Herald of Kansas. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1880-1880, 1880-02-27
THE TEMPERANCE noO,T

And tricks that are vain,
This temperance boom is peculiar.
And the same we rise to explain.
There is move Oh foot in this CITY
to organize among our people tempe
rance lodges. This is a good thing.
Ne are IN favor Of temperance. Yes.
we favor temperance for several reas-
ens. No race or class Of people can
afford to become drunkards. The
colored race should not be a whisky
drinking race. But there seems to
be another side to this temperance
| question. 1t looks as though it is
fast assuming the garb of an selection
dodge" We favor temperance among
our people, but when man is called
upon to take an oath that virtually
disfranchises him, then we declare
against this move and denounce it as
an election dodge. The oath pre-
scribed in this temperance boom
disfranchises him in so fer as be
swears to support for Office only those
as are lucky enough to be nominated
and placed on the prohibition ticket.
In joining this temperance move one
is required tolpay. no initiation fee,
which is saving to many and
which fact alone causes them to rush
to the front and sign the pledge.
But let us here consider this oath:
The ticket is nominated and placed
in the field, The members Of the
temperance lodges, who are voters
are in duty bound to support that
ticket, let the men on that ticket be
Democrats, Independents or Republi-
cans. AS we said at the outset, we
favor temperance. but we are not
willing 10 stand idly by and see our
people DISTINGUISHED by such plausi-
BILE dodge. Dodge-yes, election
dodge,
1t may and will be argued by
some of the ''knowing ones" that this
is not hocus-pocus to obtain votes,
but that this is a good thing and will
result in much good to the coIoTed
race, and be the means of establishing
among them night schools, where the
man and woman who tolls during
the day may be taught the 'rudiments'
Of an English education-but
farther than this deponent sayeth not.
Now, allow US to ask a conundrum :
Why not take this money (where
does it come from?) and send some
one South and establish schools
among the colored people. where
they are deprived of schools entirely,
instead Of coming here in free Kan
sas and GLOWING" about the alarming
amount of ignorance prevailing
among the colored people?
The reason is obvious. There is q
proposed amendment to the COnsti-
tuition in this State, and it is hoped
through the agency OF temperance
lod ges to rally the colored vote to the
support of the aforesaid amendment
Ia there colored man in this State
who is unable 70 see the object sought
to be carried out?
While we favor temperance among
this people, we are not willing to see
them disfranchise themsel YES, simply
in order TO show their devotedness to
the cause OF temperance. Let ever!
man think of this matter seriously
before he signs any pledge. In sign
ing this pledge you virtually swe
away your right to vote tor other than
temperance devotees, so every man
should look before he leaps.
1t seems to US that the time has
come when the co!ored man in this
State should, pay little more atten-
ton to padding his own canoe" and
not allow any ring or clique to pur-
chase his right of suffrage with al
: oath. A man to be temperate does
not require the presence upon the
lapel of his coat a piece of blue
: ribbon. 1t is unnecessary. Do no.
misconstrue our meaning. OF course
there is a certain class who, since
reading the above, are ready 10 say
that we are snti-temperance. To 81
such we would say, "you are little
off"
The nights schools are good, so fa'
as they 60. But we think "thit
money" or at least a portion OF i
could be placed where it would d.