Morris tribune., 1888-03-28
CORRESPONDENCE.

The Prohibition Club in replying
to my former letter evidently assum-
ed that Republican platform-like
the shoe on the foot of a Chinese girl
checks all further growth. Unless
that assumption be true it certainly
does not follow that because High
License ana Local Option were part
Of our platform two years ago when
the last state convention was held
that the party to-day can take no
higher grounds on the temperance
question. TO day there is in the Re-
publican party an organized oppposi-
ton to the liquor traffic which will
hereafter have all important influence
both in state and national politics;
two years ago such ali organization
had 20 existence. AT the election
following our last convention the full
liquor strength went solidly for Doc.
Ames and Democracy, and with De-
mocracy it will stay so long al that
party Is the outspoken champion of
the saloon. The Republican party
has now nothing to lose but every
thing to gain by going forward with
temperance reform. The Prohibs ad-
NIT that the best people of the North
(the temperance people) are in the
Republican party; and they claim,
and I believe, that the overwhelming
public sentiment of this country is
against the saloon; knowing
then the partislity of Democrats for
the saloon they must certainly ad-
NIT that an exceedingly large MAORI
ty OF Northern, and especially of Min
nesota Republicans are opposed TO the
liquor traffic.
The Prohibition Club should
either admit that its talk
about the Threats of the old parties
being in the grip OF the saloon keep
ers is all "buncombe" or that organi-
cation within the old parties is more
effective than organization without.
The "Rummiesn have tried the form
er, the Prohibltionists have tried the
latter, and so far their party seems to
have in its grip only the throats of the
few practical men it contains. If the
practical Prohibitlonists are not
throttled why do they not protest
against their party opposing the in
ternal revenue tax on whisky. There
can be no more said in defense
of such a policy, than in defense Of a
policy favoring the entire exemption
from all tax Of real and personal
property used in connection with the
liquor traffic. The Prohibitionists
doubtless believe that church and
school property should not be taxed
because such property is used for pur-
poses which decrease crime. They
oppose taxation Of the liquor traffic
because that traffic increases crime.
Where is the consistency: If our gov
eminent by taxing the liquor business
becomes sharer In the evil caused
by said business, suggest that it
should become sharer in the good
done in church and school house by
heavily taxing such property.
The "Goi of battles' will be on the
side which accompanies the most
good. If "right makes might" they
should show the presence of the
former by a greater display of the
latter.
When they say "Our numbers
double once in two years" 1 presume
they simply mean that in 1854 a
presidential year when party lines are
most closely drawn their vote was
only half as large as IN So, an Oh year.
That they have tried the Republi-
can party is admitted: that they
have tried it in a practical and
thorough manner is denied. When
the politicians in a convention fail to
endorse reform measure the prima-
ries should be appealed to, for 1t is
there and there only where the people
can decide what shall be the policy
of their party. If an-organized and
united effort to carry for prohibition
the Republican primaries Of Mime
sofa fails, it is proof positive that the
Overwhelming public sentiment OF
this state is for the saloon, in which
case the Prohibitionists by remaining
as deserters from the Republican
ranks are but inviting to victory that
party which is the sworn enemy of
all temperance reform.
Our legislators are elected only on
the platforms of the conventions
which nominate them. With but
few exceptions no phase of the prohi-
bition question became az issue
either In our primaries or legislative
conventions of 1882.
1t may be true that the writer is
"rusty" on his q. 8. history, but the
rust is not indicated by anything said
In his former letter. In the North
only those were considered as Abo-
litionists who espoused the ultra anti.
slavery views of Garrison and Phillips
they preached immediate enamel
patton" "no union with slave states
and declared our constitution to be a
league with death and an agreement
with hell. The Republican party
which was formed in 1856 BY a
coalition of Wings, Free Sellers and
Independent Democrats,-the Wings
largely predominating-did not en-
dorse either in its platformof 1856 OF
of 1860 any such extreme doctrines. On
the contrary the highest grounds then
taken on the slavery question was
simply against it's extension into free
territory. To the Abolitionists such
a platform must have seemed simply
as a compromise between right and
wrong, and had they been like our
Prohibitionists they would have
fo.yOl,f ~.,oh c.,a &l~~