Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-25
III ONE-IDEA PARTY,

THE ONE-IDEA PARTY.
The Prohibition ball has opened i'm
Montana. WI. Mills, the organizer sent
here by the National Committee, has re-
piled to the Helena Herald for its insin-
uation that he is a wolf in sleeps cloth
ing. MI. Mills took this insinuation on
his honesty and singleness of purpose
deeply to heart. He is a Presbyterian and
so is the editor Of the Herald, he under
stands, and a charge like that should
never have been made against a brother
communicate through a paper. thought
to have been brought in the Church. He
regards the Herald as run by a journalist
belonging to a class who should be made
to keep their slanderous mouths shut"
MIR. Mills principal objection to the
old parties seems to be that, according to
his view, the members of the Democratic
and Republican parties have not a soli-
tary idea why they belong to either. The
Prohibition party, on the other hand, has
one powerful, overruling idea, and there
fore it is more fit to draw to itself the
thoughtful and intelligent of all classes.
So, doubtless thinks Mr.. Mills
and his fellow-workers. It is organ
lied and has entered the field
with an eye single to the success of that
idea. 1t aims at reform, it is true, but it
is a reform that does not come within the
sphere Of politics. What is called sump-
tuary legislation-that is, regulating by
law what the citizen shall eat or wear
has received unqualified condemnation
from the broadest-minded statesmen of
modern times from its general failure to
accomplish the object sought as we'll as
because it is an infringement of the lib
erty of the citizen. 1t is strange to see
a party arise in a Republic professedly
established on the principle of the utmost
individual liberty, who hope to rise to /
power On one idea that involves the sup
preston of that principle to the extent
debating to the citizens of this Repub-
lie what they shall drink. 1t is true that
from an abuse of liquor proceeds much
OF the crime Of the country. But that
does not warrant the arbitrary suppress
sion of the liquor traffic by the supreme l
legislative power Of the land. In innum- :
cradle cases its moderate use is sanctioned =
Dy the highest medical authority as not F
'nly not injurious to the human system n
but positively beneficial. There are mill a
IONS OF people who are running their Il
health by other indiscretions besides a
liquor. Tobacco is undoubtedly harmful a
% the greatest number of its users. .
People ruin their health by o~ver-eating "
'yer-work, keeping late hours. When the P
lealth is ruined by the dyspepsia and q
'ther ailments thus s%uperinduced, the nj
emper OF the individual suffers and IS
%Iuarrels result. If anyone wants to see =
o what a tragedy a trifing quarrel can q
cad, let him read Count Tolstoi's stories. Il
Tut no one would ever seriously think of s Ss
9gislating against these provoking IN
auses of bad temper from which much of hs
he sin and suffering in the world come, of
hough people can be found who hope to in
Introduce the millennium by the suppress
Ion Of the liquor traffic.
A party with one idea can have no per-
lament Judgment in the politics of any
alton that is governed by party agita-
There must be a principle upon !
hich a party can maintain its existence. wa
principle broad and fundamental "
Tough to apply to the consideration of 5;s
ny and every subject that can come up ger
T legislation. The broad principle un-
the Democratic party is the least /,
'ssible interference with the liberty of th,
individual consistent with the per- sin
'tuity of the Government as handed En-
'wn by the Fathers of the Republic. In 5n !.
nsonance with this all questions in
living interference with the food or
or faith of the citizen, as pro-
bition, are unfit for legislative inter- aT
renee and are impossible of considera- He
m as such by that party. They are bre
bjects for the influence of society to tim
ing about, by agitation in the social mn.
-cle. a right view of the subject. gre,
By cOnfessing the Prohibition party to lats
a party possessed of single idea Mr.. mn
lis gives the best of reasons why it cor
untitled to take its place in national the
alongside either of the old lar .,r
s as distinct from them. Prohibition D
is fit only to be n plank in a ;car
platform. 1t does not contain was
iicient breadth to make an entire plat to t
for ony nortv ~ a.nan lies.
'ty that placed such a plank in its
tform would be doomed to defeat Just W
surely as that the principles of the Pen
.lstitution are undying. There will his
'ays be a majority in this country to Eam
port those principles in all their in
rity. Individual freedom would be
langered too greatly and permanently W
any party with a prohibition plank to was
hin its professed members in its ranks ner1
IN it came to giving adhesion to the :. =
esy by voting in favor of the candi- left
} representing it. ON v