Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-08-29
BARNEsvfIIldE. q. lAug. 23d. ~. !

- - a hssrCBI. CAN.
i@ BARNEsv1IdE, o., Aug. 29d, '72.
EDIToR CHRoNIcLE-Deu Sia;-I
notice in the CHRONICLE Of the 10Th, an
article from w. H. s., who wishes to
bring the Prohibition question up for
Investigation. In that communica-
ton I notice this statement: GA small
portion of our strong Temperance men
conceive in their minds that the only
way, to put down 'intemperance is to
organize a political party with only one
plank in the platform, namely, Prohi-
bition, and ask all temperance men to
biindly follow their political leader
ship.T Now is this true? i have no
doubt w. IS. thought so. But if he
had read the Prohibition platform upon
which the National Prohibition party
lis built, and the principles of which,
were endorsed by the Prohibition par
ty in Belmont County as well, IN. its or
ganization, he would have known bet
ter, Let him take up those princfpl one
b2one, Investigate them thorong nghly and
then say whether. he is asked to follow
q bind teadtrslisp, I think he viii find
the cherished principles SO far as they
are worthy at least, all embraced in
that platform, Prohibition Is q distinct
issue + grant, but so. have other parties
their distinct issue or issues, 1T , is
this which makes them to differ. SIT
is worse than folly to ask true friends
OF the cause TO go into an organization
IOf acknowledg ged weakness, and they
would show their lack OF political wis
dom by, SO doing.n But is Prohibition
.right?' If, so, then all true, friends of
the cause are Prohibitiopists in princi-
pie. Why then is the organization so
weak? Simply because true friends of
the cause do not vote their principles
on this question. All |! but they can Vots 3
their principles to better effect by
voting for temperance candidates of the
other parties! How? Both the other
parties have wholly ignored the tenn
perance question in their declarations
Of principles, at least so far as commit
ting themselves to any reform on this
question is concerned, IL believe the
National Republican Platform stands
declared against Prohibitory laws, and
Sunday laws. And yet, Wilson is an
out and out Prohibitionist, but stands
pledged to that platform. Suppose you
NOt6 lOI Hill 7pGCduSS u0 10 4 IOutu1-
ZIONIST; what have you got therefore, 2
A temperance man for himself but for
nobody else. tSee the Sixteenth Article
of that P Platform And SO with all the
rest,-you mav.in this way elect tenn
perance men to the most part, but they
are pledged to nothing, save that they
will not get drunk themselves. Besides
It must be considered that they have
been elected in part atfeast by the votes
of whisky men, and it is law OF sci ish
human nature, especially where there
is an aspiration for a second term of Of
flee, to consider well the elements by
which the emoluments are secured.
And it may reasonably be inferred that
whisky, which holds the balance, of
power In those parties will not be-
openly dared by men pledged to moth
ing. 1sHsLet all good ..emperancei men
join in petitionfng our Legislature to
submita Prohibitory LiGiior law, to the
special vote Of the people, and then
there may be some hope Of success.
Let all good importance men join a;
the polls to elect a Proni ibitoEy Legisla-
Eure and Prolibitory Fxecntioner, and
then there will be not only a hope of
success, but an pndeniable practical
certainty Of success. Which is the most
philosophical and the most certain as
Well? But the organization is so
weak. You and your neighbor, and
his neighbOr, &C., can make it st .onger.
A gentleman said the other day II
would like to vote that ticket, the par
fy is right, but they are so few they
have no hope of success,-I differ with
him. To vote q principle is always q
success It isa step toward the goal
which viii be reached at last. Al
moral reforms have begun In nume.-
lcaf weakness, but, prcied up into
recognition and importance, by, men
who dared to fight for principle though |
the masses were against them. Those
principles of truth coming down from
above, and appealing 10 the Fathershipt
Of God and the brotherhood of men, |
have always struggled through the L0'd
shado s:ofpopular disfayor Gutitito the |
sunshine OF heavenly, benediction and
human love; and now live, as wat',h- |
WORDS and rallying Giles on mems Itpsi
in personal sorrows and great struggles. |
The first anti-slavery me:l were few nii-
mel ically, but many Of the first agita-
tors of that question have lived to BEE
slavery dead. And so it will be with
this cause, nor be so lorg. Intempei-
anceis to-day a greater crime than ever
slavery was. Thi5k of its sixty thou
sahd annual dead, who fill dr1nkdrd's
giaves. Think 'ofthei three hundred
thousand vino bear the burden, bear
the curse, endure the shame, and are
yet themselves innocent sufferers of a
rhine not their own. Thihkdof thef
wasted fortunes, dismantled homes andf
broken hearts and hundred lives and