Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-08-25


The Prohibition Party in National convention
assembled, at indianapolis, June 30, 1904, rccog-
nizng that the chief end of all government is
the establishment of those principles of right
eousncss and Justice that have been revealed to
men as the will of the Evcr-Living God, desiring
His blessing upon our national life, and believing
in the peipetuation of the high ideals of govern
mcnt of the people, by the people and for the
people, established by tho fathers makes the
following declaration of principles and pur-
poses:
1. The widely prevailing system OF the licens-
ed and lealized sl lie of alcoholic bevera es is so
ruinous Of individual interests, so inimical lo
public welfare, so destructive to national wealth.
and SO subversivc of the rights OF great masses of
our citizenship, that the destruction of the traffic
is, and has been, the most important question in
American politics.
/ ,. We dcnouncc the lack OF craftsmanship ex-
hibitcd by the leaders Of the Democratic and
Republican party in their refusal to recognize
the paramount Importance Of this question and
the cowardicc with which the leaders of these
parties have courted the favor of those whose
selfish interests are advanced by the continuation
and augmentation OF the traffic, until today the
influence Of the liquor traffic practically doml-
throughout the nation
3. We declare the truth, demonstrated by the
experience of half century, that all methods of
dealing with the liquor traffic which re cognize It's
right to exist, In any form, under any system of
license or tax or regulation, have proved power
less to remove IFS evils, and useless as checks
upon its growth, while the insignificant public
revenue which have accrued thercfrom have
scared the public conscience against recoeni-
ton of its niquity.
4. We Call public attention to the fact, proved
by the experience of more than fifty years, that
TO secure the enactment and enforcement of pro-
hibtory legislation, in which alone lies the hope
of the protection of the people from the liquor
traffic. 1t is necessary that the legislative, exccu
tive and judicial branches of the government
should be in the hands of n political party in har-
mony with the Prohibition principle, and pledged
to its embodiment in law and to the execution of
those laws
). We pledge tho Prohibition party wherever
given power by the sufrages of the people, to the
enactment and enforcement of laws prohibiting
and ahollshing the Manufacture, importation,
transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages.
6. We declare that there is not only no other
,ssuc of equal Importance before the American
people today, but that the socalled issues upon
which the Democratic and Republican parties
seek to divide the electorate of the country are,
ia large part, subteriugcs under the cover of
which they wranglc for the spoils Of Office
I. Recognizing that the intelligent voters of
the country may properly ask our attitude upon
other questions of public concern, we declare
ourselves in favor of:
The impartial enforcement of all law.
The safeguarding Of the peoples rights by a
rigid application of the principles of Justice to
all combinations of labor and capital.
The recognition of the fact that the right of
suffrage should depend upon the mental and
moral qualifications OF its citizens.
more intimate relation between the rooplc
and government by wise application of the
principles of the initiative and referendum.
Such changes in our laws as will place tariff
schedules in the hands of an omni-partizan com
| mission.
The application Of uniform laws for all oui
| country and dependencies.
The election of United States Senators by n
direct vote OF the people.
The extension and honest administration of the
| civil service laws.
The safeguarding OF the peoples every place
under the government of the people OF tIeUuite
States, in all the rights guaranteed by the laws
| and the constitution.
| International arbitration, and we declare that
| our nation should contribute in every manne,
consistent viii, national dignity to the establish.
| ment Of peace between all nations.
The reform OF our divorce laws, the final extir.
patton Of polygimy, ana the total overthrow OF
the present shameful system Of the illegal sane.
ton OF he social evil with is unspealable ira affif
IN girls by the authorities of almost all our cities