Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-12
10 MCDILL'S MUSINGS.
RESUBMISSION FOLLY.


resubmssion campaign, under the auspices of
the Democratic party. Not being Democrat,
l am not in position to even suggest the pol
icy of the Democratic party, but | am sure,
nevertheless, that such line of action would
kill the Democratic party in Kansas so dead
that the Angel Gabriel's trumpet sounds would
never reach its whisky-drowned eardrums
A minority party should bid for the vote of
the best element of society if it desires to win
permanent success. TO make a race upon
resubmsson platform, even II successful
would not place any of the needed reforms upon
a permanent standing in either state or national
politics. On the contrary, a successful cam
paign would place the party in the position OF
being under obligations to an clement in poll-
tics that knows no party but the patty OF drink,
and has no principles but the principle OF max
ing and selling liquor. But there is no certain
ty of success More fusionists will desert the
Democratic party under a resubmission banner
than will rally to such standard from the
ranks of the Republican party.
1t is one of the ncomDrehensble things OF
the Democratic leadership that it has not percelv-
ed that the great distilling and brewing inter
ests of this country have gone over to the Re-
publican party, there to stay, because IN that
party is the natural resting place of the ele-
ments that oppose higher and better civil
ization.
1t is not at all certain that the Democrats
can win the undivided support OF the antl-pro-
hibition voters It is possible to elect a gov
ernor on the resubmission issue, but feel GER
tain that resubmissionists cannot elect leg1s-
lature, and of what use to reform is governor
without the legislature. Reform would be set
back-stricken down-in the house OF its pre-
tended friends.
The incompatible Mrs. Lease used to say
that you could not tell how a Republican stood
on the liquor question till you caught him at
the bung- hole of whisky ba-rel and if the
Democratic party ever makes another campaign
as an anti-prohibiton party, it will find to It's
grief that the owner of the whisky barrel is OH
very friendly terms with the man at the bung-
hole.
So far as am informed, there is no desire on
the part of most of our people to reopen the
LIQUOR question What little agitation there is
starts in Kansas City and is inspired by the
Kansas City liquor dealers and brewers
If the people want to take another vote on
the prohbtory amendment to the constitution,
let them petition the next Legislature for that
privilege, and il ma ority of the people want
to take another vote, it Will be evidence that
prohibition has ceased to be acceptable. SUCH
a course ought to satisfy even Barney Sheridan
and David Ove1ncyer We take 1t that Sne11-
dan and Overmeyer have no more at stake III
the LIQUOR con est than other good citizens, un
less it be the hope that Overmeyer might be
governor and Sheridan secretary Of state. Out'
side of the chance for Office Sheridan and Over
never are not being injured in any OF their in
terests, and the brewers and liquor dealers are
able to take care of themselves, and have no
case in Kansas party conventions.
Everybody has heard the cat-and monkey
story, in which the monkey used the cats paw
TO draw chestnuts from the midst of bu1ning
Goals and hot ashes The brewers and distiller'
have been making cats paw OF the Demo
cratic party in both Kansas and Iowa. These
interests have used the Democratic party IN
soldifying the Republican party on the liquor
question Ten years ago, it looked as II Iowa
would settle on the policy of prohibition, and
the liquor interests used the bluff of threatening
to place Iowa in the column OF Democratic
states by e.ectng Boies to the office of GOV
ernor The bluff was successful. To-day, Re
publicanism is solid in the support OF the sa-
| loon in that state and Democracy is scarcely
! in sight. twas not the Democratic party that
placed Kansas in the doubtful column, but the
| Ponu1ist party So far the Populist party has