dental fortunes and fluctuations OF political
parties, with the jealousies, chickering's and
reckless ambitions incidental thereto These
interests are too great and too sacred to be
periled the footballs OF politicians.
4. Thus far in its history the actual influence
OF the third party has been TO handicap temper
ance legislation.
5. In a republic no party can long retain the
ascendency, and when party goes down the in.
terests identified with 1t suffer decline and
possibly n collapse. So must IL be with polit-
ical temperance party.
8. Moreover, it is a mistake to presume that
only those questions which are made issues in
parry platforms are settled at the polls The
prohilitory Legislation in Kansas, Iowa, and
Maine was not enacted by any party organized
on that issue, but through parties organized on
other issues, and having in them a common sub
stratum of temperance sentiment, diffused like
the sentiment eg linst larceny. Local option has
been extensively adopted, as favorie and ef-
fective method Of treating the liquor question,
but in only n few ms tances has il been pa ty
measure From the nature OF the case local
option must sustain an bipartisan relation IL IL
is TO succeed.
z. Besides, IL ia matter OF common OBSERVE
ton that strictly partisan legsla ion can be en-
forced only i'm limited localities. The best en-
forced laws those fre6st from party faint,
like the laws as linst larceny, etc.
s. The flea OF prohibition party TO enforce a
prohibition policy which third party leaders re.
iterate sounds we'll and is very misleading TO
those who have not thought the matter through.
Professor Bascomb, the ablest expounder Of this
theory says The State must be Differed from
top TO bottom" on this basis "electing the
officers from Jude TO Justices of the Peace,
Governors Mayors, Aldermen. and policemen "
and must "hold the power for n dozen years or
SO, then 1T can enforce prohibition"
This is the ideal scheme the third party Is en-
pertaining. And some such machinery, through
all the towns and cities Of State will indeed
be necessary TO Justify their theory of prohibit
ton party behind prohibition policy TO en-.
force il.
especially If it has any large cities, which is
"ofiicered from top 20 bottom" aud in all its
municipalities. by the party that holds the State
officesp Not one can be mentioned. The Dem
ocrats are row i'm the ascendency i'm the State
Of New York but larg areas of the State are
Republican and when the Republicans have
held the State offices in New York the Demo
Gratis have held New York City and many other
towns and cities. The same is true Of all other
States.
And yet these ideal party builders would
postpone the & eat interests of the temperance
reform. would hedge up and obstruct the of
forts OF those who, by bipartisan methods,
seek 20 protect the home against the saloon, un-
til this impossible political conception can be
realized.
On this visionary basis they make extravagant
promises and Professionalism principal stock
In trade 1t Is an old trick OF bankrupts that
they are lavish with promises to pay n po-
litical party that Ia built upon n hallucinatiou
can never be solvent, either i'm present or pros
pective results. IL costs one nothing 20 ofiei
FALL the kingdoms of the world when ne does
not own n rood of land.
For these reasons / nm n Republican, and
support Harrison and Morton in tho present
campaign. DANIEL DORCHESTER