The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-29
THAT TEMPERa NCE FLANK.
The Author of the Boutelie Resolution Cor
reefs Misstatements Made by Gen. Fisk.

The Author of the Boutelie Resolution Cor
reefs Miss,atements Made by Gen. Fisk
To the Editor Of the Philadelphia Press.
Sir-My attention has been called 20 the pub
lished reports on a speech delivered by Gen.
Clinton B. Fisk. at Chicago. on the evening of
July IL, in which he is said to have made the
following Statement:
General Flax spoke strongly and st some
length, receing ovatious Of applause throughout
OF the alleged temperance plank in the Re-
publican platform he said:
l bad q friend interview Sheridan Shook the other
day. Sheridan Shook is one of the cleverest men on
earth; one of the largest brewers we have in the coun-
try and the proprietor of many saloons. l wanted TO
know how he felt about the temperance plank in the
Republican Platform-the ht,le annex as he called It.
We'll, J" he said, they brought that thing to me be-
fore they read il 10 the convention. and | put on my
specs and looked it over. Why l said, that is al
e e5ongb. t. eu seems 70 ms ps nSSs :. qS,1 ., .,ron 5o.s
tins convention W Ii bear. but we brewers wanted it =
little stronger for temperance. and l began to think
W. were . 5000 gear more moral than some OF those
fellows. 1 always sympathize with morality" De
characterized the amendment as catnip tea Why"
said he. 1t was like n bottle of ginger pop with the
cork loft out; like cologne water spilled on the ground;
ike a last wears birds neat and so the old gentle
man went on until he had ntly characterized the tenn
persnce plank of the Republican platform.
As this has been widely copied by General
Fisk's allies OF the Democratic and third-party
press it may be worth while for me TO saw that
the statement is absolutely, unqualifiedly and
iuex.usably false. The temperance resolution
adopted by the national Republican conven-
ton was written by me while In M seat as a
delegate only a few moments before il was pre-
scented, and with the exception of a part of tho
first clause, which / copied from one drawn by
another, no person but myself had ever seen it
or knew Of its purport The only person who
saw it after it was written and before | took
the platform to introduce 1t was Senator Hosr,
Of Massachusetts at whose suggestion q few sp-
proprlate words were interpolated, after which
IL never left my hands Until 1t WAS adopted amid
the greatest enthusiasm by the rising votes OF
more than eight hundred delegates. with but Q
single one dissenting.
The statement that the resolution was shown
to Mr.. Shook before 1t was read 70 the conven-
ton is. therefore, utterly devoid OF truth. L do
not know that l have ever met him; was not
aware that he owned breweries or saloons, and
certainly never entertained the idea Of submit
ting my resolution to the judgment Of any per-
son identified with the liquor interests.
While General Fisk. as the candidate OF .
movement proclaimed to be primarily intended
to aid the Democrats In "killine the Republican
party" takes so much pains to express his dis
satisfaction because . great national convention
declared its cordial sympathy for temperance
and moral reforms, we fortunately have abund-
ant aud excellent testimony of a more apprecia-
tive sentiment.
One of the foremost advocates Of temperance.
Mrs. j. Ellen Foster, of Iowa, who was present,
says:
1t is cause for eongratulatior among temperance
PcOpicl Aat Tic Aelc IbcpuOnCan NlOu COnNcDllOn
at Chicago put the party on record on the side of
temperance and home. The resolution was adopted
amid great enthusiasm, ouly one solitary delegate
voting against it
Albert Griffin, president of the National Anti
saloon Association. declares that these histories
for temperance were won in the Republican na-
tional convention. He says:
Victory number three was the final adoption by the
convention of the temperance plank introduced by
Congressman Boutelle. Nearly every State finally
seconded the motion for the suspension of the rules,
and the plank was adopted, with only one negative
vote, almost unanimously putting in the platform q
publican party of the entire Nation with the temper
ance cause.
Rev. DR.. George F. Morgan. of Iowa College,
a distinguished champion Of politico-moral Ques-
tons, writes:
Mr.. Boutelle's resolution struck me as it did YOU. I
was glad, too, that it was not in the platform with
common resolutions, and certain. therefore, to be
deemed a n ere platitude. 1t is a bigger plank for be
ing visible, distinct from the platform. The unan-
lmous vote was more unanimous, begging par.
don now of the English language. for being taken by
f frnni Many things na get a perfahcsory unanimity
really unanimous about. This got a unanimity on its
own merit. which was not perfunctory-
Rev. Thomas A. Taylor. presiding elder Of the
Champaign, ILL.,, district of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, says:
1t will be gladly hailed BY the great ecclesiastical
bodies of our country, for it embodies the spirit of
their deliverances on that subject. 1t is all that we
can reasonably ask and is strong enough TO let down
as @ firm drawbridge over which many of our alien
ated Prohibitionist friends can come back into the old
stronghold. Be sure of the earnest gratitude of
thousands of US who are contending for the purity Of
the home, the prosperity of the land and the victory
of Christian morals in the multiform life of America
Ex-Gov. Sidney Perham. Of Maine, q lifelong
and noble leader in the temperance cause,
writes:
write to thank you for the presentation of the
resolution relating to temperance al Chicago. and
especially TO congratu ate you on the practically
unanimous vote by which it was carried through the
convention. While not all that temperance Repub-
Leans would like. it is q step in the right direction,
aid . long step for a national convention to take.
As l write my desk is covered with letters Of
similar commendation from clergymen, from
Women's Christian Temperance Unions md
other prominent and earnest exponents of tenn
perance sentiment in all parts of the country.
1t was to them that the Republican temperance
resolution was intended to appeal.
No man engaged in o good cause should feel
inclined to spurn the sympathy Of q great organ
~ization, embracing a large portion Of the intelli
gence, patriotism and virtue OF the people.
Is not General Fisk's spitetulness probably
due to a realization that in his present employ
mont as the ally of that srch-enemy OF temper
ance, tho Democratic party, he can have no To-
ultimate claims to any of the cordial sympathy
extended by the national Republican party TO
'Gll wise and well directed efforts for the promo
ton OF temperance and moralityf' Yours truly,
WASHINGTON, July %. C.. A. BoUTELLE,