Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-14
HowARp,s LETTER.

The appended open letter ls WTlCtetl
by w. Howard, a prominent local lead
err of the prohibition party and Is self
explanatory:
Marsha!ltown, Ia, Dec. 13. 1904.
Mr.. NJ. Il. Hostetter,
Editor Commonwealth.
Dear SIR: Having read In the Com
monwealth of December a private
letter that wrote to j. III. Campbell,
and being published without my in
tending it for publication, ! deem 1t
Justice to the Anti-Saloon League. to
DR. McCash and to the prohibition par
ty that as a prohibitionist and a
contributor to the Anti-Saloon League
give my views more fully, s'nce many
may have failed to read Mr.. Camp
belts letter to Father Coffin, and there
fore their minds may not be so inform
ed as to comprehend my meaning as
Mr.. Campbell would.
am a firm believer in man or a
party putting into practice pledged
principles. To fail to do 80 is practic-
ing deceit When ! contributed to the
league, l was informed by the lecture
of DR.. McCash as superintendent of the
destruction of the liquor traffic thru
the ballot but on partisan lines
That in case ones own party failed TO
put up n candidate opposed to the u
oense SYSTEM 1t was the duty OF
member to vote for the candidate or
some other party so opposed. Father
Coffin, as president Of the league IN
his famous letter." said: I'VE of the
Anti-Saloon League are pledged TO
vote for no man unless he Is against
the saloon" AS a supporter OF the
league and a party prohibitonist, thus
I had the best OF evidence that the
members OF the league were pledged
to vote for prohibition candidates IN
all cases where the members own
party failed to put up anti liquor can
didates.
While ! must believe that DR.. NC
Cash SO voted, as well as many others
of the leaders, the vote convinces me
since old parties had their usual hquor
candidates in the field. and those can
dtdates got the full party vote, that
prohibitionists like myself were de-
ceived.
In contributing to the league, no
doubt prohibitionists like me put up
cash to crystalize anti-liluor senti-
ment into votes against the organized
liquor traffic. believing that at the pal
lot box the decision must be final, ana
that a party pledged to the ENFORCE
ment of prohibitory legislation must
he nut in power in the state ana ma
ton. .,
To put UP cash to skirmish thru It'll
cation and to head Off by local option
continuously, the organized liquor traf-
flc with it's great fund, and Its means
of getting more cash to wage the bat
tie. to my mind, will prove disastrous.
The liquor forces have Tor years.
successfully practiced voting Tor the
man regardless Of party that STOOD 1av-
orable to the rum traffic. Because the
prohibition party and Its candidates IN
all cases stood against the rum trat-
f1c. the liquor vote so cast was
winner for those who opposed proh,-
hilton or no saloons. 1t worked won
derfully against the growth OF the
prohibition party, because the noat-
Ing vote drifts to the winner.
The Anti-Saloon Leagues pledge to
vote for only such candidates as were
known to be against the legalized IL
uuor traffic, was the liquor dealers
nlan and had proved to work well. Had
the leagues members kept the pledge
the prohibition party In the nation
would have received every anti-saloon
league vote. But allowing that some
men are dishonest and will break their
pledge. there is no expiration for not
fulfilling sacred pledge ON the part OF
protested Christian. The vote DEM
onstrates that the liquor fraternity
have more honor or more knowledge as
to duty than the average anti-saloon-
Lacquer.
I would be pleased to contribute cash
to the Anti-Saloon League in the fu-
ture. but that organization must en-
phasize the fact upon every voting
member that membership means to
vote for the prohibition party candi-
latee II his character is good In every
case where neither Of the other parties
have put up candidate who Is not
opposed to the liquor traffic. The
league must be as explicit as the liquor
forces are on this point, and sound
the candidate as they sound him, and
in case an unfavorable reply - re-
ceived or no reply, come square out
against him and for the other fellow.
The league should not and Its con-
tributors demand 1t must not hereafter
by organization or by its members in
my large numbers deceive at the ball
lot box the honest prohibition
lists that are contributing to
It's support. am ready to pledge 500
each year to the league when it takes
this stand and pay the same the day
after the votes are counted, providing
the votes demonstrate that known
liquor candidates have been cut by
three quarters Of the league in the vot-
ing precinct. I am willing to allow 25
rer cent for unreliable men.
l see the necessity for the enforce
,nent of law by the league, since state,
county and town officials that have
sworn to do it have failed, but to put
up cash to run the league in it's en-
forcenent department. and have its
memhers again elect officials that will
not enforce law Is too long and big
job for me to engage in. I call it nom
nolitic. bad finance and in the end de-
feat Certainly there must be better
business management of the league.
If DR.. McCash is not the man to put
the League on as good winning grounds