The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-02
$500, IT, tho Kansas Republican

denial ne rho wishes of majority of
the neonIa Will be interesting. That
state has always been the "Republi-
can stronghold OF the West, and in
1880 Garfield carried it by the immense
plurality of IS. 0So over Hancock, and a
majority of 44.IS9 over Democrats,
Greenbackers. and Prohibitionists
combined. The possibility of Dem
ocratic victory then seemed too absurd
for contemplation, and yet within 4
dozen wears Il Democrat had been
elected and reelected governor. The
denial Of the principle OF local option
and home rule was solely responsible
for this tremendous political revolu-
/ ton.
The believers in Prohibition had long
| demanded the wholesale application of
this rule. and they finally secured from
| the Republicans the granting of a vote
on an amendment TO the constitution
forbidding the sale as beverage Of
any intoxicating liquors whatever, in
Guiding ale. wine. and beer" The
amendment was carried in 1852 by a
majority Of nearly 10000, but was
annulled by the supreme court on ac-
count Of technical faults in the man.
ner of It's passage through the legisla-
ture. In the election of 1883 a legis-
lature was chosen which enacted n
prOhibitory law. and its enforcement
was Immediately begun.
The Republicans were responsible
for the passage Of the law, and the
party managers cheerfully accepted
the responsibility, expecting thus TO
strengthen the hold of the organiZa-
ton upon the voters. The Democrats
from the first denounced the new law,
and called for the substitution Of q
high-license and local option system.
War issues maintained their pre-emi-
hence longer in Iowa than almost any
where else in the country, and the
waving Of the bloody shirt" by the
obScured local questions. Gradually,
however, the prohibitory issue forced
all other matters aside, and in the cleo
ton Of 1889, for the first time since the
Republican party was formed, Dem
Ocrat was elected governor on IL
cense platform by majority Of 6,523
in one Of the largest votes ever polled.
The Republicans were sobered by
this unexpected defeat, but they were
not yet convinced. In the congress
sional campaign of 1890 they adopted
a resolution that Eve declare against
a compromise with the saloon, and
stand by the people of this state in
their hostility to its existence. spread,
and power" The result was the
choice Of delegation to the represent
atives a majority of whom were Dem
OcratS, for the first time since the
formation Of the Republican party. In
1891 another election for governor was
to be held. The Democrats renomin-
ated Governor BoieS, and adopted a
platform demanding the repeal Of the
PrOhibitory law and the passage of IA
carefully guarded license law" with
a minimum tax of $500. The Republi-
cans were much divided in mind as 10
their best policy, but finally concluded
to challenge a verdict of the people
on & last stand for the existing law.
adopting this resolution on the sub
ject:
"In the interests Of true temperance.
and under the laws OF Iowa enacted by
the representatives OF sovereign people,
hA Ill l..
state. We charge that the outlaw has
had the patronage, counsel, and protec-
ton Of the Democratic party; that the
Democratic party as IT has won power
has nulifed the law. defied the authority
of the state and the expressed will of the
people, and that now appeal is made TO
the lectors of the whole state for approval
of the lawless work. We recognize that
the issue is law against defiance of law,
subordination against characterization,
and this state Of Iowa against the Demo-
cratic party. We recognize that the
issue is between the interest of true tenn
perance and freedom and the rule of an
indiscriminate traffic. We renew our ell
legiance 10 the people Of Iowa and SUBJ
NIT 10 them the determination of the
issue, promising that the control Of the
next legislature by the Democratic party
means statewide license, and that the
control of the next legislature by the Re-
publcans means continued opposition 10
the behests Of the saloon power through
the malnt eiIance and enforcement Of the
Ia W.
The result was decisive expression |
of the popular will. Governor Boies !
was reelected by nearly 5000 majority |
and the Republicans secured only SO |
out Of 100 representatives and "a out |
Of 80 senators. The more liberal Re |
publicans in the upper branch Joined |
in the passage of license law, but it /
was defeated in the lower branch. The |
Republican managers recognized that
4 further struggle was hopeless. At
The next election for governor they
adopted platform declaring that PRO
llbIuon is no test Of Repubiicanism."
and RELOCATING to the people Of the
legislative districts the question OF re-
aiming. modifying. or repeating the
aw then on the statute-book Tpon
making this surrender on the question
II local option, they recovered their
I'D control. and the legislature passed
he 'mulct tax law" which virtually
ibrogates Prohibition IN any commun-
" where 4 majority OF the voters
'etition for the sale of liquor.
This year the Republicans make no
Illusion whatever 10 the subject in
heir platform, and their candidate for
explains that the silence is
and juSIihable- Upon this
pOint General Drake SAYS: