The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-02-25

so, gentlemen, you propose to build
a great National party on this mar
row platform to leap direct to state
prohibition without any intermedi-
ate steps The same sort of wisdom
would lead you, if you were half a
mile from a ditch you wanted to
jump, not to take the trouble TO
walk the half and then jump, but to
jump the half mile and ditch, too
with such leap as the world never
saw-and never will see. Applause.
Political parties are not built up in
any such way,
In the fourth place, Temperance re-
form is going on bravely without
your help. Your party has fought
four presidential campaigns, and
you have run full tickets in many of
the states for several years. How
many congressman have you elected?
Not one. How many governors {?
Not one. How many members of
state legislatures ? 1 find seven cred
tied to you in 1886, one of whom was
elected by Democratic votes and two
by Republican. You still have seven
one each in four states, and three in
Kentucky. 1t is rather mean, /
know, to taunt you with questions as
to what these seven legislators have
: done but 1 think the questions are
, pertinent. What legislation have
they devised and placed on the statue
books? Where are the breweries
} and the distillerles and saloons they
> have closed? What have you to
= your credit? You have not passed a
3 single law, nor closed single brew
cry or distillery or saloon: and you
) cannot possibly say that you ever
will be able to pass law or close a
t saloon. Who passed all the hygiene
r laws in the State and in Congress :
Q Who passed all the local option laws
= by which hundreds of counties north
: and south have been freed from the
: saloon Who submitted the amend
u ments in Oregon, Michigan. Tennes-
: see, Texas, Rhode Island {? To what
= political organization is due the mag.
r nifcent advance in the past few years
Y in temperance legislation ? Not tC
q you, gentlemen of the Prohibition
y party. You, as a party, have had nc
y greater part in all this glorious work
Q than a fly on the spoke of a wheel has
70 in moving the carriage. Applause.
= Does temperance reform require
IS the Prohibition party? Well,
It should say not.
e Temperance reform requires legis
10 lation. The Prohibition party has
It no political power and cannot, there
If fore, provide legislation.
1t Temperance reform requires legis-
u lation now. There is no prospect
r that the Prohibition party will evel
j. be in a position to furnish it.
n Temperance reform succeeds bes
l. on non-partisan basis. The Prohi
l. biton party insists on a partisan
Is basis.
j. Temperance reform requires al
n measures and all weapons to fight thu
|. saloon, The Prohibition party dis
b cards all these save one.
@ Temperance reform requires unity
a The Prohibition party creates diyiS
d ion.
o Temperance reform proposes {
/. steady advance all along the line
70 The Prohibition party requires it tt
e wait while the party begins to pre-
? pare to get ready. Applause.
e No; temperance reform does no
n require the Prohibition party any
% more than wagon going up hill re
@ quires brake. 1t does not require
Is distinct National party. The figh
d must be in the states. and when TIT
If states or a majority of them are right
1 Congress will be right, and will give
+ us all needful legislation. Temper
O ance reform, gentlemen, does no
J. need your party but it needs you.
q have not attacked you as individual
v members, but your party as party
il Temperance reform needs your ear
l. nestness, your courage, your enthus
Il iasm. 1t needs your energies ant
|. the energies of your magnificen
leader, Gen, Fisk. [Applause.]
). do not plead for the Republican
q party or Democratic party, but fol
/ temperance reform-practical, com
g mon sense temperance reform. l d.
| not say that the continuance of thu
; Prohibition party is crime. say
r it is worse than a crime-it is blum
q der! Loud applause.
. |