St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-01-23
The True Basis of Temperance Politi-
cal Action.

Good citizenship now demands that
every man and woman he total alb
staner from all alcoholic drinks and an
out>poken advocate of Temperance.
The sentiment should be embodied in
the laws of every county, consequent
ly. persons deficient of such qualities
should not lie elected law makers OF adj
miniSiIItorS of law.
By the operation of politics such de
ticient persons do get such offices 10y
the same means such can be kept out,
and temperance persons put III. While
temperance does not qualify, intemper-
ance disqualilieS Il person from being Il
good lawn maker or administrator.
Intemperance is vice, Temperance is
virtue. and us legal enactments, when
wrong. encourage vice, So they can he
made to encourage virtue and aid the
suppression of vice. BY law the i'm
portation. manufacture and sale of in
toxicating drinks should he entirely
suppressed. b, law the children and
youth i'll the public schools should l.,
taught their nature and destructive eff
frcts when taken into the stomach.
Politics are carried on by parties
We have but two great national par
ties. Democrat and Republican,. All
great ISSUES except temperance are tax
en- up 10y them atfirmativcly OF mega
lively. G>urping leaders in the Demo
cratic party almost succeed in commit
ting that party to the negative side, ui
Temperance and Prohibition. and tn,
grabbcr> after the emolumcnt> of office
almost do as much for the Republican
party. Temperance can he and must
Ice forced upon both of them. rs the
paramount issue. Its adhcrentS are III
both the parties numerous enough tu
do it. We must not wait To see whcth
CT "cNiSting parties will endorse the
legislative policy of prohibition and
nominate candidates pledged to it,
support: otherwise organize separate
party action. (SduutOJd RcSOlutionD We
must he ahead of them. not 10y pussy
ing around and rs Il last resort start ull
Il third candidate. and out of the fly
ing pan into the tire. We must make
every election IL boiling cauldron. Ev-
cry temperance voter should he rs
much stimulated to go To the polls ~
the customary mp stimulates the enc
my. No voter can bc bound ~ to how
he shall use his political franchise: hc
has no right to even bind himself bat
every lodge, division. tent. society and
church ought to hr provided with posi-
tive political work. They ought /" h,.
required To elect delegates whose duty
II should he to organize themselves in
Ia Il drpUtatlon to attend every caucus
of amy national party. t" Influence it,.
II possible, to nominate only temper
ancc persons foI its candidates. and if
necessary. t" >upplmt the names of
those of the same party VIII" are: and
To print and circulate the ballots with
funds furnished the delegation tor the
purpose.
We want machinery that has Il snap
To ii and that bids far To accomplish the
object. \ third party don't do it; it
draws from friendly forces and makes
the party not friendly comparatively
stranger.
Liquor dealers and their >ympathiz-
"r> don't get mp third parties nr cXpemd
all their energies getting up conven-
tiou> and passing resolutions they en-
plny machinery similar to that here
proposed and furnish money literally
to set it running. Let us hc equally
alert and with God and right ON our
side will certainly win.