Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-09-10
THE. SALOON ISSUE.
Mr.. !. M. Walters, a Lifelong DEM
ocrat, of keokuk, Arraigns
His Party.

Mr.. Walters, a Keokuk bushes
man, who has always been Demo
crat, writes the Register letter, anc
speaking OF the attitude of his party
on the saloon question, says;
The strange feature about the party
in Iowa at present seems to be thai
| they haven't particle OF respect OF
concern about anything but their sa
! loon system. 1t seems to be the pUlni
where their political faith takes joint.
All other issues are ignored and 10y
atty to the saloon has become the sole
test Of Democracy. No matter about
! past political fealty. You may have
/ been in full sympathy with every
other measure advocated by the party
| both past and present and be opposed
10 advocating the saloon as a Demo
cratic principle because your con-
science revolts, and you are at once
pronounced poor Democrat. Or on
the other hand you may have opposed
every Democratic measure since the
party was organized and have voted
the Republican or some other ticket
on every occasion, but il you are only
loyal to the Road to HCIr and in
favor OF free whisky all over the state
and will manifest it by casting your
vote for it this fall, your are II "tip-top''
Democrat. 1t is strange combina.
ton, IA disgrace TO the party and an
insult to every Democrat that is such
from honest convictions.
There is no middle ground. There
can be none this year. This is a sa-
loon-kecpers' election and conducted
by them entirely in the interest of
their business. They are in sole
charge Of the campaign. 1t is left TO
them to define what is Democratic;
left to an element that has but one
Issue and never had any politics
Principles should control men in all
such matters. The question as to the
best method Of regulating the liquor
traffic never had any business in poll
tice Just why any Democrat should
vote for the saloon that he despiseS
and be expected to encourage crime
and protect and defend criminals sim
ply because he is Democrat, is be-
yond our comprehension. II the sa-
loon was any nece:sity.for their bust.
ness or had one rcdccming feature
about it it might be tolerated in poll.
tics as politics goes. but when we are
asked to yield everything that is Dem
ocratic and SO renounce everything
that is decent or sacred to Democrats,
and to bow the knee while they fit the
yoke and pronounce the doctrine, we
protest. 1t is certainly enough to
vex any Democrat that has any party
pride or respect for decency in poll
tics TO be constantly reminded that
there is not a single measure sug-
gested that does not originate in some
saloon or pass through the fumes of
some miserable dive for approval!
We believe there is sufficient and a
respectable element in the party that
will not submit to it, but that will in
sist upon maintaining their manhood
and coupling the dignity of gentlemen
with their course as Democrats.
1t is the only hope, because the sa-
looms are gaining recruits every day
among certain classes, because of their
love for the dram shops, and unless
there is united action by the better
class in all parties the FREQ saloon will
become a fixture. AT the behest OF
the saloon keepers the Democratic
convention at Ottumwa declared for
the saloon in the interest OF true
temperance. There is logic for you
and plenty OF it. II sounds more like
a burlesque than an issue submitted
10 sensible people. Who over heard
OF a saloon aiding the cause of ten
perancc in any way? Nobody but a
fool believes such stuff, and nobody
but a scOundrel will assert it. When
crime becomes a virtue and hypocrisy
good results from this new Demo -sa.
loon cratic method OF promoting true
temperance. Prohibition may not be
the best method OF restraining intern
perance, and we have never said il
was and are not arguing that question
now, but we have said and Go say that
a CluCs Of people who are constantly
violating the law and are persistently
Ignoring other peoples rights under
it, and who, with 6razen impotence.
declare that it cannot be enforced,
and point to the crimes they have
committed underit as proof OF the
! fact, are not the right people to die.
! tate to a party what its policy should
/ be concerning them. And not only
/ that, but who also in defining as an
issue that suitable laws shall be made
protecting them for the crimes they
| give notice as part OF the issue they
/ intend 10 continue to commit. 1t is u
/ little too much. and we further say
that any party that will permit such
things and will champion such a caus,
as the sole issue in campaign is no
fit to rnle even in a pagan country.