The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-09-07
CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED.

CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED.
ty was looked upon as the party which
favored the Whiskey and saloon inter-
ests. Democrats were looked upon
generally as favoring wide open poll
cies. This came about. no doubt. from
the fact that Democrats have always
been opponents of blue laws and
unnecessary restrictions upon the lib
critics of the individual. Whenever at
tempts We're made in the East to en-
force outgrown. Puritanical laws upon
large and growing cities. Democrats
opposed. The situation has changed
however. The liquor interests. instead
of merely looking for the protection of
property rights and the prohibition of
unpopular restrictions upon individual
liberties. have. like other interests that
special privileges. Now. Democrats
have always been opposed to special
privileges. and somehow the liquor in
terests in many large cities. leaving the
old Democratic party have sought the
Republican party as the only dispenser
of special privileges. The result is that
we find in very many of the large cities
of this country the saloon interests
closely allied with the Republican ma
chimes. In view of recent develop
ments there must be a revision of opin
ion about Democrats and whiskey
Most of us can remember when an
earnest but very unwise old Presby
terrain minister tried to elect James G
Blaine by charging Grover Cleveland
and the Democratic party with being
the representatives of rum, Romanisn,
and rebellion" We can remember how
the news of that speech flashed across
the wires on morning in November
| 1854. and how it is claimed by some
that enough supporters Of Blaine
changed their votes to Grover Cleve-
land tn elect the latter 1t is not a
| Iii'''tNI VI Pip'l W Mutlltl VI uOt
the senseless remark of the old min
| lister was or was not the cause of
Blaines defeat. 1t is enough to know
that ii formerly was the proper thing
to charge Democrats with being the
supporters of the rum" interests.
Kentucky is regarded as a pretty
good Democratic state. 1t is also a
state where they make good whiskey
and raise fine horses. yet in all but
a very few of the counties of thai
state absolute prohibition exists under
a local option law. Texas, it is well
known, produces mighty good Demo
Gratis to the tune of about 100000 ma
| jority on the national election day
yet prohibition exists very generally
throughout Texas. Tennessee always
gives its vote to the Democratic candi-
date for president. but it has state pro
hibition. Georgia never goes to the
trouble of nominating anything but
a Democratic ticket and its Legislature
has Just passed a prohibition law. Nc
Republican has openly expressed him
self on a political question in South
Carolina and yet great restrictions
exist in that state upon the liquor traf
t1c. In Ohio at the last election. {
leading Methodist and prohibitionis
in practice. was elected on the Demo
cratic ticket governor of the state O.
Ohio on a platform declaring for loca
option. He was elected against The
combined strength Of the Republican
machine and the liquor interests O
that state. In Chicago last spring
Edward F. Dunno, a Catholic mayo
who insisted upon the saloons obeyint
the laws, was defeated by the presen
mayor who was nominated by tn.
Republican party and supported b,
those who We're in favor of a wide
open town, and Chicago is today get
ting what she voted for. A short Will,
ago, the Irish American. nemocrati,
Governor of North Dakota renewed hi:
campaign against blind pigs" tina
have infested the state of North Da
kota ever since its prohibition law wa.
enacted. And only the first Of ths
present week, the Swedish American
Governor of the state of Minnesota
elected on the Democratic ticket, called
the attention of different sheriffs in tn,
state to the fact that they were ne.
glecting their duty in not arrestine