The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-08-01
DAILY.


foAltlonl AoHpuRAAGUs
Fer tbs IutOlugeuesr.
MIssRs. EDITom:-It appears strange
that men who are apparently advocating
with earnsstness and zeal Q great mora
reform, will pursue such q course as will
rather retard than facilitate the work, BY
directing their efforts in the improper
channel,
The advocates Of temperance have done
much good to the human species, as al
sensible msn will admit, but the temper
anCs cause in this year Of grace, 1881
might have been much further advanced
had 1t not been for the unwiSe course pur'
sued by many Of Ito prominent AdVocates'
It Is not necessary to enumerate the many
unwise moves made by temperance lead
ers, but there is one prominent one which
deserves particular notice, which 10 the
sndeayor In several Of the States to organ
Ike the Temperance men into q political
party, and Nominate temporance
candidates, thus investing the ga
cred cause Of temperance with
the pArpherpAliS Of politics, endeav'
oring to array tine votarieS OF tenn
perAnce against the two political organizA'
tions which have long been coutending
for the supremacy. Each member otthese
old political organisations has his peculiar
views In regard 10 the question oil finance.
State sovereignty, the taif, internal i'm.
proyement, &c, lie claims them oil ques'
ions OF vital importance, and 1t cannot be
reasonably expected that he will sever his
former party affiliations, although he
may be q true temperance man, and unite
with o party based upon a single moral
reform, when no knows, II he reflect prop.
erly, that the cause OF temperance eau be
better sustained by keeping 1t out Of the
arena Of politics.
There can be no plausible objection to
such temperance legislation as IS now be-
ing agitated and looked forward TO By the
people OF our State. Tho temperance ad.
vocites Ui West Virginia desire our LegiS
lAture 10 enact q law, submitting to the
unalihed voters Of the State whether they
will have q pTohibitory clause inserted In
our State Constitution, and II they rAtify
1t, 1t becomes 0 part OF our organic law,
thus made by the people themselves with.
out distinction oil party, for there are good
and true temperance men Ia both politi'
cal parties. But this 10 quite different
from holding temperance conventions 10
nominate candidates for office. Temper.
ance conventions are all right and proper
when they assemble 10 promote the good
cause, but when they meet for the pur.
pose Of making candidates for Office they
are travelling In the wrong direction, Tor
their candidates are frequently made
without any regard TO their qualii'
cations. Nominations are accorded TO
men simply because they have
been Esalous temperance workers, with
out looking to their general ftness. Talent,
craftsmanship, high integrity and sObriety
are requisite in legislative and executive
Offices. The temperance people when
they nominated Neal Dow for the Presi.
denCy last year, could not have believed
hat he poeseBed the comprehensive
statesmanlhip that would have enabled
him 10 gil the Presidential chair accept.
ably to the people Of the United States,
though he was 0 good honest citizen oil
Portland, Maine, and deserves everlasting
gratitude for his untlring efforts In the
cause o! temperance. Because John B.
Cough can make Q good temperance
speech Il does not follow that he would
make an Efficient United States Senator.
Then again the very fact oil holdingtem
perance conventions for the purpose of
nominating q Temperance ticket" causes
many 10 become suPpiClous oil the motives
OF temperance leaders. II makes them APP
pear 10 ther light Of Office aseE era rather
than OF moral reiormers. 1t makes the
cause oil temperance vulnerable 10 lie
enemies instead Of strengthening Il! weak
nets. ~.
Temperance is moral, not political, and
politics cannot be manufactured out Of II.
II would be as sensible Tor those who
are opposed 10 profAne swearing to
organize q party and put an anti. pro.
fame swearing ticket In the field, or Tor
those In favor Of keeping the Sabbath 10
nominate an ti.sAbbatb breaking ticket.
The true couisa for temperance men and
christian men 10 pursue is to teach by ex'
ample az we'll 90 by preCept, and show to
| the world that they are sincere In their
morality and religion by keeping them
separate and apart from party politics.
Men should be- chtistiAns and temperance
men, and labor for the advancement OF
christianity and morality without any
hope Of fee OF reward, save that quiet con:
tentment which 10 the natural result oil
that glorious reward that ie promised the
faithful after they have crossed "the river
OF teturnless tide D" and not be looking Tor
large incidental fees In the way Of fat off
ces, II they will do 80, they will soon
manufacture a public sentiment that will
not make political organizations Of the
advocates Of Temperatures, but II will make
a large majofily Of the pfePent political
parties advocates Of temperance.
Another objection to temperance politi.
cal organizations 10 that they furnish cities
OF ref6Qe 10 the "played out" Republicans
and Democrats, who have been laboring
ior wears 10 lie recognized by their parties
and have failed, ard In dispair turn TO any
new organization, knowing they have
nothing 10 lose, aud thinking, like Micaw.
Der, that something may turn up" that
will crafty their aspirations. These kind
Of men always down the cAute they pre-.
tend 10 save.
The writer Of this Ia an eatnest advocate
OF total abstinence. lie IOng ago auOpIeu
total abStiHenCe as the result Of bis own
reflections, without signing any temper.
ance pledge, since which time he has
Aligned several pledges, which he 10 proud
Ia say he has kept ihvlolate, and he has
nhiied With eevefal temperance tssoctA'
Iiopsf for the purpose OIL lending bic humble
a%stItanoo 10 lhb good work, but he has
never United with . political temperance
organization, moi does he ever expect "a
do 40, The temperance cause % itAughl
with loo much consequences u. htimahily
to make Il a side show IN an e%leclioneer
Ing cGnysss ID which II can exhibit
Ne leaders % gladiatofs in the politiCa
arena.
Letthis cause Of temperance move on
and lei ever good man and woman athist
Ia advancing II, but do not lei the stream
be made 2stAsnaht by throwing q polilica
la AaIAaaN .AaI naAInHI