Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-09-18
THE PEOPLES PARTY AND PRoHI-
BITION.


iting the traffic in alcoholic liquors, as
beverage, which is everywhere
coming to be recognized as political
issue. is matter of special interest
and inquiry to many at this time, and
it is for the purpose of throwing light
upon the subject that this article is
written.
The first and only state Convention
of the Peoples party held in Mississip-
pi to date met in Jackson June -, lS92
That convention, which elected dele
gates to the first National Convention
of the Peoples party and appointed a
State executive committee, adopted as
a part of it's platform the following
resolution:
Resolved by the Peoples party OF
Mississippi. in convention assembled
June -. 1892. That we are in full SYM
pathy with the Prohibition movement
in the United States, and recommend
to the National convention to meet
July 4, 1892. such action as they think
will advance the Temperance cause.
This recommendation of the Missis-
sippi convention was not adopted by
the National Convention which met at
Omaha, and the Prohibition question
was waived aside as something of sec
ondary" Importance by the adoption
of the following as part of the Nat
ional platform:
While our sympathies, as party OF
reform. are naturally upon the side OF
every proposition which will tend &c
make men intelligent, virtuous, and
| temperate, we. nevertheless, regard
these questions-impoftant as they are
as secondary to the great issues now
pressing for solution, and upon which
not only our individual prosperity. but
the very existence of free institutions
depend: and we ask al! men to flrs'
to determine whether we are to have Z
Republic to administer, before we dlf
| fer as to the conditions upon which l,
| is to be administered; believing tina,
the forces of reform this day ORGANIZED
will never cease to move forward unit
every wrong is remedied, and equa
rights and equal privileges securely es
tablished for all the men and wome1
Of this country.
Owing to this implied promise tC
take up The issue against the liquor
traffic in the future. together with the
deliyerance Of the Mississippi Popu
lists, which the latter expressed nt
disposition to repudiate, the Mississip
ri Prohibitionists and Populists uniteo
in 1892 in the support of candidates
for Congress, though supporting sepa
rate National tickets. The resolution
of the Populist State Convention was
never considered as decided and EN-
phatic by Prohibition party men as the
Importance of the subject demanded
and the action of the National Peoples
party convention was regarded as al
| together unsatisfactory; but as it was
| known that most of the men who con
stituted the Peoples party had given
but little study to the magnitude and
importance Of the liquor question, then
chief political pabuium being discus
sions bearing on finance. land anc
| TRANSFORMATION, it was deemed upo:
the VIII ole that they had at least made
hopeful start in the direction of Pro
hibition and would take stronger
ground in the near future as the i'm
portance of the issue came to be more
fully appreciated.
Two things have occurred since thu
organization of the party in 1892 which
go long way toward dissipating this
hope.
l. In the Northwest, where the party
has shown the greatest strength, tht
Democrats, who constitute the strong
est whisky element in those States
have gone into the Peoples party 10y
the thousands, and the POpulist lead
ers, for fear of offending the liquor ell
ement thus drifting into the new par
ty. have stubbornly refused to ALLOW
Prohibition to be endorsed even il
Constitutional Prohibition States like
Kansas, North and South Dakota. I'm
less bold and open stand should very
soon be taken against the saloon
something in no wise probable from
the present outlook the Peoples par
| ty will absorb more and more of this
liquor element in the West and in al
the large cities of the country until, i
it should ever obtain control OF tho
National Government it would be as
hopelessly honey combed and handi
capped by the liquor element as the
two old parties are today. II woulo
Just as certainly be dominated 10y the
great liquor trusts and combines. back
ed by English capital, as we find the
Democratic parties at the present. Sa
looms to debauch and to befuddle the
brains of Congressman, would flourish
in each end of the Capitol at Washing
ton, as now, and men without con
science or honor, who had been bought
and paid for before taking their seats
by the saloon and money power, the
twin corrupters of American politics
would betray the honest, trusting
masses and, at the dictation of their
masters, block every effort at honest
reform, just as has been done at Wash
ington during the past II months.
>. Here is Mississippi, with only ID
hn xUh "a