The advocate., 1891-09-23
THAT FAMOUS LIQUOR PLANK.

OOFeEhiMoMO OOnuuVb VI VIC AAuuVA UWSA-
ness Makes Quite Stir in the Prohibition
Ranks.
From the New Nation.
No proposition has been projected
upon the political canvas which has so
tried the metal of the prOhibltiOnist
party for years as the liquor planks of
the Ohio and the Massachusetts Peoples
party.
The explanation of this stir among the
prOhibitionists is the intrinsic good gov
ernment involved in the public conduct
of liquor business.
The saloon would die with the abOli-
ton of the element of profit. Such an
abolition is proposed by the Peoples
party.
The public has now an opportunity to
pass judgment upon an intelligent
method of solving the liquor problem.
This many prohibitiOnists see. FL. Clay
Bascom, the noted prohibitionist leader
of Troy, New York, has been in brown
study over this matter for some time.
The following passage in private letter
shows how his mind is tending:
lam too ignorant of the special pleadings
of Bellsmy, though have read "Looking
Backward" to defend or condemn him. I
do not know enough about nationslism in
it's popular Interpretation TO take issue with
you. I have advocated, and, 80 far as
know, all prohibition party men advocate
the policy of putting the entire manufac-
ture and sale Of alcoholic liquors into the
hands of the government, and thus provid-
ing for the arts and sciences without leav-
ing it possible for "the trade" to propagate
the vices of men for revenue. If that 10
natiOnalism, TO that degree am a national
ist. If it can be shown to my willing mind
that any other, all other departments of
trade can be handled as advantageously to
the moral and material veal of the people
as it seems clear to me, the necessary liquor
product can be handled, will most gladly
become nationalist in other matters also.
The Montrose (Pa) Sentinel, which
keeps the prohibition ticket standing at
the head Of it's columns, praises the Peo-
ple's party In Ohio for Its disposition Of
the liquor question and adds:
With "the element of profit" gone it is
believed that the people will easily solve
this remaining danger to society. We
frankly confess that we see no reason why
prohibitioniSts of the most pronounced type
cannot give hearty support to the national
izatiOn of the liquor traffic. Through it's
press and leaders the Prohibition party has
always declared that it would subscribe to
any scheme which would really curtail the
power and influence of the saloon. Il has
been demonstrated that high license does
neither, but increases both; therefore the
opposition of prohibitionists to high license
is perfectly consistent. But the nationaliza-
tiOn of the traffic blots on. the saloon, de-
stroys one of the two wings which now lifts
the liquor traffic into power and respeCta-
bility, and places it, thus shorn of its
strength, under guardian whose interest
1t is to keep it from doing harm.
The Voice, Of New York, finds its letter
box full Of demands for the government
ownership Of the liquor traffic. H. H.
Louis, writing to the Voice from Iowa,
says:
Undoubtedly the inciting cause and the
continuing reason for existence of the
saloon is not the desire for drink on the
part of the seller of drinks. Then if we