The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-05-01
Political Temperance"


your paper under the above heading. you
intimate tibet the temperance movement,
if not designed for political purposes, is
evidently tending in that direction. You
say, such were the indications in DIR. Key
nolds' speech" In another article you
use the following language:
The temperance folks, assure us that the ssmove-
ment of the ribbons, blue and red" have no polltl-
cal significance, and that 1t Is not their 1ntention
or desire to allow the movement TO be used as
political machine Perhaps this may be true In
this city, but it Is nifestly not the case in Cor
dova, Port Byron, Hampton and Rapids CITY WheIe
and are making the license question direct issuei
This concert OF action in all these four towns may
or may not be any indication Of the programme
here but judging from what they are doing in
these towns, they will bear watching here. Ii the
same course is to be pursued here the movement
will loose much of Its usefulness.
AS to DR.. Reynolds | am satisfied you
misrepresent him in the language quoted
above. There was no point which he took
more pains to impress on his audiences
than the broad, catholic platform on which
he based his work; its absolute freedom
from sectarianism, politics, and every other
subject which would have a tendency
to divide the organization or pre-
vent any one from joining it.
DR.. Reynolds repeatedly said that he
cared not what party or church man
belonged to or whether he belonged to no
party or no church, so far as his joining the
reform club was concerned, and the con-
stitution expressly forbids any interference
with or allusion to members politics lor
religion. | think Reynolds mentioned
several towns 10 Michigan where the in
fuence of the aroused temperance senti-
ment was felt at the ballot box and
resulted in some desirable changes in the
character of their officials; and this, !
believe, was his only allusion to the matter
and was in no sense an indication" OF
any political object in view.
, AS to the license question having been
made an issue at the late elections in
several towns ia this county, you must
be aware that the same issue has beer
repeatedly made in almost every village Of
the county long before Murphy or Rey.
J nolds were heard Of Even in this city
high or low license has been the issue al
the polls, and you can certainly not have
forgotten that but q few years ago the
liquor interest effected strong organiza-
ton for the express purpose OF meeting
that issue. If l am not mistaken the
members of that organization were
pledged to oppose every candidate WIZ
was not known to DO favorable to thei
side OF the question.
The temperance organization does moth
ing of the kind, 1t asks no pledge of an!
one except the simple pledge to abstain
from the use of alcoholic beverages. 1t il
, forbidden by its constitution to attempt t.
control or influence the votes of any of it
members. The essential feature of tn
whole movement, which ought to comment
: it to every good citizen and every friend o
bis race. is that it is strictly voluntary
that it binds no mans faith. nor thought
nor action, nor habits, save in the singh
; matter of strong drink
r In selecting public officers it would b.
6 perfectly natural for temperance man t
l vote for the candidate who most nearl
represents his views on that subject; othe
} considerations being equal. His right G
f choice belongs to him equally with ever
other citizen. Why, then, do you intimat
that the temperance movement need
watching" here? Is it because you fea
its growth will endanger the success of tn
party which you serve? Or is it beoaus
t you think the public interests and tn
a general welfare of this community woul
f be endangered thereby? Or does it nee
; watching" to enable outsiders to joi
j hands with the movement when its pro
{ perity and success are assured? | hop
r the latter. L. NJ HAvERsTICK,
Rock Island, April %, 1878.