The leader., 1895-11-14
WAR ON THE SALOON.
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC. MUST BE
OvERTHROwN.

WO ouO ACoOANOu, uCdNCu uOipiuS
to put the liquor traffic down.
To do this it is imperative that we
put down everything and everybody
that stands in our way.
It is no fault of ours that the Repub-
lican bosses have placed the party square,
ly and firmly across our front.
We cannot move upon the saloons I'M
til the Republican party changes its po-
sition to allow us to pass. Failing to do
that, it is inevitable that the party must
stand the shock of our first onset
That is the situation, but it is not SO
by our procurement.
Our batteries are turned only upon
the saloon and upon everything implied
in that word.
Nothing was further from our thought
than to antagonize the Republican par
ty, to which from the first many of us
were true and loyal, not from desire Of
Office or hope of reward, but from a
hearty approval of its policy in the old
time.
But the Republican bosses have now
placed their columns boldly and def
antly between us and the liquor traffic,
with the deliberate declaration, in ma
tional conventions and by the repeated
affirmations Of leaders, that the liquor
traffic should be defended by the party
to the bitter end.
Governor Foraker, great Republican
leader, said deliberately, carefully
weighing his words:
"The policy Of taxation (license) of
the liquor traffic is eternal, and the Re-
publican party is irrevocably committed
to it..
The New York Tribune said:
Governor Foraker is one of the men
who are entitled to say what the Re-
publican party means"
There has been in no Republican pa
per, nor on any Republican platform,
any word Of dissent from that frank
and authoritative declaration of Repub-
lican principles and policy on the ques-
ton Of prohibition.
The new party does not complain of
the Republican party for assuming that
position.
The party has an undoubted right to
do so.
But it is unmanly, not to say child
ish, in the bosses to whine and COM
plain because we keep up our fire at the
saloons, not needing the fact that our
shot passes through the ranks of the Re-
publican party, placed in our way.
After great open air meeting in
Maine clergyman came upon the plat
form and said to me:
"There are thousands Of Republicans,
and I am one Of them, who would in
stantly abandon the party if we thought
it to be in collision with the liquor
traffic.
Ireplied:
"Any one who doubts 1t is so, at mid
day, with clear sky, would want proof
that the sun was shining"
Another clergyman said to me:
II am thoroughly temperance man
and an earnest Prohibitionist, and
would consent to any measure likely to
suppress the liquor traffic, but I think,
with your plan Of third party, 1t will
require q long time to do it. -
Ireplied:
"Sir, II 1t shall require long time
for us to succeed, the only reason Is that
you and such as you do not help us; If
you and such as you would help us we
would have triumphal victory tomor-
row without striking blow.
"But when it comes to the vote you
and such as you are on the rum side,
voting the rum ticket.
Will some Republican authority kind
~ tell us how we can win our war
against the saloons without hurting the
Republican party, "irrevooably COM
mitted" as it is to the perpetual sup
port" and defense Of the salooni
The French In 1879 recklessly, with
out just cause, declared war upon Ger
many, and all over France was heard
the insulting cry, ITO Berlin.
Very soon the French found them
selves going to the wall, and pathetic-
ally called for help and denounced the
Germans for coming upon them with
too many guns
It was foolish a. ven = pitiful
cry for mercy.
The Republican bosses commenced the
war upon Prohibittonists.
Why do they whine n view Of the
probable results 10 theml
They have never . word Of complaint
Of the rummiss because they will vote
no ticket not saturated with whisky and
beer, which We win not vote fn my
considoration.
We do not complain Or whine.
We ahall keep right On steadily & ~
work, meaning 70 run Over evrybocy
Who stands IN our way.