Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-09-24
County Ticket.
The Temperance Issues and the
Duty Of Temperance Men.

THOMAS GARRETT.
The Temperance Issues and the
Duty Of Temperance Men.
AS usual, two parties confront each
other in the county; each has its his
tory, each has its destiny, each has put
itself before the people and ask their
suffrages. How stands the vital issue
in Belmont County with the two par
ties? Hitherto, political differences,
involving sometimes no moral respon-
sibility has separated the parties and
on these questions Of political economy
to a great extent have the campaigns
been fought. The grand moral revolu-
ton which has recently agitated our
State has left its impression every
where. Not alone to the saloon keep
er and to his devotees has the great
temperance crusade brought impor-
tant changes and salutory reform. We
ask Of every fair minded Prohibition
ist candid consideration of the issue as
now presented by the political parties
seeking supremacy in our County and
state. Never before in the history OF
Ohio politics was there such an oppor-
tune moment as the present, for the
friends of temperance to strike for God
and liberty, as now. 1t is fact that in nc
State in the Union has the Temperance
question been fought to a successful
issue on its own merits. In the New
England States where prohibitory
clause has prevailed it was not as re.
suit of q fight by Temperance party
per Sc; but in the moral progress o.
things, the Republican majorities in
Massachusetts, Maine, ETC., engrafted
the Temperance plank on its platform
and it prevailed. Thus was the Maine
law carried in Maine, and the 'Prohi-
bition' in the old Bay State. We re-
peat, for here lies the point of our argu-
rnent, these grand results were not ac-
compIished through the agency of a
Prohibition party organization as such
but the friends of Prohibition in
those States and elsewhere Joined forces
with the Republican party, and through
it accomplished success. If this be
true, and it cannot be controverted, we
ask the true friends of Temperance in
Belmont County, men whose honesty
and zeal we only would commend to
look at the condition of things in our
County, as they actually exist to-day,
on the important question that lies 50
closely to your hearts, and that con-
Germs every good citizen. We ask do
you expect your Prohibition ticket to
succeed this fall? Surely you do not
no one does. If it don't succeed what
then do you expect to accomplish by
voting that ticket? We anticipate
your reply-"to show our strength and
preserve our organization" numbers
have told us. But does this, we conf
IDENTIFY ask bring the cause of temper
anes reform any substantial good? sure
ly not. The Republican rarty of Ohio
has enunciated its position on this
question openly, manfully and in good
filth in the following plank in the State
platform.
Resolved, That the restraint of in.
temperance ard its causes to the full
extent of the legislative, judicial, and
p,lice powers of the State, and the for
feiture of public Il ust for intoxication,
are demanded by the moral and mute
risl welfare of society and the State"
The Democratic plank in its State
Platform on this subject reads
RESOLVED, That we favor the submis
sion to the people, by The General AS,
Assembly, of an amendment to the
Constitution authorizingithe passage OF
license laws.
Thus stand the two parties on thi;
auestion-one or the other of them will
succeed in Belmont County and the
State. We submit without the ghost
of a chance of success for the Prohibi-
tion ticket, and in view of the adj
vsnced position the Republican party
has taken-is it not the bounden duty
of every Jealous Prohibitiunist without
regard to past party differences to cast
his vote "where it will do the most
guod"-for the Republican ticket. A
vote cast by any man earnestly desir.
ing temperance success is vote to call
back from the skirmish line the EN-.
battled hosts of the great Temperance
pledged Republican party of Belmont
County and Ohio. We ask you tenn
perance men, Republicans especially
is it not an insult to your sense of man
hood, in the light of recent events, t6
have thrust in your face the license
plank OF the Democratic platform? i
the Republican party is defeated thi.
fall it will crush out every honest en-
deavor on the part of this great party
to keep on the car of temperance re-
form in our State and the cause will re-
ceive such check as will send it stag
gering for years, The defeat of the Re.
publican party this fall and the defeat
with it Of the only hope for substantial
Temrerance reform ia the State will
infiict such an injury as will require q
quarter century to erase. The friends
of Temperance in Cincinnati, in coun
Gil. have heartily endorsed the Repub
llcar, party for its advanced step onthis
question and have urged the friends Of