Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-08-16
FISK AND Brooks


candidates for President and Vice-Presi-
dent are made public this afternoon. The
letter of General Clinton B. Fisk, candle
date for President, is dated at Seabright
N, J., July p. The opening paragraph
expresses a grateful sense of the honor
conferred upon him by the Indian
apolis convention and formally accepts
the nomination. 1t then proceeds as fol-
lows:
What law creates. law alone can kill
The creature OF Law, the saloon, the nquoS
trafiic can die only 1t the laws hands, NJ the
laws executor. Conceived in avsricious in
EQUITY, born OF sinful legislative wedlock, the IL
eense saloon, the legalized liquor traf1c bastard
child OF \ civilization must go forever branded
with the scarlet letter OF its own shame.
II is not enough that we reform the individual;
we must reform the State. The policy OF great
commonwealths of q whole people must be re-
made and put in harmony with economic prin-
oiples. the true cooperation OF industrial effort
the essential conditions of National prosper1-
", and genuine brotherhood OF man. So broOa
q demand as this can be met in but one wa1.
II has been well said: "a political reform ca1
become a fact in Government through polit-
cal party that administers Government"
reform so vast as this we advocate, involV-
ing such radical changes IN State and National
policy, is utterly dependent for It's agitation
and consummation upon some party, agent O.
force. The National Democratic party in lie
platform utters no word in condemnation OF the
greatest foe TO the Republic, the liquor trAl1e.
That party having steadfastly in its utteranceS
at National conventions maintained its alliance
10 the American saloon 1t was diSappoint-
ment 70 any one that at St. Louis in 1883 Il re-
affirmed its old position on this, tho greatest
question now icing debated among men. IL
was with great reluctance that ! accepted
these conclusions and came TO admit the I'M
perattve need or o new party, while yet
tbs party OF my choice, the National Republican
party, maintained its organization. It cost me
the sacrifice of cherished associations. wheH
four years ago 1 enrolled myself in the ranks OF
party ProhibitiontstS, under the nag of Prohibit
ton, bleached snowy white by the tears of SIN D.
ten women and children through generations OF
sorrow and want have seen hour OF re-
greet. Every day since then has shown yet moro
clearly the logic of my course and the In
evita lie truth of my conclusions. In Michi-
gan, in Texas, in Tennessee and Oregon
so-called non-partisan efforts to establish
Prohibition have failed, through parti-
san necessity, born OF liquor elements
land and Maine the laws are shamelessly dehed
for like reason. The entire trend OF things
these ST four years has proven hopeless the
broader range OF Prohibitionienect through nom
partisan means and others equally futile and az
q final contamination the narrow methods OF
local option and high license, while from the
Supreme Court itself has come with startling
emphasis declaration so Matchmaking this re-
form that IL can never be made OF local or State
organization again.
The first concern OF good government, said
the recent Republic National convention at
Chicago, is the virtue and sobriety OF the peo-
pie and the purity OF the home Revenue, then,
Is not the Governments chief concern, whether
coming from internal taxation or from a tarin
on importations; and any source Of revenue
which discounts 1.-The virtue and sobriety OF the
people" and begets impurity in the homo
should be the first object assailed by every par
ty protesting to seek good government; while
the revenue derived from such q source
should be the first to be foresworn-not alter
. q
positively for the sake OF protection dearer and
more vital than the tariff can ever yield. Had
not left the Republican party four years ago,
/ should be compelled TO leave IL now when,
after reading the words I have quoted. from
resolution supplemental to but not included in
its platform, and finding in these words my
own idea of governments "chief concern" set
forth, 1 search the long platform through
in vain TO find condemnation OF the
saloon. or hint OF purpose to assail il, or any
sign OF moral conscious that the saloon Il
q curse and its income too unholy for the Nation
to share. II the ''chief concern has not "A place
in a party's platform and party has no policy
as to that ''chief concern" that party does not
deserve the support OF men who love good gov
eminent and would see II maintained.
The Prohibition party's ''chief concern" is
for the purity OF the home and the virtue OF
sobriety of people. That party is not labor's
truest friend which would bar the importation
of pauperism from abroad, or closed the tariff
door OF competition TO pauperism industry, and
then by liquor system perDetuate the manu.
facture OF paupers and criminals in our midst.
with whom honest labor must compete, and
whom largely honest labor must support
The letter closes with a review of the
principles of Prohibition.
DIR. BROOKS ACCEPTANCE.
CHICAGO, Aug. 6-The letter OF DIR. John
A. Brooks accepting the Vice-Presidential
nomination on the Prohibition ticket was
made public to-day. After acknowledge
ing the honor conferred upon him he de-
nounced in the strongest terms monopo-
lies and trusts which, he says, are against
a wholesome revision of the tariff.
He says the country will hold each
of the great political parties to its plat
form and that the platform of the Prohi-
bition party is the wisest of the three. He
does not hisitate to declare the surplus in
the treasury a constant menace to the
business interests of the country. The
propriety ofremoving the tax from whisky,
he says, must depend altogether upon the
purpose intended to be accomplished
by such removal. The tariff itself
pleads the right to existence upon
grounds of its recognition by the
Government and the revenue il pays
into the public treasury. Strike
down this defense and an outraged public
would not long suffer its continuance. The
Prohibition party would strike off the tax
that it may the sooner destroy the traffic.
The purpose of the Republican party in
repeal of the tax is to reduce the revenue
that they may not have 'to surrender
any part Of our protective SYSTEM Pro-
hibitionists would take this arch Grim
inal out of prison to hang him; Re-
publicans to set him at liberty. Every
Christian will approve the motive rrompt-
ing the one and denounce the other as the
condemnation of human selfshness and
infamy. The protection Of American labor
and the industries of the country eommends
itself to the majority of the people, but Of
infinitely more Importance is the protec-
ton of our homes.
Labor Parties United.
CINCINNATI, Aug. AT = nseetiDg. of .
renresentatiYes of the labor rarties held