Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-02-16
From the Burlington Free Press.
Political Temperance.

We notice that the State Temperance
Convention of Maine, though it paid little
attention to some of the matters which en-
crossed the General Temperance Conven-
ton of Vermont, found time and space to
heartily iudorse the recommendation of
the Congressional Temperance Society,
asking that the friends of temperance
throughout the country unite in a gen
eral and systematic effort to consecrate
the 22d eff February to the temperance
work, by holding public temperance
meetings, for the purpose of awakening the
hearts and consciences of the people. We
do not know that we should have ad-
vised the managers of our State Conven-
tion to add a Seventeenth resolution upon
this point; for as general thing we
think sixteen are resolutions enough F.;
but it occurs to us, that one or two of the
resolutions occupied with the introduce
ton of such fire-brands as recommends
tions of State police and political or
ganization, might possibly have been de-
voted to a similar endorsement with good
effect. But this would not have suited
some of the managers. 1t is undeniable
that with some of them, the accomplish
ment of political organization was the
main object of their gathering. There
are men--as we have had occasion TO say
beforehand among the most active in the
temperance movement in this State, who
disclose Enthusiastically their purpose to get
up temperance party in Vermont, if they
can. Temperance to them is simply a hob.
by. on which they hope then can ride
into offices which they are bright enough
to see they have no chance of securing in
any oJher way. II not wholly selfish in
their zeal, they at least exhibit the mingl-
ing of carnal interests with moral duties,
shown by delegate to the convention,
who distributed circulars among the
members, announcing that the time was
at hand when the people would withhold
their votes for all candidates not in favor
of Temperance and Woman Suffrage"
exhorting all to let their light shine, and
closing with the words: "Dry goods
cheap at-,"-the place we have
filed with dash being occupied with his
own name
We have good reason to believe that
the State police bill was urged by some of
its main supporters, at the last session,
with the distinct design that its certain
rejection should be made the occasion for
the organization of polical temperance
party. The scheme next cropped out in
the Good Templars State Convention, and,
knocked on the head there, it appears
again in the useless and abortive provis-
ional political organization, instituted at
the convent ion in this city last week.
Now this is free country, and these
uneasy gentlemen have perfect right to
occupy themselves in this way, if they
choose. We call attention to their pur.
pose, certainly not because it is of any
particular consequence, SO far as any dis
turbance of the existing relations of par
ties in our State is concerned. The re-
cent similar experiments in Maine,
Massachusetts and New Hampshire, show
that a temperance party outside of
the republican party which has always,
in New England at least, been the party
of temperanc and good order, can accom-
plish nothing in the way of division of
the existing parties, 1t can perhaps en-
courage the democrats to renewed efforts
in hopes of disorganjzation in republi-
can ranks; but when the votes are count.
ed, it becomes plain that the masses of
sensible temperance men do not believe
the cause of temperance is to be helped
by making political issue upon it. But
we must express our sincere sorrew that
a good cause, now reviving hopefully in
many parts of the land, should be preju-
diced and weakened by such supporters.
Surely there is work enough to be done,
in lines of effort on which all good men
can agree.