Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-04-10
ANTI--SALOON.
Resolutions Adopted at the Des
Moines Conference.


The rcpres antativeso of the Republicans Of the
state OF Iowa, who are opposed TO the existing
prohibitory law, having met In conference, now
submit TO the people and to the Republican
party the following statement of their views:
We, as Republicans, declare our allegiance
and fidelity to the principles of the Republican
party rs announced in its platform adopted at
Chicago, upon which Benjamin. Harrison was
elected to the office OF President OF the United
States.
We recognize the liquor traffic as one which
requires regulation, bat Insist that the object
of such regulation should be to minimize in
temperance and mitigate its evils.
The experience of this rs well as other states
has conclusvely shown that general prohibit
ton, operating upon all communities alike,
without respect to their habits, conditions, cir
cumstances or desires, is not adapted either to
suppress intemperance or to promote morals.
And therefore the experiment should be aban-
doned and the law so modified that those com
| munit6s which desire change shall have the
right to determine for themselves whether in
toXicating liquors shall be sold as q beverage
within their limits.
We are unalterably opposed to any attempt
| to introduce into the constitution the doctrine
| of state prohibition.
The organic law Of the state ought not to be
encumbered with police regulation of that
| character.
We recognize that the Republican party
originally gave its assent to the policy of pro
| hibiton MS an experiment only, but we regret
| that its latest announcement will bear the con-
struction that 1t has become one of the doc
! trines of the party. political organization
| has no just right to bring into its declaration
| of principles new doctrine, unless it be one
| upon which substantially all its members
| agree. A large number of Republicans In Iowa
| are and always have been opposed to general
| prohibition, and II the Republican party ad-
heres to its present position upon this question
| 1t is manifest that by such adherence II tends
| q "a re m those " n
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 1t would be as unjust and I'M
| wise to offend them by the announcement Of
| any platform, a. we have felt 1t unjust and un-
wise to make declarations repugnaut to our
views.
Inasmuch as the members of the party are
not agreed upon this subject, there is OBJ
| yiously but one course which the party can hon
orably pursue; it is to vigorously exclude from
| the party platforms every reference to it, leav-
| ing each Republican member Oft legislature
| at full liberty to act with respect to ii as his
| judgment may direct.
| The experiment of general prohibition has
| been faithfully tried, and in many portions Of
| the state it has lamentably failed. The Repub-
| lican party cannot justify its further support Of
the law as party measure. Those members
| OF the party holding our views cannot with
|
| impose upon auy communities all the evils of
unlicensed, unrestricted and unregulated liquor
| selling.
For these reasons and in the interest of NOR
| ality, business and social order, we ask the
| general assembly now in session to so amend
| the prohibitory liquor law as to give to commu-
| mites that so desire to act the power, subject
| to a minimum license to be fixed by the legis-
lature to regulate the sale of Intoxicating
liquors throCg Oh the medium of high license.
| And VIC insist such change in the platform
| of the Republican party as will enable us to
stand honestly upon it, and to assist in restor-
| ing the party to complete supremacy.
| And we hereby pledge ourselves to so work
in the future as to attain the object, and secure
the end set forth in the foregoing views.
| A STATEMENT.
A committee from the conference OF
Republicans, on tho evening of the
Sd submitted to the Republican Legis-
lative caucuses the following statement:
| Hon. Matt ParTott. Chairman of Senate Re-
| publican Caucus-IIon. Edward Townsend,
| Chairman House Republican Caucus.-DEAR
| SIRs: At delegate conference OF republicans
| who are opposed to the present prohibitory
liquor law the undersigned were appointed a
| committee to communicate TO the republicans
| of the legislature q statement unanimously
adopted at the conference with respect to that
| subject.
!
herewith submit to you copy of the state
| ment, and request that YOU lay it before the
| members of the republican caucus.
| In addition to the mere transmission OF the
| statement, VIC were instructed to urge upon the
republican members of the legislature the i'm
perative necessity modifying the law and
| extending the relief that Is asked. A change
| is demanded by every consideration, whether
moral, social, political or commercial The
situation of the largest and most important
| cities of this state, and indeed, of many other
communities, is deplorable. To have them as
| they are, subject to all the evils which absolute
free whisky can inflict, is little less than treas.
| on. There never was time when fearless,
| high-mindcd action upon the part of the repub.
| licans was so necessary at this moment. We
beg that you will not fail to respond to the
/ most urgent appeal for help and for justice
that was ever presented to legislative body
You cannot hesitate for party reasons. The
party has already lost its magnificent majority
solely on account of its attitude towards pro
| hibition.
The detection goes on every day. You must
feel that the revulsion In public sentiment is
almost complete and nothing can be more Ger
tain than that the party will in the future sus
tain and commend those who, in this critical
| iuncture, have the courage and patriotism tC
do that which every intelligent observer knows
is essential to the success of the party.
Assuring you of our high esteem and regard
| we are respectfully,
II. S. FAIRALL, G. w. FRENCH,
| A. Is. CUMMlNs, Z. NJ. SWAN,
C.S. SQUIREs, HARRISON TUCKER,
| FRED WIES, w. T.. GROHE,
+. A. SIMMONS, D. T.. LYON,
| j. l.. WILLIAMS.