Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1888-07-25
CORRESPONDENCE.
THE ISSUE THATCovERs ALL OTHER
ISSUES OF THE HOUR.

THE ISSUE THAT COVERS ALL oTHEl
ISSUES OF THE HOUR.
Browns Valley, July IA. 1883
/ Editor Tribune: Asyou aresaware
at the Prohibition Convention hello
In your place on the 18th ult., I wal
unanimously nominated candidate
for representative to the Legislature
from the forty-second district, COM
prising Stevens, Grant, Big Stone
and Traverse counties. It was un-
masked. Under the circumstances
could not conscientIously decline the
| responsibility. Allow me then the use
OF your valued columns to reach the
public, that we all may have u correct
understanding OF the situation.
The Prohlbitionists constitute q
third party. Moral necessity has
driven us to it; we stayed In the old
parties till the last thread Of hope
was broken. Nest Of us worked with
and for the Republican party, and 1t
| 10 no pleasant duty to seize its guns
and turn them against 1t. Well have
we learned the lesson that old parties
never repent-that they cannot in
| corporate the new order Of things;
that when the mission OF the party is
providentially ended, when 1t bids
consent to q policy contrary to its
first principles, 1t Is time to forsake
it and draw from 1t all that is moral.
ly vital for more trusty body. Ii
you ask what is the principal cause
of our departure, answer the liquor
traffic with which both the dominant
parties have allied themselves. Moth
ing Is palmer than that the whisky
monopoly controlled the two great
conventions, and has all along con-
trolled legislation and the action of
congress. Hence, we have declared
our independence, free from the COM
promises that once fettered US, and
on the vantage ground of n new party
fight the liquor traffic without quar-
ter. We propose its unconditional
overthrow, to make 1t contraband, to
abolish its legality as business in
any and every sense OF the word. If
you say other measures are SO press
ing we must give them attention, We
answer, that every essential issue of
the hour is embodied in our platform.
There is not patriotic principle ex-
pressed or involved in the conYen-
tional resolutions OF the old parties
which we have left out-not one. The
very soul of the old is taken out and
incorporated in the new. Hence,
there is no reason for any to stay be-
hind who demand retrenchment and
reform. Do you ask, what advantage,
then, has the new over the old seeing
it {the new is weaker in numbers?
The moral and practical advantage
lies in the fact that we make cardinal
the live issue of prohibition-the
issue that both old parties ignore; the
issue which financial and social con-
ditions have forced upon the atten-
ton of oil thoughtful men and wo-
men In the country; the issue which,
when victor, opens the way for the
other reforms all are seeking.
Lest we may be charged with ne
glest to defend the material supports
Of life, let me quote the tariff plank.
That an adequate public revenue
being necessary, it may properly be
raised by import duties and by an
equitable assessment upon the proper
ty and the legitimate business of the |
country; but import duties should be |
SO reduced that no suEplus shall be ac- |
cumulated i'm the treasury, and that |
the burdens of taxation shall be re-
moved from foods, clothing, and |
other comforts and necessaries of life. |
What we aim at is tariff that |
shall level up the people as whole.
In connection with tariff reform, we
demand the immediate abolition of
the internal revenue system, where
by our national government Is deriv-
ing support from our greatest nation
al vice.
We mean by this all that it. invol-
ves-the absolute enforcement of an
anti-liquor-slavery law that shall |
snatch from said traffic all right and
title to lts legality in the
country, believing, as we do, that no
other single or affiliative reform can
be secured without such abolition.
To be more explicit, il possible, so
that my position as legislative can
didate may stand out clear and clean
In the fight, let me say that I have
no anxiety about the result. I mean
to do my whole duty. and let the con-
sequences take care of themselves,
The public may he certain that / l
shall not sanction the use of any
money, much less alcoholic drinks, to
buy votes. The intrinsic value of
the cause / represent is Of itself suf-
ficient merit to warranta victory In
the pending battle, FIN the gift of
the people the serious responsibility
Is mine to represent them In the leg
islation, let them rest assured their
confidence shall not be misplaced nor
abused. Ipropose to strike against
monopolies In all their hydra forms.
and to guard particularly the rightful
claims Of farmers, with when T am
allied IN aVoeatiQn, because I regard
them a. fundamental to all other
properties.
As the friends of temperance have
entrusted to me the bearing Of their
pure white flag. I wish to unfurl it
side by side with the stars and stripes
In patriotic fealty "by that sign
we conquer"
a nAuprmr