Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-01-31

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Gordon's plank No. calls for a
fair reapportionment as did the 1910
Prohibition platform in plank No. Is.
The Republican party platform Of
1910 pledged that party to the
passage Of an apportionment law, but
altho the Republican majority was
surely large enough, the "pledge" was
not kept. If Sam Gordon should be
elected governor and a majority of
his party should again be turned
loose in the legislative halls, how
much more shall we expect of an
other Republican legislature?
In his third plank, Mr.. Gordon de-
clares in favor of the initiative, the
referendum and the recall, which has
been a prominent plank: in the Pro-
hibition platform tor many years,
while no Republican party platform
II ever declared for these reforms.
Gordon's second plank favors a
direct statewide primary and also a
presidential preference primary.
which is very. much in accord with
the democratic principles and record
Of the Prohibition party, but which is
not at all popular with those who run
things in the Republican party.
So far, then Gordon's platform
agrees perfectly with the platforms
Of the Prohibition party and the rec
ord of Prohibitionists in Office. At
the same time, the plank ON rean-
portionment is the only one Of the
seven planks reviewed that agrees
with the Republican platform Of 1910
and then, as has been shown already,
a Republican legislature repudiated
the platform pledge on that point in
the last session. IF as president of
the Senate, with the power that
comes with the appointment Of COM
mittees, Mr.. Gordon couldn't get that
body to pass a reapportionment bill
how will he get those same senators
to pass one in the next session wher
he will be farther removed from then
in influence even if he should be
elected governor9
But from a Prohibition point Of
view, Gordon's last seven planks are
admirable. We couldn't have done
better ourselves. That part Of the
platform is splendid and the grea1
majority Of Prohibitionists in the
state Of Minnesota agree with Mr.
Gordon perfectly on those points
The wonder is that he runs for the
Republican nomination on Prohibi.
ton party platform. Why doesn'
he seek the nomination from party
that agrees with him instead Of from
a party whose past platforms ant
past record in power is distinctly
opposed to most of those things
When Gordon agrees with the Pro
hibitionists why doesn't he run as {
candidate for the Prohibition nomin
alton?
/. Mr.. Gordon's first plank will per
haps answer that question. In it h
: favors "the absolute prohibition O.
brewery ownership of saloons, tn
chief cause for the grossest evils O.
S the liquor traffic, and the chief sourc
= Of brewery domination in polite
and public affairs, which is at one
the most subtle, the most crude, tn
most sinister, and the most mischiev
r, Gus force in the public life Of thi
commonwealth" Those words seer
to spit defiance in the face Of brew
cry domination. The Prohibition
platform can't compare in scathin
terms and at first sight seems wea,
in comparison. This is something
It brace the backbone of the Republica
t temperance voter! A statement lik
S that ought to make the brewery sin
d right out of sight from very sham
: over being "shown up" as they real
= ly are. But then they are used t
d talk. They have heard such thing
g before, especially from the pulpit
e but the language Of the ballot bo
: has never been that way and that i
y the only kind that will make. ther
7. vince. Hard talk doesn't scare then
s.: But what does Gordon really mean
a viii he close any saloons? No. Al
e he means is that the brewery shout
S deed over the real estate and give
e Bill Of Sale Of the saloon property t
: the man who is running the saloo
for it. The only change will be il
n the real estate records at the cour
r. house. It is simply to be a chang
It Of title to the place, a change on pa
IL per, that's all, so don't be alarmed
S The booze barons are in no grea
It danger. Will this do away with O
e diminish the sale of beer by the brew
s err? Not in the least. Will privat
= owner try to do as little business a
e possible? Hardly. Will people re
It fuse to patronize the saloon becaus
d it is not owned by a brewery? Why
d if other things be equal, it seems tina
if people would rather patronize tn
e man who owns his business. Peopl
have little time for trusts and cor
i porations and private OWNERSHIP
| E.