The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-08-23
bigger TEAM THE PARTY

Editor Leader.
Some men believe themselves 20 be
bigger than their party and that their
personal interests are more 10 be con.
sidered than the welfare OF their party
somotimes.by the accide'ts OF fortune.
they nnd themselves IN position 10
subject their party to their wishrsund
their party is crippled until 1t can re-
| gain It's feet and assert It's rights
! The Democratic party in the new
I state of Oklahoma is conspicuous
example OF success In escaping from
/ this kind of bondage Long before u
met at Oklahoma City, She prediction
was made that the Democratic con
vention to ratify the primary nonina-
tions and adopt q campaign platform
( would be compelled to swallow state
wide prohibition Tile moment the
convention assembled. however. Il
was apparent that weaker prediction
could not have been made. The rank
and h,a of the Democratic party the
men who are responsible for its vic
tories and rs principles. repudated
all attempts TO transform the Demo
/ cratic party Into the prohibition party.
Ariful pleas were made and much di-
plomacy used 10 threaten and caiolo
the delegates into relinGuishing the
control and management OF their party
Into the hands of the statewide pr0hi-
bliionists, but without success The
slogan was the Democratic party Tor
Democrats
Convinced that prohibition in any
form was moral and not a political
/ question. the Democratic party adopt
ed this plank on The subject Of state.
wide prohibition. The question Of
prohibition has been removed from
partisan politics and has been loft to
a vote OF the people. in accordance
with Sic principles Of the referen.
dun
The assertion has been made moat
ly by disappointed prohibitionists, that
the Democratic party straddled the
prohibition question. and lodged the IS
she This plank may have placed IN
dividuals in the position OF dedgmg
the issue but Il broke no pledge Of
the Democratic party. nor caused a to
depart from any of the cardinal doc.
triEes that have given strength for
decades to this great political organi-
zation This plank WAS directly IN line
with the teachings of Jefferson and
all Democratic partriots who have
come after him
Every Democrat IN the now state rs
left free TO vote on the question OF
prohibition as his conscience and his
intelligence dictate He can go TO the
polls without the Bride bits or self.
created dictators between his teeth.
He Will be able 10 vote for the Demo
cratic party. not for a mongrel com
binatiOn that In time would disrupt and
destroy the Democratic party had Il
succeeded IN fastening Itself upon the
Democratic organization at Oklahoma
! city
The managers Of the prohibition
campaign IN Oklahoma undoubtedly
will try 10 discipline the Democratic
party for not yielding TO SIS demands.
and probably win make oyertures to
the Republicans. playing fast and
looEe as IT'S interests are best con
served In other words. the policy
VIII be- do our bidding or got punish.
ed The Republicans, however learn
ga years ago the danger OF allyng ~.
self with the hokle advocates OF
prohibition combination. and accord.
ing TO its leaders will not be at home
when the statewide prohibitioniats
call
Throughout Oklahoma preparations
arc under way for the establishment
of the drug store Joint" 80 common
in prohibition Kansas IN Anticipation
Of the possible adoption og Ne state
wide prohibition ordinance In one of
the larger towns lately a man tool, q
longtime lease with The privilege nf
o tiyc.yenr renewal. on atorc.foom 10
. / Il
WAS extremely desirable Tor business
purposes. being convenient 20 hotels
and the shopping districts
"Wha DO You intend doing. running
80 Joint? the man was asked
Such 70 thought never entered my
mind he replied shall never en-
gage n tha liquor business Ny lease
is simply "a business Investment
know 10 dead certainty that no
sumltary law Of anY q can ahOi
ish the liquor traffic n the state of
Oklahoma Whru drIAu fgom the
saloon, tho business viii pass to the
drug store For joint PURPOSES the
Icons have ieased VIII be worth
several thousand dollars more than
fof tae ordinary business of a drug
htnrD My drug business is now
profitable NJ statewide prohibition
should prc~eu i will find no difficulty
in selling my drug business. aud get
ting q big bonus for my lease The
drug store Will he a joint paying no
! revenue % ,he town. county or state.
and doing a landonlcc business The
penalty would be only q misdemenor
not a year and a day in prison. a. in
Indian Tnrr0forv nnder federal law
and the profits will be big enough for
the drugstore iOinusf 10 pay his hnes