The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-07
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GEN. C. B. FISKE'S LETTER
PROHIBITION MUST HAVE A
PARTY AT IT'S BACK.


tard Offspring of Sinful Legislative
Wedlock - The Same Power That
Gave 1t Life the Only One That Can
Strangle 1t.
CHICAGO, Aug. 6.-The letters of accept
ance of the National Prohibition party can
didates for president and vice president are
made public this afternoon. The letter Of
Gen. Clinton B. Fisk, candidate for presi-
dent, is dated at Seabright, N. j., July 25
The opening paragraph expresses grateful
sense Of the honor conferred upon him by
the Indianapolis convention and formally
accepts the nomination. 1t then proceeds
as follows:
Within a few years temperance reform has
altogether changed front, In the great
wagng, the temperance forces, no
longer face human appetite and habit alone.
they oppose legislation, the purpose of po<
litical parties, the policy of states and the ma
ton.
MUST sTRANeLE ITS OWN CHILD.
What the law creates, the law alone can kill.
The creature of the law, the saloon-the liquor
tranic-can die only at the laws hand or at the
hand OF the laws executor Conceived in ava
ricious iniquity, born of sinful legislative we'd
lock, the licensed saloon, the legalized liquor
traffic. the bastard child of civilization,
protesting purity and 'ue, must be strangled
by the civilization which begot it, or that civili-
zation must go forever branded with the scarlet
letter OF its own shame. II Is not enough that
we reform the individual We must reform the
state. The policy of great commouwea lths, OF
the whole people must be remade and put In
harmony with sound economic principles, true
cooperation Of industrial effort, essential condI
lions or national prosperity and genuine BROTH
erhood OF man. -
MUST DE PARTY ISSUE.
So broad demand as this can be met but ia
A rafn
can become fact in government only through
political party that administers the govern
ment reform 80 vast as this we advocates
involving such radical changes in state and
national policy, is utterly dependent for
its organization and consummaton upon some
party agent or force.
The national democratic party in its platforms
utters no word in condemnation Of the greatest
foe to the repubc--the liquor traffic That
party having steadfastly in it's utterances at
national conventions maintained its allegiance
to the American saloon, 1t no disappoint-
ment to any one that in st, Louis in 1888, IL re-
affirmed It's old position on this, the greatest
question now being debated among men,
HIS OWN CHANGE OF PARTY.
1t was with great reluctance that accepted
these conclusions and came to admit the inn
perative need OF new party while yet tho
party or my choice, the national republican,
party, maintained its organization.
II cost the sacrifice of cherished associations
when, four years ago, enrolled myself in the
ranks of the party of the prohibitonsts under
the flag of prohibition, bleached snowy white
by the tears OF smitten women and children
| through generations of sorrow and want. q
have seen no hour of regret. Ev ry day since
then has shown yet more clearly the logic of
| my course and the inevitable truth of my con-,
clusions In Michigan in Texas, in Tennessee
efforts to Establish prohibition have failed
| through partisan necessity born OF the liquor
elements in the old party composition In
been shamelessy defed for like reason The
entire trend of things these last four years has
proven the hopeless broader range OF prohibitions
offered through non-parJisan means, and equally
futile as final consGmmation the narrower
methods of local option and high licenses while
from the supreme court itself has come with
izing this reform that it can never be made OF
local or state limitation again.
GOVERNMENTS FIRST CONCERN.
THE first concern OF good government" said
the recent national republican convention at
| Chicago "is the virtue, sobriety OF the people
and purity of the home" Revenue then, Is not
| the governments chief concern, whether COM
| ing from internal taxation or from tariff on
| importations, and any source OF revenue which
discounts "the virtue and sobriety of the people,"
| and begets impurity in the home should be the
| first object assailed by every party protesting
| TO seek good government, while revenue derived
from such source should be the
first to be foresworn, not alternatively
| for the sake of protective tariff, bub
| positively for the sake Of protection dearer and
| more vital than the tariff can ever yield. Had
| not left the republican party four years ago,
| l should be compelled to leave 1t now. when,
| after reading the words / have quoted
| from resolution supplemental to.
| but not included in it's platform,
| and finding in these words my own idea OF the
| governments chief concern set for b, search
| the long platform through in vain to find con-
| dernnation of the saloon, hint of purpose to
assail it, or any sign of moral consciousness
that the saloon is a curse and its income too un-
| holy for nation to share.
DON'T DESERVE SUPPORT.
II the chief concern" has no place in the
| party's platform, and the party has no po icy
| as to that "chief concern that party does not
| deserve the support of men who love good gov
| ernment and would zee IL maintained.
| The prohibition party's ''chief concern" is for
| the purity Of home and the virtue of society
| and the people. That party is not labors truest
| friend whicn would bar the importation Of pau
| pers from abroad or close the tariff door
| Of composition TO pauperize foreign industry,
| and then by the liquor system perpesuate the
manufacture of paupers and criminals In our
| own midst, with whom honest labor must com-
pete and whom, largely honest labor must sup
port
The letter closes with a review of
principles Of prohibition.