The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-08-27
AoHtiraI.
A WORD TO TEMPERANCE MEN.

WORD TO TEMPERANCE MEN.
The political struggle this fall will be
between the Republican party and the
Democratic party. Any issue which
tends to draw strength from either, can
have no other effect than to weaken the
one from which it is drawn. In closely
contested States, the loss of few hun
dred votes ON either side, may turn the
scale of victory against the party which
loses most from these independent move
ments.
This statement will be conceded as a
fair one. 1t is borne out by past expe-
rience, and cannot be disproven. There
fore, any issue on the temperance ques-
ton, which becomes sufficiently crystal
lied to form a party organization, can
have no other effect THAI that which
may be found In the defeat of one OF the
two great parties struggling for mastery
This being conceded, the question
comes home with earnest force; i'm the
formation of temperance party, calcu-
lated to command the support of few
Thousand advocates, which of the'two
great parties will suffer the most? A
glance at the material composing the
two organizations, answers the question.
The temperance element in the Demo-
cratic party is so small, that if it were
possible to withdraw the whole of it, the
party would hardly feel the loss, where
as, the temperance element is so strong
in the Republican party, that its loss
would seriously impair, if not altogether
destroy the strength of the party.
Therefore, temperance men may set it
down as certainty, that any encourage
ment given to an independent temper
ance ticket, will injure the Republican
party, more than it will the Democratic.
Without securing for itself success, such
a ticket, if placed in the field, becomes,
simply, an ally of Democracy.
This being the case, the practical ques-
ton for the friends of temperance to
answer, is: Will Democracy better pro
mote the cause of temperance than Re
publicanisn? If it will, then they will
be justified in supporting an independ-
6nt ticket. If it will not, then they will
be doing q great injustice to themselves,
and the cause they profess to love.
Has the cause of temperance ever re-
ceived encouragement from the Demo
cratic party2 On the contrary, has it
not found in Democracy an enemy to its
principles, an enemy that is largely sup
ported by the liquor interests, an enemy
deaf to its pleadings, and indifferent to
the good work it seeks to accomplish
Past experience proves Democracy to
be the natural enemy Of temperance.
The present attitude of the party con
firms it; and the future will witness no
change in its policy of hostility towards
temperance principles.
The general scope of Republican legis
latiOn on this question, has been to lessen
the evils of intemperance. Without be-
ing a strict temperance party, its sym
pathy has been, is now, and always will
be, with those efforts which have for
their object the protection of society
against the abuses growing ont of the
liquor traffic. This sympathy grows out
of its labors for the advancement of hu-
manity, promotion of personal liberty,
and its devotion to the cause of human
civilization. Anything that tends TO
check human progress, or tn injure the
individual or the State, finds in the Re
publican party an earnest opponent.
Therefore, it follows, as n self-evident
fact, that any Independent movement
on the part of temperance advocates,
which divides the strength of the Re
publican party, without securing for it.
self success, is direct blow at the only
organization INCLINED to assist the cause,
by precept and example, and powerful
enough to hold for temperanc the ad-
vancei positions which il has already
gained.
1t is folly to say that consistency re-
quires adherence to an Independent
ticket. Such adherence might be justi
fled if success was possible. But it is
not possible. Every vote thus cast, is
not only a vote thrown away, but a vote
in favor of party whose triumph would
open the fiood-gates of intemperance,
and sweep from the statute books every
restraint against the liquor traffic.
As figure of speech, this consistency
may be pardonable, but its practice is
the stabbing of friend to secure the
elevation of an enemy. We send out
a warning word to our. temperance
friends. II they cannot SECURE all they
want, let them hold fast to that which
comes nearest to their principles Let
them not be deceived into the belief
th;'t the defeat of the Republican party,
through an independent temperance
movement, will so open the eyes of the
people to the evils of intemperance, as
to rally them to their standard in the
future. Such discipline would be re
actionary and fatal to their best inter
ests. Let them beware of it as a device
of the common enemy, and let them
cling with steady devotion to that grand
party which has labored for fourteen
years in the service of justice, humanity
freedom, and through them, every good
cause that tends to advance the world.
eivilization.-RepU6lic.
Republicans, come out TO the County
| Convention Tomorrow fAuo oS,bA