The daily gazette., 1880-08-24
MAINE.

A new element will enter into the
politics OF Maine at the approaching
election which is likely to give the Re
publlcaus much trouble. Indeed, the
leaders have already taken the alarm,
and dread movement which may cost
them thousands of votes.
The Republicans have always pro
fessed to be the peculiar friends of tenn
perance, aud have passed ali laws that
the champions of that cause demanded.
But the prohibitionists assert, with truth,
that these laws are not enforced, and
that rum selling is general practice in
all the towns Of the State, with the
connivance Of the Republican author
tiles. An act was passed at the last
session OF the Legislature which author
lied the Governor TO appoint constables
To enforce the law il the local officials
were deliquent in that duty. IL Is
charged that Gov. Davis knowingly an
pointed men who tolerated the obnox
ious traffic.
The convention of prohbitionists at
Portland last week declared that Gov.
Davis had "forfeited all right to the
support of the Temperatures orders.- The
chiefs Of this demonstration claim to be
the "true Republican party of Maine"
and hold that the machine has gone out
side to trade and dicker for votes, offer
ing, besides money, that which no man
or party can afford to part with-"prin-
ciple and respect for the law.o Mr..
Joshua Nye Of Augusta, President Of
the State Temperance Society, and long
known as jealous and unselfish adyo.
cate of the cause, IN recent interview
made some curious revelations not much
calculated to help the Republicans IN
the present emergency. He is reported
as saying;
81 know that before every State
election here the liquor dealers are
bought up by promises of immunity
from punishment for illegal selling =
Indictments found ag inst them dur
ing the year are quashed by the at
torneys of counties, and men who
would, in nine cases out of ten, vote
the Democrat ticket, are obliged to
barter their right of suffrage for a Ii
cense to sell, granted by the men who
have taken solemn oath to do the
very opposite. Mr.. Blaine sent for me
not long ago, and asked me if was
going to endanger the success of the
Republican party in this critical year.
He pointed out the fact that if Maine
went for the Fusionists in September
it would have damaging effect on
| the November elections. / have told
him could not help that. | said to
him that il / had the casting vote in
the coming contest I would throw il
/ for PlaIGfad Hfhia ahaolrnI
bly,, as might be expected. He remon-
strated, but l notified him that the
temperance Republicans would no
longer stand by and see an unholy al
lance between prohibitionists and
rum sellers without protesting"
The temperance leader who uttered
these plain sentiments added:
81 am still Republican, and have
no reasons for opposing the Republican
nominee. The declaration of the plat.
form were meant to secure our votes,
the practice of the administration was
intended to conciliate the rumsellers
We mean to defeat Gov. Davis, who
is the tigurehead Of the party"
This revolt is a natural result of tb,
systematic deception practised on til,
temperance men. Year after year the,
have seen their cause betrayed by the
managers Of the Republican party, VIII,
constructed hypocritical platforms tc
catch the votes of Neal Dow, Joshua
Nye, and others like them, and passed
laws for Radical prohibition that wer,
never intended to be enforced, AL
this time they were bargaining fo
votes with the rumsellers, N. Y. Sun