The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-04-03
1T MAY CAUSE A SPLIT
Iowa Republicans Dihdsd On The Quss-
tion Of Prohibition.
AntI-ProhibItlon Members Demand
a Repeal of the Objectionable
Law and the Adoption OF
High License.

DEs MoINEs, April 2.-The anti-prohib-
ition movement within the republican
party eliminated i'm state conference
to-day, 1876 delegates being present, rep
resenting several thousands OF republic
cans. Chairman Collins, Of Keokuk, said
he was lifelong prohibitionist and had
done all in his power to enforce the law
i'm his city, but had failed. Other speeches
were i'm a similar vein. Ex-Governor
Kirkwood sent letter In which, among
other things, he said: "Personally,
I favor local option and high
license with stringent regulations,
but some Of our prohibition friends say II
such change is made the republican
party will never carry an election in Iowa
again. That looks very much to me like
an attempt at bulldozing, and republicans
never took kindly to that mode of argu-
ment. This policy has been pursued for
some years by extreme prohibitions
in republican states that have not
adopted prohibition, and now it
is threatened here: II has not
won in the past and think will not in
the future"
Hon. A. b. Cummins Of Des Moines
presented the report of the committee on
resolutions, which was received with
great enthusiasm. The resolutions de-
clare unswerving allegiance to the prin-
ciples of the republican party as enumer-
ated i'm the Chicago platform, and con-
tinues: 1--WE recognize the liquor traffic
as one which requires regulation, but in
sist that the object of such regulation
should he to minimize intemperance and
mitigate its evil. Experience i'm this, as
well as in other states, has shown
that general prohibition operating upon
| all communities without respect to habits,
conditions, circumstances or desires, Is
| not adopted either to suppress intemper-
ance or TO promote morals; and therefore
the experiment should be abandoned and
the law so modified that those communi-
ties which desire q change shall have the
right to determine for themselves whether
beverage within their limits. We are un'
alterably opposed to any attempt to intro.
duce into the constitution the doctrine OF
state prohibition. The organic law of the
state ought not to be encumbered with po.
lice regulations of that character.
A political organization has no just
right to bring into declaration the princi-
Piles of a new doctrine unless il be one
upon which substantially all the mem
bers agree. A large number OF republi
cans Of Iowa are and always have beer
opposed to general prohibition. and IL the
position upon this question Il is mani
Tested by such adherence that il tends tS
exclude from membership all those who
believe the policy fatal to the best interes
| of the state. lnasmuch as members o
the party are not agreed upon thu
subject, there is obviously but one course
which the party can honorably pursue, ]
is to vigorously exclude from the part.
platforms every reference to il, leavin,
each republican member of the legislator,
full liberty to act with respect to il as hi
Judgment may direct. EXPERIMENT.
general prohibition has been faithful.
tried and In many portions o
the state has lamentably failed
The republican party canno
: justify further support of the petty meas
ure. Those members of the party holding
our views cannot with favor TO themselve
longer lend their aid TO impose upon man
communities all the evils of unlicensed
= unrestricted and unregulated liquor sci
ing. For these reasons and i'm the inteI
est OF morality, business and social ortle
we ask the general assembly now in Sc.
sion to so amend the prohibitory liquo
l law, as to give TO communities that so d'
sire to act the power, subject to a min
[ mum license 20 be fixed by the legislator
, to regulate the sale of Intoxicating liquor
through the medium of high license, an
. we insist on such change I'm the platforr
of the republican party as will enable u
2 to stand honestly upon IL and to assist
restoring the party to complete supren
| acy.