Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-04-02
DO We Need "a TAird Party to De
JeI1d Temperance

This Is question which Is submitted
to the people OF AsiRe, by the course Of
some Of the leading temperance men Of
our State. Mr. I'VE. Chief of the State
Police un ,lxr the act OF 1867. Publishes in
the Riverside Eshs a long address "to
the temperance men. women and chill
drcn Of Maine charging John l.. Ste,
vens, senator tr1ln k,aneuec. with de-
featinC the C0nsiShu.aIy hiil in the Leg
iSlatUre. lie ssys THAI Gov. Chamber
lain had Neto already prepared for use
in case tine oil pass ii. and that tc,c-
grams were received from Maine Con-
gre ssmen advising that the bill be de-
feated. lie therefore urges the forma-
ton of 4 new party, composed wholly OF
temperance men. The Echo, which /,
the organ at the temperance men OF
Maine. in commenting c,itoriaiiv upon
the subject. remarked that IA new party
MAJ be necessity But al present We
fail 10 perceive what would he effected
by a third party that cannot as we'll be-
accomplished through existing parties. 80
This, we think, Is the most sensible
coarse. though We Sccord 10 Mr. Nve the
credit Of being an earnest and h1neSf
worker IN the cause-Somethmy which
cannot be said o. ali who make them
selves conspicuous a> temperance leaders.
If the temperance question cannot re
kept out Of politics. can It not be- more
surely promoted by working within the
two existing parties The leaders of the
Democratic party are generally NJ be
lievers in = temperance law ~ al They
are not necessarily hvpocri,ical, because
they oppose temperance legi,lation-thev
honestly believe in m unrestricted sale If
liquor Many. who are temperate in
their habits. are 50 liberal in their princi-
ciples rs 70 allow is free use bv ctbs->.
Nor is it 70 be denied that many within
the Republican party are of the same
mode Of thinking. Still. we believe that
a large. predominatiag part Of the Re
publican party ere temperance men, rs
we believe they are Intelligent. good eti-
zens. But It is impossible TO make q
test Of such nature within party, or
build up party distinctively upon this
question.
Suppose i, Is attempted. Ii would be
felt principally in the Representative
districts As the pl1rally vote elects a
few voters in many districts, dissatisfied
with the Republican nomination, might
nominate third man. and draw OF
vote enough to secure "a Democratic tri-
umph, aud i, would .a,.Ae no difference
to some impracticable men if the Demo
crat should be less sound on the question
than the Republican. Would such a
course he wise. cr practicable Could
not the temperance men make their in
fuenee felt much stronger. and accom-
plish more by conining their efforts T.
the nominating caueUSeS. or primary
meetings. We think this Is their arena
or proper field for woya, and We heartily
invite them to enter il. While they hay,
no right to question mans Soundnes,
GA Republican principles. generally. be
cause he il more liberal than they, OIL
temperance, they have perfect right t,
express their preferences, in making tn,
nominations.
National parties cannot be organized
on strictly moral or religious bases-tha
Is. u promote, specifically, any moral oil
religious question. The Constitution o
the United States provides that icon
gress shall make no Law respecting al
establishment OF religion" and GU
State Constitution provides ''that no re
ligious ties; shall be required Is q qualiti
eatieR for any office or trust, under tn
State the two great parties OF tn
country compose mea OF ali the variou
religious views Known - society, an'
were this not 50. We should be rent int
f;etiSQs Of the most despAable nature
Moss men look to other agencies TO pro
mote their religious or moral issues thar
politics. They do not. by this, declar,
that politics is superior to religion o
morals. but rather that, in the natural OF
deF and fitness of things, each has its pc