The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-24
The Temperance Question in Politics,

The Temperance Question in Politics,
THE ARGUS has this to say in regard to
the candidates on the democratic ticket. 1t
does not know aud has never inquired.h |
many or which of them, Iif any, belong to
any temperance organization. 1t does not
know and has never inquired whether any
of them are members of the church, or if
30, to what denomination they may chance
to belong. 1t docs not know, has never
inquired, and does not care fig to know,
whether single one of them belongs to the
Masons, Odd Fellows, or any other secret
society. This much it does know, they are
all honest upright men, of good repute
among their neighbors, friends and ac-
quaintances,- they are sober, industrious,
intelligent men,-they pay their honest
debts, lead lives of morality and virtue,
respect and obey the laws of the land, and
they are neither very poor or very rich.
In addition to the qualifications enumer
ated, they are all sound, safe, and reliable
democrats. Socially, morally. and polite
ally, they each and all possess the old time
Jeffersonian requisites for Office honesty,
faithfulness, and capability."
Some very jealous adherent of the total
abstinence order makes the following COM
munication purporting to have been
written at Reynolds in this county, and
published in the Blue Ribbon NeacS:
Nov that the election is passed in
Iowa, and as there is not a paper pub
lished in Rock Island county shat has
given us a single item, whereby the tenn
perance voters may know the standing of
the several candidates on the temperance
question, would it be possible for you to
enlighten us in regard to the position &C.
cupied by the gentlemen desiring our
votes on the 5th of November next So
far as / have been able to learn but one
candidate on the three tickets is an out
and-out temperance man. He will get my
vote, sure, if l can get to the polls, and as
ticket with but one name on il would
look lonesome, would like to enlarge the
number-tut no whisky candidate need
apply. As to the political principles, il
makes no matter what they are, it is TEN
perance men l wish to vote for, and ne
others under any consideration. Query
How many OF the candidates for office il
Rock Island county can vote for on these
grounds? Will THE ARGUS. Union and
hOc6 Islander answer, or are they al
coquetiDg to the liquor inhuence?"
The remarks already made predatory Il
this extract are a sufficient reply. The
democratic party makes no issue with
either republicans or nationals in regard
to sumptuary laws on the subject of tenn.
perance, nor in regard to temperance it
self in any way. These questions
have no pertinent relation to the issues
before the people of political character
and the general reputation of the candi
dates for sobriety, and of having LIVED
moderately and temporarily in all things
is as strong a guarantee of their per-
sonal characteristics as the public cares t
know. 1t is just as pertinent and proper
in a political contest to inquire to wha
church q candidate belongs, or whethe
to none at all, as it is to in
quire whether he belongs to any
one or more Of the various temperance or
CARNATIONS. The ARGUS is amply salts
fed both as to candidates religious be
lief, or his temperance views, if he il
known to be man of honesty and int
gritty in public affairs, of good moral re,
pute in private life, temperate and discree
in his speech as well as IN eating anC
drinking, and has the sound, common
sense to deport himself as good either
generally without making an ass of him
self by eccentricities and a vain-glorioul
angularity, or undue and untimeIy stub
borness of personal opinions and persona
conceit