The Portland daily press., 1875-08-12
Maine Republicanism and Prohibition.

published in Boston, and which il nsed as an
organ of communication between the Grand
Lodge of Good Templars of Maine and its
recently contained articles
criticsing the temperance record of the Re.
publican party of Maine. showing the most
objectionable ignorance on the part of its edi-
tor with regard to the political history of Maine.
Major Fl. A. Shorey, the chief executive
officer of the Good Templars of Maine has
addressed communication to the editor Of the
Album in reply to some of the utterances of
that paper, which we commend TO the atten-
tion of every Maine temperance voter who
has any doubt as to which is the temperance
party in Maine. Tho following is the article
in question, which we copy from the Temper
anoe Album of August 1:
To the Editor of the Temperance Album:
L have been deeply grieved of late to notice
the attacks made by your paper upon the Re-
publican party of Maine-the party to which
the temperance people of Maine are indebted
for the consistent support in the past Of the
benehcent system OF prohibit0ry laws which
has so long been upon our statute books, and
which has given Maine the proud eminence
she has occupied among her sister states, and
on the other side of the water as well, as the
pioneer in the temperance reform-a party
and championing the principle of prohibition,
the moment that principle is attacked by the
gubernatoral candidate of the opposing partyi
And inasmuch as the Good Templars of Maine
are in some sense responsible for your utter
ances, deem it proper to enter, on their be-
half,amy earnest protest against the position
you have taken in your editorial columns. We
cannot afford to be so grossly misrepresented
by our "official organ"
1 have not your article at hand. and am there
unahln N DOiDt oil ito inoc raciaa
Indeed, there is no need of this, as every tenn
perance man who is at all conversant with the
political history of Maine will readily discover
its errors. To the general and sweeping charge
or insinuation that the Republican party of
Maine is untrue to prohibition 1 will confine
myself; and perhaps l cannot more clearly
bring the point to the attention of your read
ers than by briefly stating the relative position
of the two parties and their candidates upon
the question of prohibition.
The Republican State Convention, which
nominated Gen. Selden Conuor as its candi-
date for governor, emphatcally declared In its
resolutions that Temperance among the people
may be wisely promoted by prohibitory legisa-
tion:" and in bis speech of acceptance, Gen.
Connor said, referring to the issues peculiarly
relating to the state:
'.The maintenance Of the high standing of the
credit of the state the promotion of the development
Of its agricultural and nsnufaeturng resources; the
law Of the sale of intoxicating liquors, and the en-
forcement OF that law; the equitable adjustment of
the burden Of taxation, and the tightening Of that
burden to the fullest EXTENT and, In ALL the exercise
of rigid economy that admits Of outlay for pur
poses OF doubtful utility and demands full equiva-
Republican party Of Maine has had steadily in yiew
| the pervading principles of its common laws, and
they all have the hearty support OF my conviction and
my sympathy" ---f-.. fr-r
On the other hand, the Democratic party,
| which in this state, has always opposed the
prohibtOry system and whose papers openly
advocate the repeal of that system, in its plat
| form was entirely silent upon the question of
| prohibition or license; but its gubernatorial
| candidate, Gen. Roberts, in accepting the Dom-
| ination, thus clearly defned his party creed so
| far as the Maine liquor law is concerned:
| "And here, lest l might be misquoted, would
say that the prohibitory liquor law, that bone Of
contention so long upon our state books never IA
vored, never SHALL believe 1t to be re SoluIionary
in spirit, clog to the wheels OF business demoraz-
anee @ which It rrociaims to advance; and while shall
openly oppose ii, shall more openly and zealously
advocate snch measures in this regard as am con-
vinced will the better and more substantially CEN
duce to the prosperity of our state and the general
/ welfare Of its citizens"
| Here, then, as clear as the noon.day sun, we
see how the two parties in Maine stand With
| regard to prohibition; the Republican party, by
its platform as well as its candidate, squarely
endorsing it; and the Democratic party, dodg-
ing the issue in its platform, and declaring, by
its candidate, that prohibition is revolutionary
in spirit, clog to the wheels of business" etc.,
/ and that he land his party he might add "nev-
| er favored it, aud never shall. s"oi
| IT anything more were needed, might point
/ you to the past record of the two parties, TO
show that the Republican party has consistent
/ ly maintained its pfohibitOry record for many
years, having repeatedly given us as governor
| what may be termed as radical temperance
men, and despite opposition from within and
| without, has consistently sustained and en-
forced as rigid prohibtory code of laws as our
| most advanced temperance men have deemed II
/ iudicious to ask for. On the other hand, the
Democracy of Maine have as persistently op.
posed our principles, and have refrained from
| substituting Lcence Law therefore, as has
been done in your state :, simply because they
have not been able to obtain majority in ouI
| Legislative halsl
| And yet, in the face of these facts, the off,
cial organ of the Prohibitonsts of Maine in
| sinuates that the Republican party has nc
claim to the support of Temperance men
which the Democracy does not possess! Com
| ment is unnecessary. The facts have giveI
conclusi7ely show the absurdity OF your rea
ksoning. ,-.-.Is- t.-esf
I 1t may be urged that Gen. Roberts may bt
"as good temperance man as Gen. COnnor. "
which I am ready TO admit; and yet the record
will show very clearly that he Is not as good
a Prohibitionist, since the latter boldly de-
clares in favor of that principle, while the
former as boldly declares his uncOmpromisinG
hostility thereto $50
| PardOn me IL make anOtner point, Sncl
your utterances have compelled me to discuss
this question in manner which may appear
to many of our friends:as somewhat partisan
With questions of mere party politics, or the
policies of parties, the Order of Good Temp.
lars, as such, has nothing to do, and should
deprecate this discussion very deeply were II
not for the fact that the issue raised by Gen
Roberts, in denouncing the prohibitory system
| stIkes at one of the fundamental principles
of Good TemplarIsm. Our Declaration oi
Principles declares: 1-d L1re
'sNo license, in any form, Or under any circum
stances. for the sale of liquor. to be used bever
| age" And the absolute prohibition OF the manu-
facture importation and sale Of Intoxicating liquor
for such by the will OF the peo
ple expressed In due form of law with the penalties
deserved for crime Of such enormity."
Every Good Templar who takes the obliga
ton of the Order, subscribes to the decla ratiol
above quoted, and is Prohibtionist; indeed
this is now the creed of Good Templars th
world over. And yet, here in Maine. the birth
place of Prohibition, we have the alarming
| spectacle of Gen. Roberts, the standard beare
of great party, declaring uncompromisins
hostility to this principle, and denouncing 1t a
revolutionary in spirit" etc; and the pres
of his party very generally endorsing these sen
timents. The party of which Gen. Connor d
| the standard. bearer, occupies ground precisely
the reverse of this-in fact the very grount
which the Good Templars ayow as theirs il
their declaration of principles. And while it i
not for me to make any suggestions as to tn
political duties of Jour friends, must respect
fully inquire if the consistent Good Templar o
the consistent Prohibitionist of every name car
satisfy his conscience that has been true to hi
principles when he walks up to the polls il
September and deposits ballot upon which i
written "Chas. w. RobeIts-Prohibition Il
revolutionary in spirit, clog ito business;
never favored it-I never will"
Fraternally Yours, ii. A. SHoREY.
&. W. G. T., Grand Lodge of Maine,I. o. G.
News and Other Items.
| Garfield is recovering, and will take part Il