Wichita eagle., 1888-06-20
PROHIBITION AND REPuBL1cANIsM.
70 the Editor of the EAGLE.


To the Editor Of the EAGLE.
Will you furnish space in your valuable
paper. for few thoughts from Repub-
ican prohibitionist? / have no doubt but
you will: because / think you ought to,
and what the EAGLE ought to do she usu-
ally does. If I was Democrat l would
have no difficulty in ascertalnlng what my
party proposed to do On this question and
hence could have no sufficient excuse
for being found in party whose prlncI-
pies and professions | disavowed. The
Democratic party Of Kansas has been
more honest and honorable In the rela-
ton it has sustained toward prohibition
than upon any other subject. In fact
prohibition is the only subject on which
the Kansas Democracy stands united: on
which they always fearlessiy resolve,
and on which their resolutions and
speeches are always consistent with their
party vote and party action.
We condemn the cause they have SO
long in this state espoused, and condemn
them for espousing SO bad cause: but
we desire to say that in our Judgment
that party is entitled to great credit and
respect for the consistent, courageous,
straightforward way in which it,
in this state, has met this
greatest of all issues in Kansas politics.
They have shown themselves not to be
towards on this question. But what has
been, and what is now, the course OF the
Republican party of Kansas, and OF Sedg-
wick county, on this important issue
have always voted with and worked
with the Republican party, and for the
last ten years with the Kansas Repub-
lican party, and for several years last
past with the Sedgwick county Repub-
hcan party. | refer to the Kansas Re
publican party as distinct from the ma
tional party, and for the reason that
while Kansas Republicans claim for their
party all the grand achievements and
glorious history of the Republican party
of the nation, yet she has gone one bet
ter, so to speak, and for the last eight
years has been the champion OF prohibl-
ton; making it a part OF our state con-
st1tution; resolving strongly in its favor
in all her conventions; legislating IN It's
favor and for its enforcement IN every
legislature; so that now no one can deny
that prohibition is as much a
foundation plank, fundamental
doctrine, of Kansas Republicanism
as any ever championed by the party,
not excepting pro-slavery. This beng
true, what are we Republicans of Kan
sas, and especially of Sedgwick county,
going to do with it now? L am well
aware this is a leading question-very
leading, but in my Judgment, and l.
think in the judgment OF most Republl-
cans, it must be met, and met cour-
ageously and answered manfully. Our
party cannot ignore the situation. We
| have always been a party of convictions
and of courage to stand by them. Shall
we be so now? Resolutions will not
| longer suffice. The Republican party
must either work and vote, as we'll as
resolve, in favor of the enforcement OF
the prohibitory laws, and do what we
can to elect officers who will honestly
| and conscienciously do their duty i'll the
enforcement of the laws, or we must
| frankly and honestly and quietly aban-
| don the position we have SO long occu-
pied in Kansas on this question.
| The people as a class don't like so much
| hypocrisy. | don't like it. | am not
saying that prohibition is right or wrong
that is field too large to enter in this
article and is not what am
endeavormg to get at any way. But to
my mind the question is shall the Repub-
lican party of Sedgwick county be hon
est on this question, or shall they con-
| tinue to attempt to satisfy the voters
with resolutions in favor of the enforce
ment of prohibitory laws-in favor of
the metropolitan police q and against
free whisky Democracy; and then
straightway proceed to put in Office men
who are bound hand and foot by whisky
| influences, and whose chief official bust
ness shall be to bring prohibition to re-
! proach and make every honest Repubil-
can tired"
Few people doubt that the weak and
vacillating course of our ministerial and
prosecuting officers brought upon us the
the metropolitan police. Everybody pre-
fers that our city govern itself. No
body pretends to claim that Republican
officials in Sedgwick county could not
have prevented this disgrace and humil-
iation by Straightforward, upright and
conscientious discharge of duty. Shall
this thing continue? Will the
party, the great voting end of the party
be satisfied in the future with resolu-
tions, or will they insist on having men
fill the offices who they know will dc
| their whole duty.
! lneEt 10 40 OSCdSioii w lldSC lci a ~
hibition party in Kansas if the Republi
can party will keep its pledges and live
up to its profession on this question. But
if it falters and fails, if it promises and
don't perform, we fear a Prohibition
party will wedge in between us and the
the people, and with Prohibition party
for prohibition and the Democratic party
against it, where will we be? Let us not
let third party steal the props from
under us and capture our most distinct
and strongest sources of life, else ther'
may be nothing left for us upon which
to stand. kKANsAS REPUBLICAN.