The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1878-04-12
TEMPERANCE AND POLITICS.
Elias NJ, Glasgow TO the what
lac has 90 Nay upon the subject


EDITOR BULLETIN :--ln your issue OF
the 4th inst, find an article under the
caption "Call for a meeting Of temper
ance reiOrmers to nominate candidates."
ETC., In reference 10 which ask lie In
diligence ola few remarks by way OF ex'
PLANTATION. Said article Is something after
this style: 'Some Of the more extreme
and lmpolltic Of The temperance advo'
Gates OF the county have determined that
the time has come when it will do to
mix politics and temperance, and to
make IL the issue at the election this fall.
At a meeting of the temperance organs
ization at Olive Branch, few days ago.
aserles OF 'whereases' and resolves were
INDUCED In, and convention to nomi-
nate q ticket tor county offices was called
to meet at Cairo on the fifth day OF
April. The leader In this ill.tlmed and
unwise movement Is one Elias NJ. Glas-
cow" etc. Allow me to say that there
was no intention that the proposed con>
vention should make a single nomination;
on the contrary ,yod will, byreference to
the communication to the Cairo club. find
1t expressly stated that the inten~
ton was not to nominate can
didates tor office but to take only such
steps looking thereto as might be deems
ed advisable. Much less was there an
intentionoi makingit the issue this fall; 1t
was only hoped to agree upon some un-
animous basis for future action that
would tend to secure concert, harmony
and effectiveness In our efforts to reform
our fellow.men and emancipate them
from the despotic and debasing thrall-
dom OF that remOrseess and diaDolical
fend. intemperance; and, also. by setting
forth our views in reference to the work
to be accomplished, and the means Of
performing II; to compel both poltica
arties To recognize the temperance ele-
ment, and put forward such men as Will
claim its support, Such seems to me to
be perfectly legitimate, and within the
scope of the present reformatory move.
ment. Again, while | do not disclalm
the orlginaton OF the plan Tor said con.
vention, do disclaim Intentional incon-
sideration. Before introducing those reso-
lutions, submitted my views to one OF
the leading and most influential members
OF the Thebes club. and he heartily ems
dorsed them, then they we're further SUBJ
mitted to each OF the temperance organi-
cations In the county, a majority OF
which concurred In the same.
SO then, trust that, though my views
may be somewhat In advance OF those
entertained by my brethren, they Will
not do me the injustice Of making those
views appear more ultra than have ex-
pressed them.
The article from which have quoted,
| think, does me great injustice by attri-
butlng sentiments to me that have
neither advocated nor entertained.
But / find that had L advocated the
views attributed to me that would have
been in good company, as you may see
from the following extracts from an edi-
torlal in n leading journal OF st. Louis of
April 3rd: "The temperance movement
Ia passing into new and necessary de-
velopment. The men who wear the blue
and red ribbons are electing municipal
officers from their own ranks with the
avowed intention OF putting an end by
law to the dramshop traffic in liquors.
So large a measure OF success has already
attended these efforts that the moves
ment will continue to gain force and be-
come general" Again, "when a people
have become so far advanced in their no.
tons of good government and morality
as to prohibit thieving and gambling BY
law, they are prepared to take ether
steps in the same direction" Then after
enumerating some ofthe evils attending
the licensed traffic, he (the EDITOR says;
We say to the friends of temperance
everywhere; 1t Is within your power to
do away with dram shops. And the
way to do 1t is TO put men in office,
wherever you can, fully identified with
the temperance movement. Ii is not a
question of general politics. The issue
is local and practical. Do not waste your
time in discussing abstract questions;
strike quickly, and let the blows be heavy
enough to persuade your enemies that
YOU are. in earnest. Elect men who be-
Iieye iSprohibition and cannot be bought
up by the liquor dealers.
| think the time has not
yet arrived for taking such
advanced steps as this, though there ia
no doubt as to the work to be accomp>
lished, and trust it may be accomp-
lished peaceably, amicably and satisfacts
orily to all. And sincerely do | hope
that the glorious cause Of reform may
never sustain any loss or injury by an
act of mine; on the contrary, my earnest
wish Is. that 1t may triumph over every
opposition, and Its benign influence be-
come supreme throughout our land.
ELIAS Nj. GLASGOW.
OLIVE BRANCH, ILL.,, April 8, 1873.