The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-21

I23 elt I AUGUSTA. lAugust. 10, $780,
I 8 Not only haye the Republican leaders
Z TO facs &7 determined and well organized
enemy in the grestcontest now going on
4 in, Maine,- rbuk they are threatened with
what may become o. serious mutiny in
their own ranks. The extreme pfohibf-
tionists havs started An independent
movement, and Co show their sincerity
they e&subscribed campaign fund
from which . very lively paper called
Ttha 1FMs RepatbLic0n in supported. The
; stranger visiting Maine would perhaps be
, at loss to know why the prohibitionists
: have become dissatisfied with the Repub-
Aiicsn party. He finds it almost impossible
to procure a-drink of anything stronger
-thad water OF milk. Cider. is considered
contraband.~ But if he stays in one place
I fora weeksAnd gets acquainted, he will learn
the tricks and can get gloriously 'full' on
exceedingly bad whiskey and worse beer,
so / have been told. This is really the
troubls with Observation-Disclosures In all
the cities and large towns they know that
liquor is sold as openly as in New York
and Chicago. The conventions each year
declare thar temperance is one of the car"
dinal principles Of the Republican party,
and that thejsale and manufacture of rum
LOAN be shipped only by legislation. The
= Legislature passes any bill asked by them.
bat when II comes to carrying into prac-
tice these professions than they 20 slow.
Al. ons of the prohibitionists said to me
Gnoting an old sdage, ''they are for the
Law and against its enforcement"
.--- "A DIVISION IN THE CAMP -.. .
So the prohibitory leadershavs declared
war on their former party allies. Their
object is 10 defeat Governor Davis and
Congressman Reed in the first district.
They will hold an adjourned convention
tomorrow TO nominate q candidate for
Governor What their strength is cannot
be determined now. They constitute the
= unknown quantity. and I know few Re-
publican leaders who are nervous about il.
They held . meeting in this city n few
weeks ago. and the republicans committed
the serious blunder of packing il for the
purpose of controlling its action. The
leaders adjourned to Portland and numer-
tous accessions to their ranks are reported
9fr- Hale. who is candidate for the
7 United States Senatorship, is very obnox-
ieus to them. and they will work Ms strenu"
ously TO defeat him ss thsy will TO defeat
the others. The True Republican makes
. this charge against him.-.'A prominent
Z member of the last Legislature kept open
bar IN his hotel room. as was the custom
IN Augusta forty years ago Liquors were
pressed upon the reluctant ones. Intoxi-
cation and disorders were the result. In
the night drunken squad rushed from
that room to that OF q grave Eand reverend
Senator. and dragged him out of bed and
.paraded him by force. In night costume,
up and down through the corridors of the
: house, The prime author of these orgies
did not consider them any bar to the reali-
zation of his aspirations for a high Office.
A PRoHIBITIoN1sT's VIEWS.
In order to get at the feeling of the pro-
hibitionists and to discover the purpose
they have in view, l called upon MI. 4
Joshua Nye, eff this city. Mr. Nye ia
president of the State Temperance Assoc
citation and life long advocate of the cause
of prohibition ne the only effective means
to check the sale and consumption of in
toxioating beverages. He has been for
twenty-five years as consistent and per
sistent worker in this field, if not as
conspicuous. as Neal Dow himself. He
has devoted his time and money
to the procurement of legisla
ton which would stop all selling
and drinking iD Maine, if it be pos
sible 10 do this by legal eDactments. But
Mr. Nye is disgUsted. He admits that
the Laws now on the statute books for the I
suppression of rum are excellent What
he objects to and protests fofcibly against |
is their non-enforcement And SO he is |
determined to do all in his power 40 defeat |
the reelection of Governor Davis.
Our position he said to the Herald
correspondent tonight. ''Is entirely con
sistent. Our proposition is fair and hon. |
orable. We have nothing to cover up |
or smooth over, We ask that the pro- |
hibitory laws enacted by the representa- |
tives of the people be properly enforced or |
else repealed. IF public sentiment is |
against the enforcement it was decidedly |
misrepresented in the enactment
What gave rise to the present move
ment against the Republican party by the |
prohibitionists.
II was this. and an very glad to have
an opportunity of properly stating the
grievances which drove us to take this |
extrehle step. For twenty years ne have,
with one exception. had Republican Gov
ernors and consistent temperance men. /
We ehaye had Perham. Dineiey. Conuor
and others equally we'll known. They
knew when elected that the prohibitionists |
were a majority of the parsy-a large
majority. They not only signed billsI
Testrlcting theA sale of liquor. but faithfullyI
e4eGuted the laws in the manner provided |
~ sne Legislature. In 1873 several coun-
les elected Democratic or Greenback
nnerlifs. These men were In most instan- /
0DA Nnn0aad a =