Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-07-21
ALBEkT GRIFFjN's ADDRESS.

summary of the Temperance Work OF
the National Republican Conven1on-
the Plain Duty of Every Earnest, Dasin-
t.rested Friend of Temperance.
Albert Griffin, chairman of the anti
saloon republican national committee, has
issued an address to the country IN which
ba summarizes the work of the national
republican convention on temperance mat
tiers and appeals to the voters to support the
ticket nominated by the convention. he
gives his reasons for this advice, which,
from the position that be holds, will have
weight with those in sympathy with the
cause of temperance. Below is Mr.. Grlffn's
address:
Intense partisans and misinformed men
are making SO many misstatements about
the action of the late republican national
convention that it seems necessary TO stare
the real facts. The truth is that the anti
saloon cause suffered one defeat and gained
three victories. The defeat was the refusal
of the committee on resolutions to put
an anti-ssloon plank in the platform.
This was at first regarded as .
Waterloo, and if the contest had
ended there an overwhelming dis
aster at the polls would have been inevlta.
BILE, The first victory was the sdoptlon OF
a plank committing the party against the
national whisky ring protection tai, wnlcn
plank was supported by every DECIDED tenn
perance man on the committee. Business
men know that it is the retail, and not the
wholesale price of an article that affects
consumption. Remembering then that the
imposition of a tax of 81 gallon on splrite
did not cause the slightest increase IN the
price of a drink of whisky, that the reduc,
ton to 5Ocents per gallon was not folloWed
by fall, nor the subsequent increase 10 ~
cents by rise, it is evident that the TAX
could not have operated as q restrlcture;
Remembering, again, that the taxes PAID
on LIQUOR amount to about 7O,OOO,OOO
year and that all the principal dlstlliers,
brewers and wholesale dealers determ1neoly
oppose repeating the tax, it is evident that,
in some way, it "benefts that trade" TOR 1t
ia iuconceivable that the men engaged IN
such business would be anxious to pay so
much money for nothing. Discussion ls
fast making temperance men as SOLID
against the national liquor tax, as liquor
men are now in favor of it. A state tax on
saloons operates very differently from ma
tional tax on the liquor itself.
The second victory was the nomlnatlOn OF
General Harrison, because OF his record as
total abstainer and an avowed anti-saloonlst.
When the committee decided not to report
an anti-saloon plank a number OF US went
through the different delegations, urging
those who realized what colossal blunder
had been committed, to support General
Harrison as their second choice, on the
ground that it had become necessity to
nominate some one "whose record would be
platform" So large number agreed to
attempted, he was found to be the second
choice of so many that it became necessary
for the managers to support him. Some OF
them, however, intended to give him but
two or three bollots and then go to Mr..
Sherman, but he was 30 much stronger than
they had supposed that they could find no
excuse for leaving him. If the committee
had reported an anti-saloon plank the
friends of that cause would not have made
the desperate efforts for him that they did,
and it is more than possible that some one
else would have been nominated.
The third victory was the final adoption
by the convention of a temperance plank,
introduced by Congressman Boutelle, OF
Maine. AS an attempt is being made to
create an impression that it is not part of
the platform, and was not intended to mean
enything in particular, l quote Mr.. Bou-
telle's opening remarks, as reported by the
Chicago Tribune, which is not friendly to
the anti-saloon cause:
Nh. PREsIDENT-On behalf OF large
number of the delegates of this convention,
by their request, and in accordance with
their wishes, desire to move the suspension
of the rules and adopt resolution to be
added to the republican platform: The re-
publican party stands before the country
for the protection of the ballot, for the pro-
lection of American industry, and for the
protection of the purity of the home. ZAP
plause). The affairs of republlcanlsm IN
this country stands by the hresldes OF the
American people. (Applause.) The foun-
dation of this grand organization of ours Is
the sobriety, the morality and the virtue OF
the common people. (Applause). The re-
publican party sprang into existence as the
champion of moral reform in the United
States Of America. (Applause): 1t stands
to-day, if it stands for anytmt g, as s1e
standard bearer of every principle that tenos
to elevate our common humanity and eradl-
cate the evils which threaten the body
Several delegates excitedly opposed the
suspension of the rules or even the reading
of the plank, but the
SENTIMENT OF THE CONVENTION
was so strongly against them that, after con-
siderable confusion, 1t was read as 1olloWs
taken from Chicago Tribune):
The first concern of all good government
ia the virtue and sobriety of the people and
the purity of the home Cries of Good!J Ih In,
republican party cordially sympathlZes VIII
ali wise and we'll directed efforts for thu
promotion of temperance and morality
loud applause, numbers of the delegation
to their feet, and cries of Good.
Nearly every state then seconded the mo-
ton for suspension of the rules, and annie
great enthusiasm, the plank was adopted
BY q rising vote, with only one nay. Ii
short, it was evident to every dispasslonats
person who witnessed the scene that the
republican party had crossed the RubicaI
and burned all bridges behind them.
The foregoing is candid statement o.
the facts. At one time it looked as though
all was lost, but courage and perseverance,
finally saved the party and the cause. Ths
LIQUOR interest imperiously demanded tha
the whole subject should be ignored in thu
platform, and that mo temperance maj
should be put on the ticket" even objectins
to Senator Allison solely because ne came
from prohibition state. The convention
answered by nominating the most pro
<ap,DnropCo candidate in the field