Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-07-04
Whisky and Demacracr.

Why is it that so many Dem cratic politicians
are afraid to endorse temperance Why Is it
that Democracy and drunkenness are so gener-
ally associated? Go where you will and three
ont Of five Democrats are afraid to be known as
emperance men, as l. il were disgrace to be
man and a crime to discnuntenance the cause
of niue-teuths Of the misery and three-fouTths o
local taxation now cursiug this country. The
Democratic politician who is up for Office flies
from rumhoe to grog-shop, from saloon to
sample-room, tn rally the Democracy. Public
meetings are held in whisky shops, and the
very man who urges reform from Republican
corruption, spends for whisky the last dollar he
eIn borrow, and goes home drunk or sees hi'
audience in that condition. Hundreds Of times
hayswe been severely denounced for defending
the cause OF temperance, on the ground that
with ut the whisky vote, Democracy is dead
duck.
So il i5 that Democrats wallow in the mre
when they might walk on the trottair. They
seek the support Of the depraved and Of those
whose diseased appetites war upon the body and
demoralze the intellect, thinking more of a
whisky bottle than of a book or of brains. ln-
- nee tue city of New York. Not Democrat 2
neritici 10 in the city dare put himself on the
record as a temperance man. To d1 so is t.
los, the support of the eight thousand and six
hlnirsl grog-shops in this city. Not a Demp-
cratic politician in this city dare circulate a
D.m pcratjc paper whose columns plead for
temperance, sIbriety lnl morality, lest the vote
OF the thiei, the bully the rep, ,tter, the drank
en- lolfer an dis !rIcel humanity b. lost 20 the
party before the pl,r drunkard is lost to life.
=. Democrats are to blame for the abuse they
have cal'el upon themselves. There is duty
to society, TO humanity, to the widow, the or
phan and tho taxpayer the mare Democratic
n, itieian loses sight Of. There is a broadol
platforn than the space between the door OF .
saloon and the bar, or between the home of the
drunkard aud the State Prison or pauper''
grave, Because there is an element OF human
ity whose intelligence is rottng in the sums o
large cities to b. easily operated on by the mon
sy of the politician expended in liquor, tn inter
esls of the party must not be placed in Jeopardy
n, matter what reputation comes 70 good prin.
ciple The drunkard thinks only of whisky
M, votes foe stha alice Seeker who feeds his
fsry appetite. The Large majority o. Demo
cratic editors, orators and leaders who have foI
the past twenty years attempted tn control the
pubiic, have relied more upon hisky than prin-
tinIe. Mark the result. Dem Gratis have diitied
their own nest. ltis not the business Of De-
mocracy to cater to an appetite, foster creed
ar embrace a degradation, anPuntl men who
make Democratic platforms rise To a higher
plane, take higher grounds, aud appeal to bet
Ter natures rather than lopser passions the et'
Ter elem snt of spciety that which has ths N -
life and lnngeN its, will, IN obedience to an in
stiuct (ayoring that which is better, be found al
prnyer anI at the polls arrdyed against Drmnc
Taey. not because it Is Democracy, but bee use
of ,hs low degrading evils il does not cut loose
from lest heavy vote he lost.
The m ,dicine ha cures disease must be pure
The principle that meIlnws mindstp its endorse
n.nt mnst be one that builds up the mini rath-
or than debAses il. When Democrats will call
voters from the grog-Jhop tI the Schl0l house,
from the den of di1Siplton 10 the church, from
the gntter TO the field Of labor, then will peo
nle whose instincts are good, rush t. that which
Is natural politieal pnncipe, In this or anv
land dedicated to liberty. The aim OF the Re
nnblican party was morally higher than has
hen that Of .he Democratic party for years
Jts first fights were won IN the vicinity of
Churches aud Just over the way from The sa
lnon ami house of dissipation. So long as the
Rspubiean platform rested on m ril ilea, ,
b,ted upon humane sentiment, il drew Ia its
snnDort a sympltheuc element the leader. of
Democracy had not the bravery o. the high
mnral courage to bid for. Withaui growing
abundance Of this home bappifying element
and A sentiment above the mere desire for polit-
lea, 1ower or personal gain, M patty can stem
The ehrrant Of progression or array itself
-, in 4 the erm o tn b 'autiful. ate YEA 5
tha ReDublie 40 party has come N rally more a
th, elink of glasses than the sound of the hight
hanging bell. The senlinels Of morality have
lei In an element tha, has at last s0wn death
broadcast. N.w is the time for Democrats to
take a step forward away from the gutter nau-
enee and toward purer moral atmosphere
than either party now epjoys.- Pss,eros. Den.