The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-28
THE PLATFORM
Adopted by the Prohibition Nationa
Convention at Chicago.

Adopted by the Prohibition National
Convention at Chicago.
Preamble: The National Prohibition
party in convention represented at Chi
sage June p and o. 1900 acknowledge
Almighty God as the supreme source
of all just government, realizing that
this republic was founded upon Chris
tian principles and can endure only
as it embodies justice, righteousness
and asserting that all authority
should seek the best good of all gov
erned to this end, wisely prohibiting
wrong and permitting only what is
right, hereby records and proclaims:
Definition of party and arraignment
of parties: % We accept and assert
the definition given by Edmund Burke
that "a party is a body of men joined
together for the purpose of promoting
by their Joint endeavOr the national
interest upon some particular principle
on which they are all agreed We
declare that there is no principle now
advocated by any other party which
could be made a fact in government
with such beneficent moral and mater
ial results as the principle of prohi-
bitiOn applied to the beverage liquor
traffic, that the national interest could
be promoted no other way so surely and
so widely as by its assertion, through a
national policy and the cooperation
therein Of every state, forbidding man.
ufacture, sale, expectation and trans
portatiOn of intoxicating liquors for
beverage purposes; that we stand for
this as the only principle proposed by
any party anywhere, for the settlement
of a question greater and graver than
any other before the American people;
and involving more profoundly than
any other their moral influence and fl
uancial welfare and that all the pa
triotic citizenship Of this country
agreed upon this principle, however
much disagreement there may be to mi
nor considerations and issues, should
stand together at the ballot box from
this time forward until prohibition is
the established law of the United
States with a party in power to enforce
It and ensure its moral and material
benefits
We insist that such a party agreed
upon this principle policy, having So
Der leadership without any obligation
for success to the saloon vote and to
those demOraltZing political cOmbina-
tons of men and money now allied
Herewith and Suppliant thereto, could
successfully cope with all other and
lesser problems Of government, in legis-
latiVe halls and in executive chair and
that 1t is useless for any party to make
declarations in its platform as to any
questions concerning which there may
be serious differences, the party could
legislate only on a basis of mutual
concessions when coming into power.
We submit that the Democratic and
Republican parties are all insincere in
their assumed policy to trusts and mo-
uOpOlies They dare not and do not
attack the most dangerous of them all,
the liquor power. So long as the sa-
loon debauches the citizen and breeds
the purchasable voter, money will con-
tinue to buy its way to power. Break
down this traffic, elevate manhood and
a sober citizenship win find a way to
control dangerous combinations of cap
ital.
We purpose as a first step in the fl
nancial problems of the nation to save
more than a billion of dollars every
year now annually expended to support
the liquor traffic and to demOralize our
people. When that is accomplished
things will have so improved that with
clearer atmosphere the country can
address itself to the questions as to
the kind and quantity Of currency
needed.
THE ISSUE PRESENTED.
Second-We reaffirm as true indis-
putably the declaration of Hon. William
Window, when secretary of the treas
ury in the cabinet of President Arthur
that considered socially, financially
politically and morally, the licensed
liquor traffic is or ought to be the
overwhelming issue in American poll
tics" and that the destruction of this
1niquity stands next on the calendar Of
the worlds progress" We hold that the
existence Of our party presents this
issue squarely to the American people
and lays upon them the responsibility
Of choice between liquor parties domi
mated by distillers and brewers will
their policy Of saloon perpetuation
breeding waste, Wickedness, woe, pau
peTism, taxation, corruption and crimi
and our one party of patriotic and NOR
all principle, with a policy which de
tends it from domination by corrup
bosses and which insures it forevei
against the blighting control of salooI
politics.
We face with sorrow. shame and feal
the awful fact that this liquor traffic
has a grip on our government, munici
pal state, and national through the rev
enue system and saloon sovereignty
which no other party dares to dispute;
grip which dominates the party now il
power from caucus to congress; from
policeman to president, from the rum
shop to the White House. a grip which
compels the chief executive to consen
that law shall be nullified in behalf o
the brewer, that the canteen shall ours
our army, and spread intemperanct
across the seas. and that our flag shall
wave as the symbol of partisanship a
the home and abroad, between this gov
eminent and the men who defy and de
hne IL for their own profit and gain.
THE PRESIDENT ARRAIGNED
Third-We charge upon President Nc
8inley, who was elected to his Office b.