Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1888-04-18
CORRESPONDENCE.

had the moral courage to sign his
name, instead of writing under q
nom de plume This is more especial
ly true when the writer attacks the
motives of others AZ does this one In
his closing paragraph. AS "Republi-
can" is anxious to discuss the liquor
question, let us have little plain
talk OH that subject.
Not more than forty years ago,
LIQUOR was bought and sold without
any special tax ON license. Liquor
was cheap and pure. There was COM
paratively but little "crime, pauper-
ism and insanity" Still 1t was evil
IDENTIFY an evil that needed control
and many good people have honestly
endeavored to drive this evil from the
land, or to control it, and have under
taken to do this by law requiring
dealers to pay for the privilege OF
causing crime, pauperism and insane
ty," This is called license law, and
has during these years alternated be-
tween high and low license until to-
day in Minnesota, the price OF .
license ranges from $500. to $1,000.
Ihad supposed that something WAS
being done to suppress the traffic, but
it appears am mistaken, for after
all these years, "Res ublican" says
"if the direct yearly cost Of the liquor
traffic to the people of Minnesota
could be saved, it would pay all the
interest on the farm mortgages and
leave good round sum to apply on
the principal" amounting to many
millions of dollars annually. Now if
this is the condition, after many years
of legislative control by license, 1t
proves the whole attempt dismal
failure. 1t is one of the strongest
possible arguments against license OF
any kind and against the policy OF
the Republican party on this question.
But when Republican" takes the
"higher grounds of morality" and
saws "we want law that will make
the special tax or license fee now
collected from saloon keepers payable
directly to the state instead of, as at
present, to the towns and Cities" he
makes me wonder just how high his
morals are. If the liquor traffic ID
morally wrong, it is wholly and
eternally wrong, and the payment OF
one thousand dollars does not make
it right. There is no standing ground
tor a "high moral' man between free
whiskey and prohibition.
But the true animusof this writer
is shown in his closing paragraph
"Neither would they endorse the
recent cheeky performance OF fe"
would lie dictators, who seek to fois'
upon the Republican party and thu
8 farmers Of the state free whiskey
, candidate for governor. In what does
| this cheeky performance consist
, Let us quote from the state alliance
= committee resolutions and see
| "While we do not assume to dictate
3 to the members of the alliance OF tn
= state at large and have no authorit.
/ to place in nomination candidates To-
9 any office, under the rules OF our or
!! ganization, we nevertheless recon
/ mend that the members of the Al
! lance and farmers throughout tn
0 state use their utmost endeavors t
!, place in nomination for legislative
/ executive and judicial offices, mel
who are known to be in sympath.
with the principles of the Alliance, a
expressed by our platform of princi
> pies, and in this connection it doe
u not seem improper for US to recon
mend Albert Schefer for governor Q
this state. His past record, as wei
as his present position, entitle him
= we believe, to the confidence of thos
who are in sympathy with the princi
Il pies we advocate" "Cheeky perfol
II mance!" "Dictators"! It is tel
), rible crime when the officers Of tn
y farmers Alliance recommend to thei
. brother farmers, man in whom the.
u have confidence for the Office Of gov
Y ernor. It is a "cheeky performance
for farmers to attempt to reliev
y themselves from the plundering ring
who have nearly ruined them. Blu
!. what reason does the committee Civ
i for their action? will only give
# small part OF the resolution '"rhe pee
!. pie of this state are subjects of cruel
n relentless system Of robbery tina
8 forces them to pay exorbitant price
a for all they buy and deprives them G
}. a free market for what they sell
q Laws enacted to relieve the peopl
r are dead letter or are prevented an
n made of no effect" This, theD,
o the reason. The people are bein
i robbed. The laws are not enforce
Z and the committee believes that MI
/. Scheffer, If elected would enforc
% them and stop the robbery an
q recommend his nomination and cleo
d ton for the office. 1t is o straigh
>. forward transaction, by straight fol
ward honest farmers who have tn
courage of their convictions and ar
q willing to stand by them. I mos
r heartily and emphatically approx
10 the action of the committee an
u recommend to the farmers of Steven
u county the platform Of principles an
% the name Of Albert Scheffer. I hop
g and expect to see the farmers Allianc
?. of this county approve the platform
' of principles and support Mr.. Schsfie
q for governor.
u II. J. HALL.
% AS hair dressing and reDovatol
e Ayers Hair Vigor is universally
70 commended. It eradicates dandruf
!. cures eruptions OF the scalp, invigoI