The leader., 1895-08-20
NOT A pOPULIsT.
p.v L IN. Gambrer Writes Letter to n
Georgia Paper. Defining His Po-
litical Status.

Rev. ,. III. GambreIl Writes Letter to
Georgia Paper, Defining His Po-
litical Status.
GREENSBORO, GA, July Is, 1895.
Editor Peoples Party Paper:
Ny attention has been called to the
fact that you recently published a
part of an article /, by request, fur
nished THE LEADER The article was
written for Prohibition party paper
whose readers in the main, understand
my relation to parties, but without
the statement l here make your read
ers will be misled by it. This l should
regret both for their sakes and my own.
Let mo frankly say, therefore:
1. Fourteen years since, studying
the political situation, with reference
to the success of Prohibition, to which
| was giving unstintedly the best en-
ergies of my young manhood, j became
thoroughly convinced that no national
legislation against the liquor traffic
would ever be secured through the
Democratic party. 1 therefore dis
solved my connection with that party.
In every national platform adopted by
that party since 1884 there has been an
outright pledge to the liquor element,
against Prohibition.
If any man doubts this let him note
the Dist plank in the last platform. and
the anti-sumptuary plank in the two
preceding platforms. Senator Ransom,
of North Carolina, interpreted that
2lst plank in these words: at prima
rily refers to the liquor traffic, but it
includes all legislation of that charac-
ter. We are opposed to all legislation
that interferes with the habits, customs
desires and social practices of the peo-
ple."
2. hold that the proper settlement
Prohibition of the liquor traffic-is
the most important moral and econom-
ic question before the American peo-
Pile. A business that swallows up
S9OO,OO0,OOO and results in $4,000 deaths
annually is not rightly overshadowed
and side-tracked by any other question
or questions. Hence / am Prohibi
ton party man, because that party
makes the Prohibition of the liquor
traffic the dominant issue in politics
3. am not Populist because / will
not cooperate to the extent of vote
with a party that for any reason is 81
lent on the liquor traffic question. TO-
Such party, were it put in power
would unquestionably be under obi
cations, and (c). If l believed in all
the declaration of the Populists' plat
form, which / do not, could reason
ably have no hope of it's success, for
the reason that reforms are not Sc
| cured by anti-reform forces. The Ii
quor forces, part of which the Popu
lists hope, by silence, to secure the helI
of, are anti-reform.
l have never, and never shall, at
tempt to conceal my sympathy with
the struggling masses, but l will give
no organization that consents to the
life of the liquor traffic my support
wy COuVlCllOu Is CledF anu POSITIVE
that the liquor traffic, with its de.
bauching power in politics, will block
the way to all real reform until it is
destroyed root and branch.
OF course Populists think they are
managing their organization for the
best when they make no declaration of
war on the liquor monopoly, but dc
not agree with them in this, and until
we think alike, it is certain we will
never be together nor act together.
From the organization of the Popu.
list party have hoped that time, dis
cussion and experience would indicate
to it's adherents the wisdom of includ-
ing in it's fight against monopolies the
worst, most hurtful monopoly on earth
the liquor traffic-and eliminate from
the platform some other things. Hav-
ing hoped for this, and still hoping for
| it, have never been and am not now
disposed to indulge in sharp criticisms
of the party. 1t it shall declare for
the protection of the liquor traffic as
has the national Democracy, then l
| shall oppose it as l do Democracy.
have written this that the truth as
to my position may be known to your
readers and with no thought of contro-
| versy. Indeed, have neither time nor
disposition for newspaper controversy
Yours very truly,
T IT CAuporrr