The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-08-13


Tbis 10 the time for the party to take its bear
tnGs and II IL has made mistakes. acknOw-
ledge them. and plan how TO avoid them IN
the future. Parties are DO moro invaluable
than individuals. 1t - no disgrace for = man
to say he has honestly erred. or thst expcr-
iencc has shown him that he could reach
desired result BY another way than the xay
he has tried. Why should IL be any dincr.
ent with parties?
Tho republican party enacted prohibition.
II has been . grand success Ia about eighty
I'VE counties i. has been Gisgraceful fall
ure IN the Others. Now. II IL 10 proposed TO
modify the law SO as to adapt Is to tho precise
measure OF its efficiency, IS tive years OF ex-
perience have denned that measure. IL does
not prove that the party has made any mis-
take.
Some OF those who differ with US are pre-
sons for whose judgment we have great re-
spect. and yet, We are still OF the opinion
that 1t would be better for Iowa, better for
the republican party, and better for proribi-
ton II the law ware 80 modified that it might
be retained where pubic sentiment ID un-
questionabiy for IL, and pc changed TO some
form OF legal control, where the saloons ars
now, Ard are likely to continue to be left
without any restraint whatever in their open
violation and defiance Of tne law.
As VIC have analysed the objections we
have heard, they seem nearly all to resolve
into the sentiment, mo ba ksard steps,"
mo surrender to tho galoons.' ..dOn't pull
down your naK," aud other exhcrta,sons or
like character. But II for i've years law
has been persistently ignored and de1cd, We
would like to know If the surrender hasn't
already been made. Hasn's the backward
step already been taken? Hasn't the nag
been pulled down in more than dozen coln-
ties? Sentiment is good, bat the sense that
takes things ~ they are. an1 makes the best
OF them 10 tho better.
49, he nt,sn 8
change now 10 inexpcdiont AMI might cause
third party. We believe that It Is alw avs
best TO do what 10 right. and leave expedieD-
cy to take care OF itself. Others object that
to allow country to decide for itse.f In this
matter 10 for the state to aurrenaer all au-
thority to mako and enforce It's laws Not
%, for the act that 10 made al ofYclss 10 u
recognized AZ . GRIN in itself.
II majority OF tbs people Of q county
think prohibition Is the best meAas To an end.
let them have prohibition, for they control
the m lc1inery for the enforcement o. the
law. and will enforce 1t. When ali civilized
nations, Including every state In the union,
then IL will be time to compare it with steal.
Ing horses, aud 10 condemn tho concession
that would leave tho public sentiment OF
county TO determine whether it enforce =
statute that prohibited 1t.
waterloo Reporter (Ssnasor PARROTS pa
peri: The legislature Is nearly evenly
divided-a bare working majority in the SON
ate and : tie In the house. Il 10 question
whether prohibition can be retained NJ all: 1t
e very certain no additional legislator can
be enacted. and in tbs present STATE OF seati-
ment there will be no advance Ia the line OF
enforcement. Suppose We run two years
longer with the law openly violated In most
OF the large cities Of the state. Wnst will be
the result of another legislative election?
| N..ss Ah0 NH ~ n MAJ - - In q
less minority?
ability that enough republicans Ia the legis-
lAture might vote with the democrats 70 re-
peal tho prohibitory liquor law. The repub-
licsn party - political organization, would
In oil probability DO disposed to accept the
result. II would be disposed 70 give she hiah
license system . trial. II would be
disposed TO accept this modified
forces with tho o4si elemen. IS Of tho state TO
mitigate the saloon evil TO the extent possible
uader the license plan. That would be the
disposition OF the conservative, practical
senss OF the repa olican party. This sense. 1t
may be predicted, would dominate In the
state couneils OF the party.
But suppose tho legislature OK this winter
shall NOS repeal tho proabitory iav2 TITO
defeat OF the republican party before the
people Of the state on this issus. against
wnion the party had con,end.d for i,s life for
Aftscn years. wonldremain. With the Law un-
repealed. SAY the prohibition sentiment
might still control the party position. What
thea? The republicans who sided With the
democrats this year would side with
the republicans next year, AMI more
would follow. TIE republican party
simply - ST. John party could not hope to
come within gunshos OF carrying the state
There has never been time ia tho history OF
the past when il could.
The republican party respects tho will Of
the people OF this state. That respect has
been the cornerstone OF defense on the pro.
hlbiton issue,
The people OF Iowa have changed.
The republican party 10 left in an uncom-
Portable situation.
Tue question IL: Is the republican party
equal 20 the emergency?
Des Moines Register: II has been from the
f1rN made . political issue for parties to d.
vide upon. At every election for members
OF the legislature tho friends OF prohibition
were exhorted I'd vote only for republicans
because Q democrat would probably vote to
repeal the law Ii is rem arkAble that
1t has gone Tor Ave years without sxperisnc-
Ing the peril tnat LoS threatens II, ~ the
result o. the election.
Now. what 10 the remedy? Surely IL can't
be that the same IN stake shall oe repeated.
Il Certainly ought not to be urged that peohi-
billion must continue 70 be made partisan
question, driving OF on the one side AL re-
pu Orleans who don'I believe In 1t and driving
OF on tne other all democrats who might IA :
vor 1t, II they were not compelled By the
Same act to favor the republican party and
help keep 1t In power. TIA. would cut
dOwa the republican party to the exact num-
Der of men who are proaioilionisss first OF
al. II wouli forever throw tho burden OF
enforcing prohibition upon the republican
party, assuming what is not IT I'll certain,
that the repuol.aa party would still be In
power.
that ihs majority OF the pronibtionists are In
favor OF prohibition. Som, of them are not;
Some OF them would rather have 5000 saloons
open with = prohibition dag floating next
doocr Than to have 4.Gp0 OF those saloons
closed AID no prohibition flag next door.
There are prohibitionists and prohi oitionists.
But the kind that commands the respect of
all men Is the kind that uses reason and
common sense Ia this IS In all other mat
ters. The prohibitionist who says: II want
to close the saloons and keep them closed
wherever that can be done, but where 1t
can't l want to fight them In some other
practicable way" Is tho prohibtsionist woo
- credited with boing sincere friend OF
both prohibition and temperance. But the
prohl oitionist VINO says, II demand prOhibi-
ton whether the law 10 enforced or not, and
l would rather 500 every saloon wido open
and uncontrolled than to give them the xp-
psarAnce Of legal sanction by license law"
cannot be regsr led ~ . sincere friend of
either. We do not believe that the majority
OF tho prohibitionistS of Iowa are OF the lat
ter class.
In other words, We believe that majority
Of the prob. oitiOnists OF Iowa look AL the
matter with reason and comm IN sense When
they voted for prohibition In lss3 they did 90
believing that the time hai come when pro-
hibition could be enforced In every part OF
she state. They certainly had NO idea that
under prohibitory law, strengthened by
every amendment which friendly hands could