St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-03
WATER IS TOO thin.
Iowa Republicans Coneede
That Prohibition Is a La
mentable Failure.
The Masses Do Not Seem to
Be Built That
Way.
For Political Reasons the G.
o. P. Now Strongly Fa-
vors High License.
Wisconsin Republicans Para
lyZed by the Result in
Milwaukee.

DEs MONIES, To-, April 2.-The anti
prohibition movement within the Re-
publican party that has made such head
way since the last election eliminated
in state conference here to-day. One
hundred and ninety-siX delegates, rep
resenting twenty-five counties, were
present, and they stood for several thou
sand Republicans at home who share
their views. At the opening session
this afternoon George M. Hubbell, of
Davenport, was elected temporary
chairman. lie delivered an address in
which he said that he had been life
long Prohibitionist, and had done all in
his power to enforce the .prohibitory
law in his city and failed. He was
ready now to ask the legislature for
some relief for communities where pro-
hibition was failure. The usual COM
mitteeS were appointed and adjourn
ment was then taken till evening. EX-
Gov. KirlIWoOd, of Iowa City. had been
expected to be present, but was detained
by ill health. He sent letter tn which,
omong other things, he said:
Personally am in favor OF local option
and high license, with stringent regulations.
favor this policy because l believe 1t will
better promote the public welfare than the
present law does. But some of our prohlbi-
ton friends say if such change shall be made
in the present law, the republican party will
never carry an election in Iowa again. Well,
that looks to me very much like an attempt
at bulldozing,an the Republicans never took
kindly to that mode OF argument Iney DO
not seem 10 be built that way" This policy
has been pursued for some years by extreme
prohibitionists in Republican states that
have not adopted prohibition, and it is now
threatened here. 1t has not won in the past,
and think will not in the future.
The letter was received with great ap-
plauuse. The committee Oh permanent
organization reported at the evening
session named Joseph Collins, of Keo-
kuk, for chairman, who addressed the
conference from the standpoint of an
other ProhibitiOnist who had tried to
enforce the law and failed, and, as a
Republican and temperance man, asked
for some protection against uncontrolled
saloons. The following resolutions were
presented by the chairman of the COM
mittee, Hon. A. B. Cummins, of Des
MoineS:
The representatives OF The Republicans of
the state of Iowa, who are opposed to the ex-
listing prohibitory law, having met in con-
ference now submit to the people, and to the
RepQDllcan party, tQe IOllOWluS statement
of their views: We, as Republicans, declare
our allegiance and fidelity to the principles
of the Republican party as annuneiated in its
platform, adopted at Chicago, upon which
Benjamin Harrison was elected to the office
of president of the United States
one which requires regulation, but insist
that the object of such regulation should be
to minimize intemperance and mitigate its
evils. The experience of this as well as
CHI thaff
eral prohibition operating upon all commu-
mites alike, without respect to their habits,
conditions circumstances or desires IS not
adapted either to suppress intemperance or
promote morals; and therefore the expert
ment should be abandoned and the law so
modified that those communities which de-
sire change shall have the right to deter
mine for themselves whether intoxicating
liquors shall be sold as q beverage within
their limits. We are unalterably opposed to
any attempt to introduce into the constitu-
tion the doctrine Of
State Prohibition.
The organic law of the state ought not to
be encountered with q police regulation of
that character. We recognize that the Re-
publican party originally gave its assent to
The policy of prohibition as an experiment
only, but we regret that its latest announce
ment will bear the construction that it has
become one of the doctrines of the party, A
political organization has no just right to
bring into the declarations of principles q
new doctrine unless Nsbe one upon which
substantially all Its members agree. A large
number of Republicans in Iowa are and
always have been opposed to general pro-
hibition, and if the Republican par
upon this question, it is manifest that by
such adherents it tends To exclude from its
membership all those who believe that the
policy is fatal to the best interests of the
state. We recognize that there are many
able and faithful members of the party who
believe in prohibition, and it would be as un-
Just and unwise to offend them by the an
nouncements of any platform, as we have
felt it unjust and unwise to make declara-
tiOns repugnant to our views. Inasmuch as
the members of the party are not agreed
upon this subject, there is obviously but one
course which the party can honorably pur-
sue; 1t is to vigorously exclude from the
party platforms every reference to it, leaving
each Republican member of the legislature
at full liberty to act with respect to it as his
Judgment may direct. The experiment of
general prohibition has been faithfully tried,
and i'll many portions of the state it has
IIamentably Failed.
The Republican party can not justify its
further support of the tax as party meas
ure. Those members of the party holding
our views can not with honor to themselves
longer lend their aid to impose upon many
communities all the evils of unlicensed, un-
restricted and unregulated liquor selling.
For these reasons, and in the interest of
morality, business and social order, we ask
the general assembly now i'll session to so
amend the prohibitory liquor law as to give
TO communities that so desire to act the
power, subject to a minimum license to be
fixed by the legislature to regulate the sale
of intoxicating liquors through the medium
of high license. And we insist on such a
change in the platform of the Republican
party as will enable US to stand honestly
upon it. and to assist In restoring the party
to complete supremacy. And hereby pledge
ourselves to so work in the future as to at
tain the object and secure the end set forth