Milford chronicle., 1928-06-29
SOME FACTORS IN THE
9 PROHIBITION CONFLICT

sue, the campaign of 1923 will be
fought out on other issues, and as
loyal Republicans and Democrats
we would honestly divide the work
and vote for our own party nominee.
AS a Democrat, honestly and ear
nestly desiring the honorable sue
cess of the Democratic party, shall
be exceedinly glad if the Houston
Democratic convention shall take
such action as will make it possible
to fight the approaching campaign
on the issue of privilege and cor
ruption." This can be made The is
sue by the Houston convention and
the battle be fought fairly, and as
good Democrat / would hope sue
cessfully, for the Democratic party
on that issue. But to do this there
must be not only a clear-cut plat
form declaration pledging the NOM
inees of the party to vigorous, eff
cient enforcement of the prohibition
laws, but this must be followed by
the nomination of a candidate to
stand on that platform whose utter
ances, acts and records shall be as
dry as the plank adopted. If, how
ever, the Houston convention should
nominate to stand on that dry plank
any man whose utterances, acts, or
record have branded him as unsym-
pathetic with, or as hostile to the
prohibition law, any man whose only
hope of election is based on the fact
that owing to his wet record he will
receive votes of enough wet Republi-
cans to secure the electoral votes of
enough northern and eastern states
which if combined with the votes of
dry southern states would elect him
to the presidency, if such dry plat
form and such wet candidate should
be the product of the Houston con-
vention, then the greatest issue OF
the campaign would not, could not,
be privilege and corruption" as
Democrats, including myself, might
desire, but despite all that could be
done or said, the issue would be not
simply prohibition" not simply
''wet" or 'dry," but it would be the
of moral conviction ana
principle as against desire for par
tisan, political victory and the spolls
of office.
How could the Democratic party
make privilege and corruption the
great issue in a campaign in which
the dry element in the party would
be called upon to sell its very soul
by agreeing to support and help
elect any man whose only hope for
election would be that his personal
as well as his official record would
be so wet that it would secure the
votes of the Republicans in doubtful
states? The Scriptures positively
forbid the working together of an OK
and an ass.
Finally. all friends of sobriety,
social betterment and good govern
nent. Republicans and Democrats,
must let it be fully understood that
hey will unite actively to oppose
he nomination or election to public
office of any candidate who is not
positively and openly committed 10
! policy of vigorous, effective en-
of the prohibition law Dy
his utterances, acts, and RECORDS;
or the strongest prohibition law en-
plank would be neutralz.
ID, would be practically worthless II
is adoption by any convention
hould be followed by the nomlna-
ion What same convention OF can
idates whose utterances, acts, or
ecords had branded them as per-
onally hostile to prohibition or as
to operate actively to Sc
ure the effective enforcement OF the
aw.
Drv Southern Democrats do not
,elieve prohibition is the only i'm
,ortant issue involved in the ap-
political campaign. But
he opponents of the prohibition law
ave openly challenged the value
nd the permanence of the Elgh-
eenth Amendment, have banded
themselves together not only IN TINS
ountrv. but throughout the world;
ave boldly faunted in the public
ress the names of a number OF
yealthy citizens who have combined
n an effort to secure the repeal OF
he law. The election of a wet man
Or the Presidency at this time
rould immeasurably strengthen the
dvocates of the liquor traffic and
reaken the hands of the friends OF
throughout the world
nd make far more difficult the work
f all those who are trying to bring
l the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus
hrist. In such a conflict we are no
niger Republicans or Democrats,
-e are representatives Of a part OF
le moral and religious forces of our
ountry. We must hereby pledge
urselves to united effort for the OBJ
ervance and the maintenance in
impaired of the greatest piece of So
Ial legislation ever adopted by any
ge in any country, which we and
and mothers labored SO
arnestly and fought so persistently
, secure.