The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-03
A SPLIT ON PROHIBITION.
THE LICENSE FACTION OF IOwA'5
REPUBLICANS MEET.

The Convention Composed of 1913
Delegates, Who Represent Thou
sands of VOters-A Demand that the
Question be Eliminated from the
Party Platform hereafter - Local
Option Favored.
DEs MONIES, IA. April 2-The anti
prohibition movement within the Repnb-
lican party, that has made such headway
since the last election, eliminated In a state
conference here to-day. One hundred aud
ninety-slx delegates, representing twenty
five counties, were present. and they stood
for several Thousand republicans at home
who share their views. at the opsning ses-.
sion this afternoon George NJ Hubbell OF
Davenport was elected temporary chair
man. He delivered an address in which he
said that he had been lifelong prohihi-
ZIONIST and had done all in his power to
enforce the prohibitorY law in his city, and
had failed. He was ready now to ask the
legislature for some relief for communities
where prohibition is failure.
The usual committees were appointed and
an adjournment was then taken till even
ing.
The committee on permanent organiZa-
tion reported at the night session. naming
Joseph Collins of Keoluk for chairman. He
addressed the conference from the stand
point of another prohibitionist who has
tried to enforce the law and failed, and as
republican and temperance man he
asked for some protection against uncon-
trolled saloons.
A SERIES or RESOLUTIONS.
A series Of resolutions were presented and
were received with great enthusiasm, which
say in part:
We recognize the liquor traffic as one which
requires regulation; but insist that the object
of such regulation should be to minimize in
temperance and mitigate its evils. The expe-
rlence OF this, as well as other states, has con-
clusyely shown that general prohibition oper-
ating upon all communities alike, without
respect to their habits, conditions, circum-
stances or desires is not adapted either to sup
press tntemperance or promote morals; and
therefore the experiment should be abandoned
and the law be so modified that those
communities which desire q change shalf
have the right to determine for themselves
whether Intoxicating liquors shall be sold as a
beverage Within their limits. We unalter-
ably opposed to any attempt to introduce into
the constitution the doctrine of state prohibi-
tion. The organic law of the state ought not
TO be encountered with police regulation Of that
character. We recognizes that the Republican
party originally gave its assent 10 the policy OF
prohibition as an experiment only, but re-
gret that its latest announcement will bear tho
construction chat 1t has become one Of the doc
trlnes OF the party.
SHOULD CONSULT EVERY FACTION.
A political organization has no Just right to
bring into its declaration of principles a new
doctrine unless it be one upon which substan-
italy al It's members agree. large number
of republicans in Iowa are and always have
been opposed to general prohibition, and IL the
Republican party adheres to its present posi-
tion upon this question it is manifest that by
such adherenceib tends to exclude from its
membership all those wno believe that
policy is fatal to the best interests
of the state. We recognize that
there are many able and faith members of the
party who believe In prohibition, and it would
be as unjust and unwise TO offend them by an
nouncements OF any platform as we have felt it
unjust and unwIse to make declarations repu1-
nant TO our views. lnasmuch as the members OF
the party are not agreed upon this subject. there
Is obviously but one course which the party can
honoraby pursue; it is To vigorously exclude
from the party platforms every reference to it,
leaving each republican member of the lcgisla-
ture at full liberty to act with respect to it as
his Judgment may direct. The experiment of
general prohibition has been faithfully tried,
and in many portions of the state it has la
mentally failed. The Republican party cannot
justify its further support Of the tax
as u party measure Those members of
the party holding our views cannot
with honor TO themselves longer lend
their aid TO impose upon many communities all
the evils OF unlicensed unrestricted and unreg-
ulated liquor selling For these reasons aud in
the interest OF morality, business and social
order we ask the general assembly now In session
TO so amend the prohibitory liquor law as to give
TO the communities that 80 desire to act the
power, subject to minimum license
TO be fixed by the legislature, to
regulate the sale of Intoxicating liquors
through the medium Of high license, and we in
sist on such a change in the platform of the
Republican party as will enable us to stand hon-
estly upon it, and TO assist in restoring the
party to complete supremacy and hereby
pledge ourselves to so WORK In the future as to
attain the object and secure the end set forth in
the foregoing views