Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-07-11
A WASTE OF INFLUENCE.
Reply Of DR.. II. K.Carroll, OF the New
York Independent, on the Need
Of the Prohibition Party,
The True Attitude and Effect of the
Third Party Shown in q Mas
terly Manner.

Under the auspices of the prohibition
party discussion of the subject whether
the temperance reform requires national
prohibition party was held in the Brook
Ign Academy of Music on Thursday ev
enlng, Feb. 2. The chosen advocate of
the prohibitionists was Gen. Clinton B.
Fisk, lately their candidate for governor
of New Jersey, and now their candidate
for president. The other side of the
question was supported DR.. HI. K. Car
roll, of The Independent. who spoke as
follows: q.
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am not here as q political partisan,
nor as an opponent of the principle of
prohibition. lam firm believer in pro-
hibition; and would most heartily Join
you and march under your political ban
ner, if I could convince myself that God
has reserved to you the task of establish
ing prohibition in this land. I most
heartily respect you; for your cause is
the cause Of God and humanity, your
courage is the courage OF heroes, and
your devotion the devotion of martyrs.
\<ApPA0uoCsJ AA4 oOAAy VA0t i C0uuOV
add that your wisdom is the equal of your
courage ana devotion. am sorry that I
cannot say that the vigor of your assault
is always against the foe and not some.
times against friends, am sorry that |
cannot deny that your bullets too often
strike from behind men gagged In the
forefront OF the battle against the enemy.
l admire your impatient intolerance of
the saloon. Ideplore your intolerance of
hosts of active and actual foes of the sa-
loon. 1t is because believe that you
have assumed impossible tasks as condi-
ton of precedent to the achieYment of the
great object which your party name stands
for; it is because that believe that the in
evitable result of your ''plan of campaign"
is to divide the friends of temperance re-
form and encourage Its foes; it is because
l believe your political policy to be un-
sound, impracticable and obstructive-it
is because such arc my convictions that
l have accepted the courteous invitation
to come here tonight and discuss with the
assurance of a fair hearing of the question:
''The Temperance Reform Does not Re-
quire National Prohibition Party"
The prohibition party possesses but one
legal method of fighting the saloon, and
that is prohibition; and but one form of
prohibition aud that is state or federal.
1t has faith in but one way of reaching
and enforcing this prohibition, and that
is by the prohibition party. 1t believes
only IN partisan prohibition. It has no
word of encouragement for non BIPARTISAN
prohibition. 1t is prohibition initiated,
advocated and enforced by the third par
ty that it wants, and no other will satisfy
it. Lest be accused of Misrepresentation
here, will give my authority. It's found
in resolutions passed by the national ex-
ecutive committee of the prohibition par
ty At Chicago, Nov, s, 1885. These reso-
party will ''co. operate with all movements
made in good faith" to secure the submits
sion of constitutional amendments, to the
extent of signing petitions in taYor there
of, and will cooperate in securing the
adoption of such amendments, ''experi
ence ia the past has satisfied US that our
main work should be to enlighten tho
people and show them that there can be
no effectual prohibition of the liquor
traffic, even though prohlbitory constitu
tloual amendments should be adopted,
without a party behind these amendments
to give them force by the adoption and
enforcement of appropriate legislation"
The chief organ of the party even derides
non-partlsan efforts, and calls those who
are active in these efforts ''Nonnies.
Nor has the prohibltian party room in its
platform for any methods of restriction,
where state prohibition is not immediate.
ly available. 1t distinctly discouragcs To-
cal option as being too "local" and too
Optional"
This, tkcn, is the position of the prohi
bition part: Prohibition, state or federal,
by the prohibition party itself. as its i'm
mediate and ultimate aim. And this is
the policy: To discourage all other ef-
forts, restrictive or prohibltive, whether
republican. democratic, or non-partisan.
What chance has the prohibition party
on such platform and with such a policy,
of success? Absolutely none it seem to
sons for so thinking.
THE TASK BEFORE THE THIRD PARTY.
In the first place it assumes two almost
impossible preliminary tasks. The over.
throw of the saloon itself is almost an i'm
possible task. Sober men cannot con-
template it in all the fullness Of It's power
without sudden ebbing of courage,
certain fearful foreboding. The saloon
is everywhere, and everywhere it is
curse, It has more bars than God has al.
tars; more priests than God has preachers,
and almost as many schools of infamy as
the public has schools of learning. It's
vast army of patrons are loyal to Its IN
terests, and thousands of them hold no
virtue too dear to sacrifice in it's behalf.
Consider, also, the enormous capital it
commands; its vast volume of business
amounting to $500, 0OO, 900 yearly; it's
enormous profits; the wide range of its
manufacturing interests-consider, say,
its characters, its members, its resources,
it's power of self propagation, and its hold
upon humanity, and it must appall the
stoutest hearted and chill the blood of
the most sanguine.
But, gentlemen of the prohibition par