Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-08-31

with spirit of Indifference. The Govern
ment of this great nation is determined bv
the votes cast. Your vote counts just us
much as any other man, no matter what
his or your station in life may be. We
raise the question. what shall be the Ian
guage of your vote in November next? There
are great questions before the American
people. The tariff is being discussed by
both the old parties. We do not ignore its
Importance. But is it the great question.
the most important for the hour? AS a
question OF finance. does it begin to equal
that OF the saloon question:? Does not the
prosperity of the country depend far more
upon the saving of the hundreds of millions
consumed by the liquor traffic than upon
any change that either of the old parties
propose to make in the tariff or internal
revenue?
The abolition of the American saloon, it's
power in politics, its power in legislative
nails. its power in society to desolate
homes destroy virtue and ruin manhood is
the Important question.
=, True, both the old parties have ignored
this question, in their platforms; but no
matter for that. it is the question of the
hour. Men will think and talk. and this is
the question they are thinking and talking
about. 1t is the question Of the nation. It
is the question upon which you must take
counted either for or against the perpetuity
OF the saloon. You may not want your vote
to count either way. but it must
On the question of the saloon the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties occupy the
same ground, viz: to let the saloon lire.
it live?" The reply is, ave don't say" DO
you propose any legislation that shall Grip
pie its power, damage it's business and re-
suit i'll its final overthrow" I'VE don't
say. Ask Grover Cleveland: DO you
pledge your honor that in the exercise Of
Of11cjAl oe <Ic
United States you will not oppose the
| saloon traffic or give your signature to laws
that look toward it's overthrow" His re.
ply must be Il will" or no saloon man will
vote for him. Put the same question to
General Harrison. and the reply will be the
same. or no saloon man will vote for him.
But saloon men will vote in large numbers
for each of these men. Will you vote for
either? Voting for either. your vote will be
counted with the votes Of saloon men and
will mean what their votes mean, viz. the
peypetuity of the American saloon.
Now think. can you do it? To perpetuate
or abolish the saloon. which do you want
to do? Saloon men vote to perpetuate their
business. They are pledged to each other
to do it. They Know their men and are
for the parties as such. They are independ-
ent voters. The party that will promise to
serve the saloon interest is the party that
will catch their votes. Both the old parties
have been careful to make no declarations
that can be construed against the saloon
interest. They are each bidding for the
saloon vote. No matter, then. which of the
old parties you vote with, you will vote with
saloon keepers. and to vote with them is to
vote for the perpetuation Of their traffic.
Now we beg Of you stop and think. For
what do you want your vote to count:
Shall it count for the abolition of the drunk
ard-making system. or for it's perpetuation
with all its abundant woes Wisconsin,
PrOhiLitiOnist