The Globe-republican., 1894-06-01

CHESTER Z LONG.
Stick To Prohibition.
II there has ever been time since the
passage of the prohibitory amendment,
when there was good reason for plac-
ing an endorsement of prohibition in the
Republican platform Of the state, that
reason exists with as much force to-day.
The opposition to the enforcement of the
law is Just as strong as sever it was. The
law is being violated as widely and as
openly today as ever 1t has been. Its
enemies have abated none of their
activity. Why then do we hear 80 much
talk about leaving prohibition out of the
platform? 1t has been in there fourteen
years, during which time the Republican
party has won it's greatest victories, reach
ing the magnificent plurality of 81, 600.
The people who are now threatening to
leave the party if prohibition is endorsed,
have made the same threats biennially
since 1880. In 1890 they did leave and
we were enabled to count them. There
were about 10000 of them, but the cleo
ton was followed by two more years Of
Republican supremacy.
This class of voters are saying this year
that we must s.redeem Kansas" and in
order to do that there must be no issues.
In other words we are asked to formulate
a platform which will be mass of gen.
eralities, meaning all things to all mea
aud nothing to anybody and ignore every
vital issue. But they say prohibition lie
not an issue. How will they reconcile
this statement with their criticism of the |
.Populist during the past four years for
ignoring this same question? If 1t was
an issue four years ago,or two years ago,
it is an issue now.
If the great and once proud Republic
can party is going to play the part of
coward in this campaign and forsake or
espouse principle merely for the sake
of holding few votes, the platform
makers would better look well before they
leap. There is another class Of voters
that has stood by tho party through thick
and thin, never wavering In its alle-
glance. because It was believed that In
tho Republican party lay the future
moral welfare Of the people. The class
referred to Is made up Of the member
ship of the evangelical churches, and
probably includes much larger number
of voters than any other class. Might
not these voters, believing themselves
forsaken, conclude to vote for party
known to esponse the cause dearest to
their heart.
Hit is proposed to make platform to
catch the largest,number OF voters, then
it would better be made to accord with
the views Of the moral and temperance
element, because in the language of an
old and we'll remembered citizen, there's
more Of 'em.
This is not a good gear to make exper-
iments. Two years ago the Republican
party tried to cover every question with q
its platform, and wandered far and wide
into untried fields. j
The result is with us today. Now it is r
proposed to 60 to the opposite extreme,
and forsakiag all the time hOn0red prin- b
ciples of the party In Kansas, to make a
platform that does not cover anything. p
What good is hoped for from all this 4
around? The time has gone g
by when party can win the votes of the h
people on its past history. Living issues
cannot be ignored.
"Redeem Kansas is all right as far as
it goes, but what shall it profit party :,
that wins state for two years and loses =
it for all time thereafter? =
Wbe willredeem Kansas from the curse :
that will inevitably follow the abandon
ment of prohition BY its only friend.
There could be no greater humiliation
for the party than to sacrifice its princi-
Piles for success ana then lose the state. O
An honorable defeat with our faces turn s,
ed toward the enemy is near to victory. "
\ ictory so won becomes triumph. Be IL
careful what you do, gentlemen of the c,
One more mistake as great lo
as that of two years ago and the difficulty e:
Of redeeming the state will be greatly in o,
creased. They never come back-that is pl
some of them don't. Better stick to the if
bridge that has given you safe passage in it
he past.-Topeka Journal. W
III
A humble farmer asked a great Dem n,
lcratic senator If he could see his way u