The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1888-10-19
THIRD PARTY
AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE REV.
DANIEL DORCHESTER.

US ~ - - 0
Harrison and Morton-He Has No Conf
dencc In tho Efficacy OF Merely Partisan
Action In Settling the Saloon Problem.
The Rev. Dr. Daniel Dorchester, Of Boston,
has addressed another open lotter to the public.
In answering the question, would IL not bo
mitted to a radical temperance policy and to it,
Enforcement Z" hosays:
BY no means. i have already said that I
have not SO much confidence in the efficacy Of
merely partisan action. In settling tho saloon
problem, as many seem to have. This idea 10 .
kind Of virus with which many nrc too easily
l. They do not duly consider that this prob.
lem Inns many elements entering into IL which
political action cnn not solve. 1t has. indeed.
fundamentally pertains to social and moral
life. to appetites and drinking customs, which
touch.
?. If 1 could have my way, no political party
would champion specific temperance measured.
l would have party conventions strike tho
saloons sharply, and stimulate to action against
them rs n means of making strong ani infiueu-
tial sent Eicn, hut no party slibboieth Of spe-
cihc legislative measures rho I'D divide tho no.
form forces. Strong sentiment will inevitably
crystallisc itself into cnactMents Us fast as Il
develops and intensiiies an laws THUS brought
about can be and will bo enforced. But to ex-
traneously forco measures, by political party
Platforms, divides mud alienates true friends OF
reform, and postpones desired results. In a re-
public, laws which, do not grow out Of the COM
0AA " SAV kSop4C aAo -
but little. But Republican conventions have
recommended Legislatures to submit constitu-
on eaIf, Which es0t to assid 10 the the e question ns q 3 S stssS Sasls
prohibition.
>. Matters 30 vital to the best welfare Of our
dental fortunes ani fluctuations of political
parties, with the jcalousies,. chickering's, and
TO .kless ambitions incidental thereto. These
periled as tho foothills OF politicians.
4. Thus far In its history tho actual influence
OF the third party has been to handicap temper
$. In u republic no party can long retain the
ascendency, and when O party goes down tho In.
to 'ests identified with 1t suffer q decline and
possibly O collapse. So must It be with q pOlit-
tcal temperance party.
.. Moreover. It is q mistake to presume that
only those questions which ar, made issues in
pr. y platforms nrc settled q. tho rolls. The
prohtl Tory legislation in Kans ~, Iowa., and
Maine was not enacted by any party organized
on that issue. but through puriies organized on
other issues, md having III them a common SUBJ
stratum OF temperance sentiment, diffiscd like
the sentiment &c inst larceny. Local option has
beon extensively adopted, ii a fayo.i. o and e.
fective method Of treating tie liauo. question,
but in only u fcw inssan .es has it boon a rn.ty
measure. from the nature OF tho case local
| option must sustain an bipartisan relation II it
is to succeed.
2. Besides, it is q matter of c. mmon observa-
tion that strictly partisan legisia ion can DO on.
forced only in limited localities. The best en-
forced laws are th,se freost from party faint,
like tho laws against larceny, etc.
We 4hO A4ohkO vi ~ IAIlv o. 6uI0IG6 =
prohibition policy, which third-plrty leaders re.
iterate, sounds we'll, and is very misleading to
those who have not thought the matt n through.
Professor Bascomb, tho nblest expounder of this.
theory, says: THE State must BIS Differed from
top to bottom" on this basis, "clcctin. tho
officers from judge to Justices Of tho Pcace,
Governors. Mayors, Aldermen. and policemen
and must hold the power for a dozen years or
30. then ut can enforce prohibition"
This Is tho ideal scheme the third party ia en-
PERTAINING. And some such machinery, through
NIL tho towns md cities of q State. will indeed
be necessary to Justify their theory of q prohibit
ton party behind a prohibition policy to en-
force 1t.
But what n vain delusion! Where is the State.
-ohicered from top. to bottom" aud in oil its
Municipalities, by the party that holds the State
Offices? Not one can he mentioned, Tho DEM,
ocrats are row In the aTcsndency in the state
of New York, but larg arens of the State are
held the State oflcos in Now York the Demo-,
Gratis lavc held New York City and many other,
towns and cities. The saine is true If nil other
States.
And yet these ideal party builders would
postpone tho g cat interests Of the temperance
forts of those who, by bipartisan methods.
seek to protect the home against the saloon. un.
til this impossible political conception can lie
realized.
promises and predictions-thelr principal stock,
In trade. 1t is an old trick OF bankrupts that,
they nre lavish with promises to pay: so a no.
litical party that is built upon a hallucinatfon'
cnn mover be solvent, either in present or pros.
pective results. 1t costs one nothing to OFFER
"all tho kingdoms of the world when he does
not own u rood of land.
For these reasons l am a Republican, and,
support Harrison md Morton in tho present
campaign. DANIEL. DORCHESTER,