Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-03-31
THE TEMPERANCE ISSUE.

In new of the general desire to test
the strength of the practical temperance
sentiment of this community at the To-
cal elections this Spring the Republi-
cans, who have large majority in the
and township, have waived
all party nominations. Whether this is
wise or not we shall not undertake TO say,
further than that we believe a straight
Republican ticket could have been
nominated which would have been as
good temperance ticket as any that
could have been selected and would
have stood as good a chance Of success.
This being the case the Republicans
have sacrificed more than any other
party could sacrifice for the temperance
cause. They have, for the time being,
laid aside their party organization in
town and township where they have a
clear majority, in order that we might
have a square temperance issue. Not
only so, but as individuals they have ex-
hausted every means of securing the har-
mony and unison of all who profess to
be temperance men in support of a tenn
perance platform and ticket. If there
is division among the friends of temper
ance the fault is not with the Repubi-
cans. IF the temperance ticket is de-
feated, the responsibility will not be
theirs. It will rest with those who, un-
like them, care more for their par
ty organization and platform than they
do for the temperance cause, and who
are now as a party organization arrayed
in opposition to a temperance platform
and a temperance ticket, both of which
they have had an equal voice in making.
And this is exactly the attitude OF the
Prohibition organization as such. It
stands arrayed against the temperance
cause in as plain an issue as could pos
sibly be made. At meeting held on
Monday evening last, it resolved not to
support the nominees of the convention
called at its own instance and formed a
straight Prohibition ticket for both cor
poration and township officers. Rather
than give up its party organization it re-
fuses to support ticket which gives it
more than its share of the nominees. It
prefers to make war upon the Republican
party rather than make it upon the whisky
traffic. 1t lends its aid and influence to
the friends of that traffic instead of lend
ing them to the friends of temperance. It
prefers faction to cooperation discord
and contention to harmony and peace.
While protesting to love the temperance
cause above every other, it refuses to
make even the smallest concession to
promote its interests.
People may call this honesty but we
have another name for it. People who
are honest and sincere are generally
reasonable. Extreme obstinacy is in
nine cases out of ten the cousin-german
to spite.
The election next Monday will be
test not only of the strength of the prac-
teal temperance sentiment of this com |
munity but OF the sincerity of temper
ance professions. There is no evading
the issue, particularly in the election of |
Councilmen and Justice. These, it is
true, are the only officers who have any
thing to do with the enactment or en-
forcement Of ordinances orlaws relating
to the whisky traffic. There being no
temperance interest concerned in the
election of the Township officers other
than Justice we presume voters will be
governed with respect to them mostly by |
their party or personal Affiliations. They |
may do so without comr romising any |
interest. Bet not so as
% the Councilmen and 5tice These
officers respectively make and ex-
scute laws upon which the good or
der of the community depends. If we
nave a city ordinance calculated to re-
luce intemperance in our midst the
City Council must pass it. And right
lere we call attention to the fact that
he citizens temperance candidates for
~ouncilmen were nominated by a meet
ing at which the following was adopted
HeSoeVea, as the sense If this meet
ng and ITS nominees thai. ..t. are in favt ?
Of strict enforcement =, the 1,res.
laws of Ohio md the mas