The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-10-02

terest In the first concern OF goo(
government" to pass such bill. WI
call upon all true friends OF temper
ance to help US in this movement
toward the right solution of the liquor
question In Idaho.
EMMETT d. NICHOLS,
Boise, Idaho, Sept. Is, 1908.
PLATFORM OF THE PROHIBITION
| PARTY OF THE STATE
OF IDAHO.
Congress passed a law, so amending
the interstate commerce laws, that IL
quor shipped into a prohibition state
could be seized by the officials and
confiscated. The supreme court of
the nation annulled that law by in
terpreting it to mean that it could be
seized, not until it got into the hands
of the consignee, usually an illegal
rumseller
This misinterpretation of the law
makes it impossible to fully and COM
pletely enforce prohibition. A law
less character in a prohibition state
pays the federal government a tax Of
SIS, gets his receipt, which is prac-
tically license, and then sends for
liquor outside the state. 1t is sent
him in original packages, and no
authority has any right to touch 1t
until after it gets into his possession,
and once getting it, he hides it away
In some dark cellar and peddles it out
to his customers. This is showing no
respect for the sovereignty of the
state on the part of the federal gov
eminent. To a great extent it nulli-
fies the state laws on the liquor ques-
ton. Prohibitionists are charged
with not being able to completely en-
force prohibition laws, when as a
matter of fact, they have never had
a fair chance to do it, on account of
their interference of the federal gov
eminent, and the United States Su-
preme Court annulling the law men
toned, amending the interstate com
merce laws, the Prohibitionists liken
this decision to the bred Scott deci-
sion on the slavery question. For
ten years the friends of temperance
have been trying to get law passed
in congress that will give the au-
thorities in prohibition territory the
right to seize liquor in original
packages upon it's arrival within
the boundary of the state, and be-
fore its delivery to the consignee. Joe
Cannon, the speaker Of the House, is
charged with having kept his bill
from being voted on by the Repre-
in congress. With the ex-
PLANTATION the reader can better un-
derstand the platform of the Prohi-
bition party. 1t reads as follows.
Prohibition Platform.
We, the Prohibitionists of the state
Of Idaho, in convention assembled at |
Pierce park this second day of Sep
TENDER, A. D. 1908, looking to God |
for guidance, and thanking Him for
the many victories won for the home |
and against the saloon in different |
parts of our land the past year,
! Resolve-That the liquor traffic
being destructive of the public NOR
Ills, the public health, and the public
safety, it is, therefore, clearly and
forbidden, not only by
the laws of God, but by the federal
Said drink traffic being
inherently immoral and unlawful, the
legislature cannot license it, neither
IAN it be made legal by a majority
vote of the people. In the words of
he United States supreme court,
No legislature can bargain away the
public health and the public morals;
he people themselves cannot do it,
much less their servants" Thus
stating our position on this, the all
describing question, and dominant is
Tue Of the day, we pledge the peo-
lie of Idaho that in the event of the
triumph of our party in the executive,
judicial and legislative departments
If the mechanism of our common
wealth, we will forthwith declare all
liquor license laws to be unconstitu-
ional, null and void; and pass laws
the manufacture, expor-
alton, importation and sale of alco-
lolic beverages in this commonwealth
Ind providing penalty for the vio-
alton of the same, and use all the
covers of the state government for
heir enforcement. i
Idaho Laws Unconstitutional.
II-That as article 3. section "a.
If the constitution OF the state sets
orth. that, The legislature should
urther all wise and well-directed ef-
orts for the promotion Of temper
nee and morality" and the United